Montreal Tips

meanredspider

Next Monday I find myself in Montreal with a day free. I'm looking to hire a bike with a couple of cycling colleagues and was wondering if anyone has some tips for cycling in the city or just on the city itself...

cjcp

Awesome. You can ride up to and around Mont Royal, which is in the middle-ish of town. It's part of the women's World Cup circuit, think Pooley won there three years ago. Testing climb to the top.

There are some bike shops. I've some mates there and will try to get some details overnight.

cjcp

Thete are bike lanes around the city/downtown, but I'll see if I can find a route which local riders use.

meanredspider

Great - thanks, cjcp! I've found a bike rental place that is very highly rated on TripAdvisor and only 800m from our hotel. On the maps they provide there seems to be almost too much to see so any way of narrowing it down would be great!

daviesee

You might be in luck.
I lived in Montreal for 5 years and by far my favourite run was along the Lachine Canal bike path and then on the road through Beaconsfield to Sainte-Anne-De-Bellevue. I would have a bite to eat and a beer or two watching the boats go by at the bar there but unfortunately I heard that it had burnt down.
It's a simple out and return route but pretty and quiet roads (20 years ago :shock: ) at approximately 50 miles.
Bikeroutetoaster route here :- http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=450768

The weather should still be good. City centre cycling will be busy compared to Inverness. If you are limited to time and buddies fitness then the Old Port and Mont Royal would be a pleasant option. It's what I would call a good climb. A couple of miles ascent but none of it too steep on gravel paths from the south. There is a road from the north but I never used it as I had a mtb at the time. Good views from the top.

The street eye candy is outstanding. :P Nightlife for English speaking around Cresent Street or the Old Port. If you are good at French then head over to Rue St. Denis.
Important warning that took me by surprise. Montreal may be a bilingual city but on arrival you may as well be in Paris. Nothing to worry about but it can come as some of a surprise.

Enjoy!

meanredspider

Great, thanks, daviesee. My French is reasonable once it's warmed up again (I lived in Brussels for 3 years and also used to help my brother out on his farm in the Loire Valley in the day) but it's good to be forewarned. I guess, like the various communes in Brussels, that the Quebecois are fiercely defensive of their language.

daviesee

meanredspider wrote:

Great, thanks, daviesee. My French is reasonable once it's warmed up again (I lived in Brussels for 3 years and also used to help my brother out on his farm in the Loire Valley in the day) but it's good to be forewarned. I guess, like the various communes in Brussels, that the Quebecois are fiercely defensive of their language.

Very true. I found that if you make a wee bit of effort with the language then it is appreciated and help is much more forecoming. Be stubborn English and the shutters come down.
If you can converse in French, even basics, then French Canadiens are much more fun than the English Canadians. Even more so than the American tourists and students (18 drinking laws instead of 21 & stronger beer/lager attracts a certain type of student) who just tend to be loud and full of themselves.

Local delicacies -
Poutine - Chips with gravy and a hard cheese.
Chicken sandwich drowned in gravy.
Smoked meat sandwich - Schwartz's Deli.
Bagel & Loks - Bagel with cream cheese (Philidelphia) & smoked salmon. The Faubourg on St. Catherines.
All washed down by beer!

There is fine dining available which is very good but most pubs will serve decent food. The French are fussy about food and the Americans demand good service. It is a good combination.

Favourite pastime in Montreal? Sitting on a terrace have a drink people watching. And ice hockey (not in season just now). Ice hockey, beer and women. Quite possibly in that order.

Edit:- Oh, and forget about anything being PC. They are confirmed chauvanists and the women like it that way.

Fireblade96

meanredspider wrote:

Great, thanks, daviesee. My French is reasonable once it's warmed up again (I lived in Brussels for 3 years and also used to help my brother out on his farm in the Loire Valley in the day) but it's good to be forewarned. I guess, like the various communes in Brussels, that the Quebecois are fiercely defensive of their language.

Start in French, but don't be surprised if you don't understand the first response, it'll take a while to tune in to Quebecois. Like anywhere with a strong dialect or accent, they can make themselves easily understood - or completely incomprehensible !
It's a lovely place. The 3 Brasseurs brew pub / restaurant on rue St. Denis has a lovely open deck for enjoying a beer and the view ;-)

meanredspider

Wow - I'm looking forward to it already!!! The weather should be conducive to some great viewing (if a little warm for hard cycling ;-)

meanredspider

Had a fab day today cycling Montreal - great cycling city. Rode around the F1 race circuit (Circuit Gilles Villeneuve) which is superb and up to Mont Royal (the hill). Did 50 miles - Garmin was in my pocket so turned itself off a couple of times. Thoroughly recommend it to anyone.

memsley89

daviesee wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Poutine - Chips with gravy and a hard cheese.

Ohh, bugger... I was too slow,

I was going to suggest you eat here
Best poutine in town, although I'm hoping you found somewhere else to try it!?

Dang, I miss Canada (I lived there whilst at university...)

madeupname

Hi MRS,

Which bike hire did you use? I'm off to Montreal on Wednesday for a week and a bike ride is a definite possibility!

meanredspider

Ca Roule - just down near the river. Very good and provide nice maps. Ride around the GP circuit for sure!

madeupname

Perfect - that's the one I found online, too. Thank you.