Experience Québec
Discoveries
Artsy and accessible
Plateau Mont-Royal, the most densely populated neighbourhood in Canada, is still the trendy home of choice for artists, young professionals, and urban bohemians. Day and night its narrow, colourful streets bustle with activity and reveal a dynamic, trendy yet accessible Montreal.
Until 1909, the city of Montreal’s northern boundary was Duluth Street; the "plateau" at the base of Mount Royal was a series of villages (Coteau Saint-Louis, Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Saint-Louis-du-Mile-End and Lorimier) whose growth was spurred by corporate expansion, the development of the railway and the proliferation of tramways. After being annexed to the city and further populated by waves of European immigrants at the turn of the 19th century, these villages became a hot spot with city dwellers who wanted a change of scenery from the downtown core.Observing everyday life
For more than 20 years, the living history of the suburb was described in vivid detail in a series of novels (Chroniques du Plateau Mont-Royal) written by author and playwright Michel Tremblay. Guidatour invites you to discover the places and people that inspired him to write: Fabre Street, the school he attended, the apartments of various neighbours, Lafontaine Park... The latter, a lovely, vast and tranquil expanse of greenery, is today the home of an outdoor theatre, Théâtre de Verdure, which presents free events of all kinds throughout the summer.
Other organizations suggest guided tours, on foot or by bus, to immerse you in the multi-ethnic character and the cultural and historic heritage of the Plateau. One such agency is Amarrages sans frontières, with its Le Plateau des odeurs et des couleurs excursion. Touring it by bike is fun, too. La Maison des cyclistes, located at the crossroads of two of the city’s bike paths (Brébeuf and Rachel streets), offers very interesting guided tours with commentary. Be sure to bring a bottle of spring water!Hustle and bustle
From the stunning Victorian architecture surrounding Square Saint-Louis (where the poet Émile Nelligan once lived) to the makers of fine chocolate on Laurier Avenue, the cosmopolitan feel of Saint-Laurent Boulevard (the Main) to the peaceful expanse of Lafontaine Park, there is much to see on the Plateau. The atmosphere is lively on Prince-Arthur, with its musicians and street entertainers; colourful and crowded in the little shops and many restaurants on Mont-Royal Avenue; endlessly entertaining when you people-watch from a terrace, café or bar on Saint-Denis. Downtown may be the heart of Montreal, but the Plateau is undeniably its soul.| A few suggestions... |
Ecomuseums Art galleries Theatres:
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Check out these bilingual websites... |
Guillaume Rivard
2008-03-19
