Left Séminaire St-Sulpice Right Place Jacques-Cartier
A ro u n d M o n tr éa l – V ie u x- M o n tr éa l & V ie u x- P o rt
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his enchanting area, established in 1642, is the most rewarding spot to begin a tour of the city of Montréal. Its ancient churches, cobblestone streets, horse-drawn calèches and the bustling international port characterize this fascinating neighborhood. Vieux-Montréal epitomizes the romance, culture and joie-de-vivre of the metropolis, while the activity of mega-freighters and palatial cruise boats in the Vieux-Port reveals that Montréal is the shipping gateway to the Great Lakes. The old quarter combines high-tech novelty with old-world charm as well as some of the city’s best dining options. Plan to spend several days exploring the craft shops, museums, cultural exhibitions and French bistros while savoring the European-style hospitality presented in avivacious Québécois manner.
Sign up for DK’s email newsletter on traveldk.com Basilique Notre-Dame
Sights 1 Basilique Notre-Dame
2 Musée Pointe-à-Callière
3 Séminaire St-Sulpice
4 Place Jacques-Cartier &
Place de la Dauversière
5 Musée Marguerite-Bourgeoys & Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours
6 Hôtel de Ville
7 Musée Château Ramezay
8 Marché Bonsecours
9 Sir George-Étienne-Cartier National Historic Site
0 Musée Marc-Aurèle Fortin
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Because of the cobblestone streets in Vieux-Montréal, make sure you wear comfortable shoes while exploring.
A ro u n d M o n tré al – V ie u x- M o n tré al & V ie u x- P o rt
55
!
Basilique Notre-Dame When the largest bell in North America begins to thunder over Place d’Armes, legions of pigeons create a spectacle reminiscent of St Peter’s Square in Rome. Meanwhile throngs of pilgrims and visitors flock daily to this compelling architectural masterpiece (see pp12–13).@
Musée Pointe-à-Callière This striking modern building, married with the more ancient Place Royale setting, vibrates with activity throughout the year, as visitors digest one cultural exhibition treat after another on display inside and outside this museum (see pp18–19).#
Séminaire St-Sulpice Erected between 1685 and 1687 as the home of the Sulpician religious order, the St Sulpice Seminary is the oldest surviving building in Montréal.This remarkable historic edifice remains an icon of the
institutional architecture that was employed in Nouvelle-France.
The Sulpicians’ exterior clock above the main doorway is the oldest of its kind in North America, dating from 1701(see p13). d 116 rue Notre Dame Ouest
• Map K3
$
Place Jacques-Cartier &Place de la Dauversière Two famous names in Canadian history have beautiful squares directly across from each other.
Place Jacques-Cartier (see p34) celebrates the French discoverer of Canada (see p32), while Place de la Dauversière honors Jerome le Royer, Sieur de la Dauversière of La Flèche in Anjou, France.
Dauversière was the Royal Tax Collector whose idea it was to build a colony here, eventually called Ville-Marie. d Map L3
%
Musée Marguerite-Bourgeoys & Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours In 1653 Marguerite Bourgeoys arrived in Ville-Marie to open a school, which began in a stable assigned to her by the Sieur de Maisonneuve. By 1655 she was head of the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre-Dame and over-saw the construction of Canada’s first stone church in 1675. The chapel that remains dates from 1771. It is known as the “Sailors Chapel,” given its portside loca-tion and model ships hanging throughout. d 400 rue St-Paul Est• Map L3 • Open Mar–Apr: 11am–3:30pm Tue–Sun; May–Oct: 10am–5:30pm Tue–
Sun; Nov–mid-Jan: 11am–3:30pm Tue–Sun
• Adm • www.marguerite–bourgeoys.com
Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours
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A ro u n d M o n tr éa l – V ie u x- M o n tr éa l & V ie u x- P o rt
The French Arrival and the Fur Trade The original Huron village of Hochelaga (meaning “where the rivers meet”) provided the French
explorers with an ideal location from which to settle the new continent and the key staging area for exploration of the rest of
North America. It also allowed access to the Huron fur-trading networks, resulting in an enormously profitable fur trade
between Canada and Europe.
^
Hôtel de VilleMontréal’s town hall was a gracious Second Empire-style edifice built between 1872 and 1878 by architect Henri-Maurice Perrault (1828–1903). Damaged by fire in 1922 it was rebuilt a year later in Beaux-Arts style, inaugurated in 1926 and is still used for its original function. It is possible to visit the interior and City Council sessions, open to the public on Monday nights at 7pm. It offers one of the most extravagant sights each evening when its array of lights illuminate the night sky (see p35). d 275 rue Notre-Dame Est • Map L2 • Open 8am–
5pm Mon–Fri • Free (adm for sessions)
&
Musée Château Ramezay This elegant stone home was originally constructed to house the Governor of Montréal, Claude de Ramezay (1659–1724) and his 16 children. Once the Ramezay family departed it was thereafter known as the Maison des Castors (beavers) because it was home to the Compagnie des Indes (West Indies Company) and their burgeoning fur trade with Europe. In 1775 General Richard Montgomery lived here with his band of rebellious Americans while they made a failed attempt to capture the city for the US. It has been a muse-um since 1895, with artifacts illustrating the early settlement of Québec, from tools to uniforms to historic documents. Of partic-ular note is the Nantes Salon, lavishly decorated by 18th-century French architect, Germain Boffrand (see p35). d 280 rue Notre-Dame Est• Map L3 • (514) 861 3708 • Open Jun–Sep: 10am–6pm daily; Oct–May:
10am–4:30pm Tue–Sun • Dis. access
• Adm • www.chateauramezay.qc.ca
*
Marché Bonsecours Built on the site of John Molson’s British American Hotel, this greystone Neo-Classical building has a rich history. It once housed the Parliament of Canada, Montréal’s temporary City Hall and was even a theatrical venuefor Charles Dickens when he acted at the Theatre Royal in
1842. Today it is a smart shopping center, and its designer boutiques, art exhibitions and souvenir shops attract a continuing influx of visitors under its shining dome (see p34).
d 350 rue St-Paul Est • Map L3
• Open Jun–Sep: 10am–9pm daily;
Sep–Jun: 10am–6pm daily (to 9pm Thu & Fri)
Hôtel de Ville
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