We Went to Montreal in the Dead of Winter
Montreal boasts the world’s ugliest Christmas tree. How can you stay home when you know that a short flight can deliver you to a world of unending crepes AND the ugliest Christmas tree? We had to see it with our own eyes.
But going to Montreal in the middle of winter was not our smartest move. It occurred to me after we landed that I had only been to Canada during warm(ish) months. I mean, we had coats with us. We had mittens and hats. But flimsy fabrics are no match for -23 degrees. The mucous froze in our nostrils the moment we stepped off the plane.
Still, as much as the cold thwarted our ability to do certain things, such as visit Olympic Park, climb Mont Royal, or go to La Ronde (for some crazy reason, they close the amusement park in the winter), we have zero regrets about going to Montreal in December (though we will never ever do it again). It was beautiful. Walking in the snow and looking at Christmas decorations is beautiful. The city is pretty quiet in winter, with most people bundled up at home rather than venturing into museums and churches.
We ate vegan poutine (yes, it exists) and became regulars at a crepe place in the old city (go there — it’s fantastic). We saw Aura, a laser light show in the Basilica. We adored MontVR, a virtual reality arcade. You need to set up an appointment to go, but they’re super flexible about it. We could tell the twins were feeling a little frantic about using their hour well because the VR menu was in French and they’re slow translators. Not only did the guy help them and give them a little extra time, but no one had the slot after us so we got to take a second hour on the fly AND the guy running the place sweetly talked computer specs with the Wolvog.
The highlight of the trip — for me — was finding Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel. It’s a church in the old city — one of the oldest in Montreal. The ceiling is decorated with little ships placed there by sailors seeking protection before they went out to sea. It was such an emotional space, and I fell in love with Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys, the nun who founded the church, as well as its patron Jeanne Le Ber, who is buried in its walls.
My only regret about the trip (besides it being so cold that we couldn’t think if we walked more than two blocks at a time) turned into a non-regret. On our first day, I saw a t-shirt about poutine that I really liked, but I decided not to get it for myself because it was the first day. Rookie traveling mistake. By the last day, I hadn’t seen anything I liked as much, and I decided to release myself from trying to find a t-shirt to bring home. It wasn’t meant to be, and I had dozens of great photos from the trip. Plus I knew we’d be back, and maybe the store would still carry the shirt. In our last hour in Montreal, we were running out to pick up our last Kinder Surprise (the twins just learned the joy of the Kinder Surprise this trip as well as the disappointment that all Kinder eggs needed to be consumed before going home) and we passed a store with fun pillows in the window. I decided to duck in to see if they had shirts and they did — SHIRTS WITH SLOGANS ABOUT POUTINE.
The lesson here: Act like a leaf in the river when you travel and the universe will bring you the right t-shirt at the right time.
Other highlights:
An art installation in the sewer walk (yes, you read that correctly) in a museum:
Learning everything I never knew I wanted to know about hockey:
Going to the Barbie Expo with the ChickieNob:
Finding one of my books in a Canadian bookstore:
Dinner at Schwartz’s deli where the guys were so nice to us and didn’t laugh at my dinner of two half-sour pickles and a Cott black cherry soda. (What? There is nothing else vegetarian on the menu.)
Cannot wait to go back to Canada… when it’s warmer. I loved being surrounded by French and seeing the kids trying to figure everything out. And, you know, crepes and vegan poutine. Does it get any better than that?
12 comments
Minus the temperatures, that sounds like a fantastic vacation!
When you mentioned in your comment to me that you had been to Montreal, I didn’t realize you meant NOW! lol Although it not all that far from me, relatively speaking (about a six-hour drive), I have only been there once, very briefly, on business. That was in the dead of winter (February) too, more than 25 years ago. I flew into Quebec City one morning, spent the day visiting branches there (including one in the old town — amazing). My driver/guide took me to lunch at a gorgeous restaurant there and took my photo in front of the statue of Champlain near the Chateau Frontenac, overlooking the St. Lawrence River, as the wind howled around me. Then he drove me to the airport so I could fly to Montreal. Spent the entire next day in a boardroom & flew back to Toronto in time for supper. I have been meaning to go back to both places ever since then. My mother & I were going to take the train there for a few days together when she came to visit me, about 10 years later — but I was in the throes of anxiety-related illness (stemming from my infertility & loss) and we had to cancel the trip. 🙁
Anyway, I am glad you all had such a good time — and got a small taste of a true Canadian winter, lol. 😉
Montreal is great! Along with olympic Park, the Botanic gardens is beautiful as well!
Shiver!
Looks like a great trip and I love that you found one of your books on the shelf! That’s fabulous.
Happy New Year!
Oh I do love Montreal. It’s very close to where I grew up, although we tended to drive into Ottawa. Quebec City is my favourite spot.
Q’s family came for Christmas in 2009 and they went into Montreal and it was -26 before wind chill. It is COLD in winter. But so beautiful.
Sounds like a great trip!
I love Montreal – it really is beautiful and you found my most favourite church in the city (and I’ve been to a ton of them!). It was truly magical, wasn’t it?
Plus I love that you’re an American who likes poutine because every American I know (including family) thinks poutine is disgusting! 🙂
The only time I was there was also the dead of winter, with my Vermonter husband. Madness. And I bought Kinder for Christmas, but now I’m wondering what I bought … the knock off “safer” version, I guess?
Hey Mel! I’ll admit I don’t come here often anymore… nice to red bout your trip to my city- I’m not there, so I don’t feel bad about missing you ;). Glad you survived the cold and enjoyed Schwartz’s. Hopefully next time you’ll come with beautiful weather and we can meet.
Ooh, that sounds lovely! And crazy! But also lovely. I’ve never been and I’m moving it up on my list of places to visit soon because your descriptions and pictures are tempting.
I sure loved watching you see the glories of Montreal in my 68 degree living room!
So cool about your book. You’re an international sensation!
I think I’ve been to that crepe place! We stayed down the street way back in 2006, and remember going to a crepe place in exactly the same location.
We were there in spring, and went on to Quebec City. I immediately fell in love with Quebec City and said I’d love to go there in winter, with snow everywhere. Cold, but romantic! It’s still on my bucket list.
Sounds like a great trip, even if cold.
There are some churches near my in-laws that have mini ships in them too. I loved hearing about their history from my FIL.