DAVID’S WALKING TOURS
Here are very precise directions for two walking tours you might want to consider. Check the “Thing to do and see” tab for individual items, but if you want to walk around Montreal and get a feel for the city, these two walking tours should be fun.
Montreal
Historically, French institutions in Montreal were built by the Roman Catholic Church whereas most English institutions were gifts of rich Protestant or Jewish families, separate from their faiths. As a result, Montreal Catholic churches are a big part of its history, as are the enormous convents and monasteries or friaries that are now largely converted to condominiums or civic buildings.
Montreal
Historically, French institutions in Montreal were built by the Roman Catholic Church whereas most English institutions were gifts of rich Protestant or Jewish families, separate from their faiths. As a result, Montreal Catholic churches are a big part of its history, as are the enormous convents and monasteries or friaries that are now largely converted to condominiums or civic buildings.
Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral (Marie, Reine-du-Monde)
Left out of front door of the Sheraton onto René-Levesque Blvd. (If you aren’t staying at the Sheraton, start at Marie, Reine du Monde cathedral). Cross the street at the corner (Peel Street). Continue along René-Levesque and you will be passing between two squares: Dorchester Square and Dominion Square. You will see the large monument to Sir John A. McDonald, first Canadian Prime Minister, missing the statue. Separatists managed to blow-torch off his head in the middle of the night and it was sent to be repaired, then they decided he wasn’t very nice to indigenous people and they have chosen not to return him to his perch. Across the street, you will the first French-Canadian Prime Minister, Wilfrid Laurier. If you walk down a path in the park, you will note there are crosses in the brickwork. This was a graveyard and the crosses mark where they found graves, but they didn’t want to disturb them.
Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral (Marie, Reine-du-Monde). This is the Roman Catholic Cathedral, the third largest church in Quebec, with the Bishop’s Palace behind. Go inside and tour and walk around. It is a replica of St Peter’s in Rome, about half the size!
Continue along Rene-Levesque, go just a little bit past Beaver Hall Hill (Côte-Beaver-Hall) and you will find the back of St-Patrick’s (English Catholic church). The side door is usually open and it is totally worth seeing inside this Victorian beauty. This is where you will find the pew of Thomas D’Arcy McGee, the slain Father of Canadian Confederation, marked by a small Canadian flag.
Go back to Beaver Hall Hill and walk down the Hill.
You will come to Victoria Square. Walk through the square and look for the Art Nouveau Metro entrance which was given to Montreal by Paris. A little further along you’ll see the statue to Queen Victoria.
Turn left and you will see the entrance to the “Centre de commerce mondial”, 747 Square Victoria. Go inside and wander through it to the other end.
Victoria Square
Victoria Square
Continue along Rene-Levesque, go just a little bit past Beaver Hall Hill (Côte-Beaver-Hall) and you will find the back of St-Patrick’s (English Catholic church). The side door is usually open and it is totally worth seeing inside this Victorian beauty. This is where you will find the pew of Thomas D’Arcy McGee, the slain Father of Canadian Confederation, marked by a small Canadian flag.
Go back to Beaver Hall Hill and walk down the Hill.
You will come to Victoria Square. Walk through the square and look for the Art Nouveau Metro entrance which was given to Montreal by Paris. A little further along you’ll see the statue to Queen Victoria.
Turn left and you will see the entrance to the “Centre de commerce mondial”, 747 Square Victoria. Go inside and wander through it to the other end.
Notre-Dame Basilica
Go out the other end and turn right, go up to St Jacques Street and turn right….just for a bit. Poke your head into the Royal Bank building on the other side of the street. (360 St-Jacques)…it is now a cafe and is beautiful. Make sure you look up! Is it time for a coffee?
Come back out of the Royal Bank and head right on St-Jacques. Until the 1950s, this was Canada’s Wall Street. At the end of the street you’ll come out into a big square called Place d’Armes. On your left you’ll see the columns of the Bank of Montreal. Go inside and look up at the dome. Check out the banking hall…another beauty!
Come back out and you will be facing Notre-Dame Basilica. You have to pay about $14 to go inside. THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST SEE. Walk to the front and look back at the organ. Also, you can walk behind the High Altar you will find the chapel. It burned down in the 1980s and was rebuilt, so the contrast is fascinating.
Once you’re done with Notre-Dame, turn right and walk along Notre-Dame until you come to another big square. Here you will find the Lord Nelson column, the court house, Montreal City Hall (Hotel de Ville), Chateau de Ramzay (dates from 1600s) and the big square is Place Jacques Cartier. Walk down Place Jacques Cartier and turn left on St-Paul. You will now see the Marché Bonsecours and, just a bit further, a small but very old church, Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours. Go inside and see the boats hanging from the ceiling.
Walk back along St Paul Street. There are lots of shops and restaurants. You will come to McGill Street…if you turn right, you will find your way to Victoria Square and can backtrack back to your hotel.
Lord Nelson Column
Lord Nelson Column
Once you’re done with Notre-Dame, turn right and walk along Notre-Dame until you come to another big square. Here you will find the Lord Nelson column, the court house, Montreal City Hall (Hotel de Ville), Chateau de Ramzay (dates from 1600s) and the big square is Place Jacques Cartier. Walk down Place Jacques Cartier and turn left on St-Paul. You will now see the Marché Bonsecours and, just a bit further, a small but very old church, Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours. Go inside and see the boats hanging from the ceiling.
Walk back along St Paul Street. There are lots of shops and restaurants. You will come to McGill Street…if you turn right, you will find your way to Victoria Square and can backtrack back to your hotel.
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
Right out of the front door of the Sheraton on René-Levesque. Right at the next corner, Drummond Street. Left on Ste-Catherine Street – This is one of the main shopping streets in Montreal, in both directions. In the direction you are walking, you will pass the very exclusive Ogilvy Holt Renfrew department store. If you turned right, you’d pass Simon’s and, in a few blocks, end up at La Baie (The Bay – The Hudson’s Bay Company).
Right on Crescent Street. Note the restaurants and shops, especially the Sir Winston Churchill Pub, a popular hang-out, and Weinstein and Gavino’s, a popular Italian eatery. Keep walking up Crescent Street until you come to Sherbrooke Street. Across the street, you will see the original building to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. To the right is Erskine and American United, which is now part of the museum. To the left is the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul, where we will be married. To your left on your side of the street is the new part of the museum and where you can enter if you want to visit it.
Turn right on Sherbrooke Street and cross the street in the next couple of blocks. You will pass the Ritz Carlton Hotel (one of the three original Ritz hotels in the world: London, Paris and Montreal!) and you will see some grand apartment buildings (Chateau Apartments, The Acadian) and a couple of the old mansions that once were predominant in the neighbourhood. This area was called the “Golden Square Mile” and they say that around 1900, the people who lived in the Golden Square Mile controlled 70% of the wealth of Canada!).
After you cross Peel Street, you will come to the Roddick gates into the McGill University Campus. Walk through the gates and head straight to the Main building with the McGill Flag. Follow the road to the right around the main building and you will exit the main campus.
McGill University
McGill University
Turn right on Sherbrooke Street and cross the street in the next couple of blocks. You will pass the Ritz Carlton Hotel (one of the three original Ritz hotels in the world: London, Paris and Montreal!) and you will see some grand apartment buildings (Chateau Apartments, The Acadian) and a couple of the old mansions that once were predominant in the neighbourhood. This area was called the “Golden Square Mile” and they say that around 1900, the people who lived in the Golden Square Mile controlled 70% of the wealth of Canada!).
After you cross Peel Street, you will come to the Roddick gates into the McGill University Campus. Walk through the gates and head straight to the Main building with the McGill Flag. Follow the road to the right around the main building and you will exit the main campus.
McGill Ghetto
Left on University Street. Right on of Prince Arthur. You are now in the area referred to as the McGill Ghetto. Have no fear, in Canada a ghetto does not mean dangerous…it just means a concentration of similar people. It used to be a student ghetto and now, as you will note, lots of lovely old houses that students can’t afford.
Keep walking along Prince Arthur and you will find yourself on a pedestrian mall which used to have a whole bunch of byob Greek restaurants. I don’t know what you will find as it isn’t as lively as it once was, but if you’re hungry, you may find some food along this street. At the very end of the pedestrian mall you will come to a lovely park (Carré St-Louis) surrounded by gorgeous Victorian houses. Walk through the park to the far end and you will come to rue St-Denis.
Right on St-Denis and you will see “L’Express” on the other side of the street, a very famous French bistro. You might be able to reserve there if you try before you go and make that your destination for your walk.
Walk down St-Denis and you are in the heart of the Plateau Mont-Royal. Note all the outdoor wrought-iron staircases which are unique to Montreal.
You will come across a huge church tower, what remains of what was once the largest church in Montreal, St-Jacques. It is today the centre of Université-de-Québec, one of two French-speaking universities in Montreal.
St. Jacques Church
St. Jacques Church
Right on St-Denis and you will see “L’Express” on the other side of the street, a very famous French bistro. You might be able to reserve there if you try before you go and make that your destination for your walk.
Walk down St-Denis and you are in the heart of the Plateau Mont-Royal. Note all the outdoor wrought-iron staircases which are unique to Montreal.
You will come across a huge church tower, what remains of what was once the largest church in Montreal, St-Jacques. It is today the centre of Université-de-Québec, one of two French-speaking universities in Montreal.
Quartier des Spectacles
Right on Ste-Catherine Street and you will soon find yourself in the heart of the “Quartier des Spectacles”, where many outdoor concerts take place, including the world famous Montreal Jazz Festival and the Just-for-Laughs comedy festival. On the right you will pass Place des Arts, which is a concert hall, as well as the Modern Art Museum. A little further along you will see St James United Church on the right and then La Baie (The Hudson’s Bay Company), a large department store. Next to The Bay is Christ Church Cathedral, the Anglican Cathedral, then Eaton’s Centre, more shopping.
Right on Sherbrooke Street and walk to McGill College Ave.
Left on McGill College Avenue and you will see the now famous Rings, a huge art installation at Place-Ville-Marie (known to locals as PVM). Walk up under the Ring and cross over.
Right on René-Levesque and a few blocks back to the Sheraton Hotel.
Rings, an art installation
Right on Sherbrooke Street and walk to McGill College Ave.
Left on McGill College Avenue and you will see the now famous Rings, a huge art installation at Place-Ville-Marie (known to locals as PVM). Walk up under the Ring and cross over.
Right on René-Levesque and a few blocks back to the Sheraton Hotel.
Rings, an art installation