Montréal

The last stop on our train tour of Canada was Montréal, a short three-hour train ride from Quebéc City.

Once again, we opted to stay in the older part of the city. Old Montréal had a slightly similar vibe to Old Quebéc in that it was close to the water, had the prerequisite cobbled streets, was peppered with festive twinkling lights and bursting with cosy restaurants offering warming French-style food.

We ventured out of the neighbourhood and spent a day wandering around Mile End; home to super trendy shops and cafes. It is an district I would seriously consider choosing if I was in Montreal for longer. Why? Well, there are boutiques and vintage treasure troves to explore and pop up food truck-style lunch spots’ to feast on. By chance, we stumbled upon, Drogheria Fine, a local favourite hot-in-the-wall joint that serves up $5 boxes of homemade gnocchi doused in their famous ‘mama’s’ tomato sauce. Everyone just grabs a fork and finds a spot to eat on the pavement right outside. A great find and local institution we’re glad we experienced.

Back in the old part of town we found Wolf and Workman a good spot for a family dinner. My dad took the train up from Toronto so we used the bistro-style restaurant as the meeting place to catch up with my uncle and a family friend. With dark wooden interiors and a hearty menu; we lined our stomachs with moules frites and red wine - heaven!

Montréal’s answer to Hampstead Heath, Mont Royal is a decent hike up from the old part of town and a beacon for dog walkers, runners and weekend strollers. We were pretty exhausted by this point we reached the top but with not many days left. we dragged ourselves up there and were treated to some amazing views of the city. The leaves were vibrant; rich hues of red and golds. Autumn show was still in full swing. We absolutely chose the right time of year to be here!

Mont-Tremblant is a two-hour drive from the city and a popular ski destination for Montréalers. Despite there being no snow to play in (yet!), it’s still a beautiful village to walk around. We hiked half way up the mountain (not the easiest of walks bearing in mind you are walking the wrong way up a ski slope!) The view out across the water to the mountains beyond is spectacular and the coloured roofs of the village down below make it look like a little toy town. We had crêpes and hot chocolate; wishing we could come back for the snow!

The following day we took another day trip out to Bromont in the Eastern Townships. A tiny town with not a whole lot going on - it made us feel like we were in Hocus Pocus! (But in the best kind of way) It was two weeks before Halloween and in true North American-style the decorations; pumpkins, witches, ghosts and ghouls were out in full force. The tiny shops were all in old, red brick buildings with wooden steps and front porches outside; selling a range of local produce and old antiques. The Apothecary on the high street is owned by a (lovely) woman who sells teas and herb blends for various treatments that she collects and dries herself; confirming any witchy suspicions I had!

Notre Dame Basilica is a must see in Montreal but I would absolutely try and go early in the day. We were there late morning and it was SO busy; it felt like a bizarre tourist attraction rather than a cathedral built in the 1800’s. Despite best efforts to keep all visitors quiet, respectful and considerate of those using the space for religious worship, it felt like there was a lot of chatter going on. Photos being taken in slightly odd places in even more questionable poses. There was one closed off chapel for those wishing to pray in peace, but we saw a group trying to get in there to take photos too! The building is beautiful, the grandeur of the architecture is definitely worth seeing and I can see why it was busy. But for us it sort of ruined the experience, so worth getting in there early or perhaps right at the end of the day. It was also pouring with rain so I imagine a warmer sunnier day might keep some of the crowds outside!

Tommy Cafe became a favourite in the short time we were here. Partly out of convenience (it was directly below our Airbnb) and mostly because it reminded me of home. The decor wouldn't look out of place in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney and the litany of egg style on offer meant the menu felt Aussie inspired. On our last morning I had a lavender infused matcha latte - you can’t get more Bondi than that!

Montréal Poutine came highly recommended as the best place to get poutine in the city. And it did not disappoint! We just about managed to squeeze a portion in before heading back to Toronto; perfect for sharing at the end of a chilly day. Hot chips, gravy and cheese. What’s not to love?!