Montréal is a modern and
colorful city offering the perfect blend of historic buildings, modern
structures, and skyscrapers. Below the ground, another city exists, where
extremes of heat and cold are unknown. To the west and north of downtown are
mainly English speaking commercial and residential neighborhoods, centered
around Westmount. To the east and north are French speaking quartiers,
notably Outremount and Plateau Mont-Royal. In between are the many dialects and
cultures of residents and business people from around the globe.
Montréal, home to a third of the
population of the province of Quebec, occupies about one-third (60 square
miles) of the island of Montréal, which is part of the Hochelaga Archipelago.
The island is situated in the St. Lawrence River near where it joins the Ottawa
River. At the city's center is a 764-foot hill called Mont-Royal, from
which the city takes its name. Nearby rise more mountains: the Laurentides (the
Laurentians), the oldest mountain range in the world. The foothills of the
Appalachian mountains separate Québec from the United States and add to the
province’s beauty.
Two cultural traditions live
side by side throughout Québec and in the nine provinces of English Canada, but
the blending occurs in a particularly intense fashion in Montréal. French
speakers constitute 66% of the city's population, while most of the remaining
residents are speakers of many other languages, but predominately English and
Spanish.
Montreal is experiencing
phenomenal growth and success. Unemployment in Québec, has shrunk to under 7%,
the lowest mark in more than 2 decades and below that of Toronto. Crime in
Montréal, already one of the safest cities in North America, has hit a 20-year
low.
Favorable currency exchange and
the presence of skilled workers have made the city a favored site for Hollywood
film and TV production. A billion-dollar building boom has filled vacant plots
of land all over downtown. The old hockey arena has been converted to a dining
and entertainment center called Forum Pepsi, and La Ronde, a popular amusement
park, has been given an exciting new look by the Six Flags empire’s
multi-million dollar renovation.
The subway system, (the Métro),
is modern and rapid. Streets are clean and safe. Montréal's restaurants are
known for their fine and varied cuisine and their reasonable prices.
The city has fantastic parks and
gardens. The huge Parc du Mont Royal offers year round recreational
opportunities including walking, picnicking, jogging, horseback riding,
bicycling, tobogganing, ice skating, and cross-country skiing.
The jazz and art scene
immediately engage the visitor, and the nightlife is unrivaled in its zest and
variety. Montreal is a city of culture, of tradition, of excitement and of
promise. It is culturally diverse and always interesting. It is a place to
visit as often as possible. There is always yet another delightful corner of
this fascinating, fun city to discover.
Montreal
