The first thing you notice driving into Montreal from the south is just how quickly the flat open fields surrounding the city transform into a bustling urban community. One second you feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere, with nothing for miles in all directions, the next thing you know you are crossing the Saint Lawrence river into the heart of Montreal.
Arriving in Montreal
To be honest, I did very little research before traveling to Montreal. Every summer my family travels four and a half hours from Rhode Island to northern Vermont for vacation. We always discuss making the two hour drive into Canada to see Montreal but it took until this summer for us to finally put a plan in action.
Once in the car we entered the only location into the navigation that seemed natural to me: The Bell Centre.
It is no secret that I grew up in a die-hard Boston Bruins household, where the “bleu, blanc et rouge” were the sworn enemy. As we arrived at the arena, purposefully located at 1909 Avenue des Canadiens-de-Montreal, the feeling the was surreal. The street itself was under massive construction, but everything about the Bell Centre itself, along with its main walkway adorned with past Canadien greats, was in immaculate condition.
Outside of the Bell Centre
While I try to suppress any unwarranted displays of fandom, I couldn’t help but feel conflicting emotions in such a beautiful place dedicated to the team I despised as a kid growing up. We weren’t able to go for a full tour of the Bell Centre itself, but we were treated to all of the exterior decor that the arena has to offer. As we moved from the outside to the walkway that lead down to the metro station below, the names we saw as we passed transitioned from Maurice Richard and Jean Beliveau, to Max Pacioretty and Brendan Gallagher.
Walking by the pro shop we were treated to more blown up pictures of current Canadiens players. Front and center in the display was franchise goaltender Carey Price. We left the Bell Centre behind as we continued our journey into a more scenic part of Montreal.
Old Montreal – A Blast from the Past
From the station at the Bell Centre, we traveled four stops and got off in Old Montreal. I had no idea what to expect from this part of the city other than I had heard that the old buildings showcased some beautiful architecture. Little did I know how much there was to be explored.
Just as advertised, as you make your way from the metro station towards the river, the stunning designs loom over the tourists passing by. At this point in the trip our group was getting hungry. Coming into Montreal we had two major boxes we wanted to check off. The first we accomplished with our visit to the Bell Centre, the second was to get our hands on a staple of the culinary world in Quebec: poutine.
We ducked into one of the many small restaurants that line the streets of Old Montreal where we sat down and ordered drinks, sandwiches, and multiple sides of french fries covered in gravy and cheese curds. I had tried poutine a couple different times in the States from places that claim to do it the right way, maybe it was because we were in Montreal, but this experience was a level above any I had with the cuisine previously.
A Bitter-Sweet Goodbye
We walked down to the river where we took a ride on the Ferris Wheel “La Grande Roue de Montreal” and snapped a couple of touristy photos before having to turn around and head back towards the metro station. In the few hours we had in the city, it felt as though we had only scratched the surface of what there was to be explored.
From atop La Grande Roue de Montreal
I had come to Montreal with no expectations whatsoever, and I left with a small snapshot of what it is like to live in such a beautiful place. I imagine the winters in Montreal are hardly forgiving, but that won’t stop me from coming back at some point during the NHL season to catch a Canadiens game and see the Bell Centre in all its glory.
Exploring Montreal in the summer is a great way to get an easy introduction to the city. The pace is slow and the city itself is incredibly clean. Everyone seems to be just enjoying life, and where the people are happy, you know the city must be the real deal.
