Everyone always says they love living in the Capital Region because of its proximity to bigger metropolises—New York City, Boston…you know the spiel. But how often are we locals really capitalizing on the main thoroughfares that cross through Albany? In this series, we’ll explore what to do in the cities we claim to love to visit. First up,our neighbor to the north: Montréal!
Are you in need of a Parisian getaway this winter? Mais oui! We all are. But if you only have a few days or a slimmer-than-City-of-Lights-budget, we’ve got you covered with a back-up plan.
Montréal, just 221 miles north of Albany, has secured the admirable sobriquet “the Paris of North America.” And while Canada’s second-largest city is the closest thing we have to a European metropolis on this side of the pond, it may feel surprisingly familiar—like an urbane, tattooed cousin of the Capital Region that also appreciates history, culture, winter fun, home-grown food and drinks, and classic European-style architecture.
Founded in 1642 as Ville-Marie, Montréal’s current name was derived from Mont Royal, the name of a mountain—or, actually, a hill—located in the city. A relatively small-by-US-standards city of 1.76 million, Montréal has evolved to become Canada’s capital of art, culture, food and technology. The official language is French, but just about everyone speaks English.
While going north this time of year may seem a bit counterintuitive, winter is arguably the best time to visit the chilly city, especially for cold-hardy Capital Regionites who thrive on outdoor winter festivals like Troy’s Victorian Stroll and Saratoga Chowderfest. That’s because Montréalers share the same idea of winter fun, and have planned not one but two unique festivals this freezin’ season.
First up is Igloofest, one of North America’s coolest dance parties, which kicks off January 16 and runs on weekends through February 8.
The annual outdoor dance music festival is held in the Old Port neighborhood, and is designed to get people motivated to dance mid-winter. This year is the 17th edition, and is drawing big names from the Euro dance scene. UK electronic musician Four Tet, UK rapper Skepta, Swedish rapper Bladee, German DJ Claptone and Swedish House Mafia’s Steve Angello, plus Canadian duo Zeds Dead and Montral-based musician Apashe, will all take the stage throughout the four-weekend festival.
Later this winter is Montréal En Lumiere, an annual festival of light now in its 26th year.
The gastronomic portion of the festival begins February 20, but the full food and culture show runs February 27 through March 9.
This year, Montréal En Lumiere will bring in more than 200 chefs, winemakers and culinary experts from Montréal and across the world to run special dinners, tastings, cooking demonstrations and mini think tanks. The finest restaurants in Montréal will throw open their doors and welcome 94 chefs and vintners from afar to collaborate on special tastings and events that reflect the rarefied elegance and boundary-pushing mentality of this northerly city’s food scene. Also on the festival agenda: an epic outdoor skating loop with a sound and light experience; a diverse, free musical lineup featuring rock, hip-hop and Afrobeat; live musical performances that range from folk to symphonic; and an all-night rager known as Nuit Blanche during which the whole city stays up to participate in hundreds of art, poetry, dance and cinema activities.
Of course, there’s a whole city to explore beyond these festivals. Get a lay of the land by starting at the Old Port, home to La Grande Roue de Montréal, a 60-meter-tall Ferris wheel that gives tourists views of the city from 42 climate-controlled gondolas. Then, scoot over to the hilltop Parc du Mont Royal, which boasts snowshoe, cross-country ski and sledding routes in the winter.
In search of culture? Check out the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts, with its collection of 47,000 works of art showcasing Canadian heritage and indigenous and international art; the McCord Stewart Museum, which celebrates the life and culture of Quebec, past and present; and the Biodome, an exploration of five different ecosystems with animals and plants. Oh, and tickets to Cirque du Soleil are a must.
Any city with its own Michelin Guide is going to have a heady food culture, and Montréal is no exception. Indulge yourself at humble temples to poutine (like four-decade-old mainstay Chez Claudette and the buzzy punk-rock Mange Dans Mon Hood) and heartfelt paeans to smoked meat (like the iconic Schwartz’s Deli and Leonard Cohen fave Main Deli). Or experience the gourmet-but-progressive gastronomy of Vin Mon Lapin, with its stylish and French-inflected shareable plates and natural wine. Save room for snacks or an easy meal at Le Central, which houses 16 gourmet, counter-service restaurants right in the middle of Quartier Des Spectacles, a central hub of culture and shopping.
Familiar, but foreign. French, but North American. Montréal is a perfect escape for a wintertime long weekend. Don’t forget your passport!
