Montreal, CANADA
Airing Date: Feb 3rd, 2003
The city of Montreal blends two very different lifestyles, French and North American, to create its own unique ambience.
Montreal features a lot of French architecture that dates back to the 17th century. The city even has its very own Notre Dame Cathedral. In fact, it's in this very church that one of the world's most famous French Canadians got married. Celine Dion said her vows in front of 700 invited guests, but she could have even more - the 19th century basilica can seat up to 3,500 people.
Thanks to its French influence Montreal is the fashion capital of Canada. For true haute couture head to C'est Pas Grave - but be warned, French style doesn't come cheap, with a designer shirt priced at around $180.
For more French flavour, travel an hour and a half out of town to the village of Mont Tremblant. A shuttle bus runs from Montreal to Mont Tremblant three times a day and arriving here is almost like arriving in the French Alps. The town features a free cable car, 10 hotels, heaps of shopping, mini golf and some very unusual regional food.
If you're more interested in the North American culture, you'll want to check out Roots, the Canadian clothing store. They've been decking out Canadians for almost 30 years. Apart from their flashy fashion, Roots' biggest claim to fame is that they won the contract to fit out the US Olympic team. The clothes at Roots are more casual and a lot cheaper - a complete outfit costs around $155.
Summer in Montreal means getting out and about and enjoying the excellent bike riding and rollerblading.
Twenty minutes away at The Orange Julep you can even have a frothy orange drink delivered to your car door by a waitress on skates - all very North American!
For some North American adrenalin-pumping action, head to the water. Montreal is the only place where you can ride grade 5 to 6 rapids so close to the city on a wet and wild jet boat tour through the rapids of St Lawrence River.
The facts:
Air Canada flies daily to Montreal. Venture Holidays has packages including return economy airfares and 6 nights accommodation at the Holiday Inn Select Montreal Downtown. Prices start at $3069 per person twin share from Sydney, $3099 from Brisbane/Melbourne and $3769 from Perth. Prices include charges, levies and taxes. Mini golf costs $9.
Venture Holidays
Tel: 1300 303 309
Daily shuttle service from downtown Montreal to Mont Tremblant costs $41 for the same day return or $50 for return within 10 days.
Mont Tremblant Shuttle
Tel: 0011 1 514 631 1155 (international)
Mont Tremblant
An hour long jet boat tour costs $65 per person.
Jet St Laurent
Tel: 0011 1 514 284 9607 (international)
Admission to the Notre-Dame Basilica is $2 per person.
Notre-Dame Basilica
110 rue Notre-Dame Ouest
Drinks at the Orange Julep cost around $2.50.
Orange Julep
7700 Dcarie Street, Montral
Tel: 0011 1 514 738 7486 (internationalO
An outfit at Roots will cost you around $155.
Roots
1035 Sainte-Catherine Street West
Tel: 0011 1 514 845 7995 (international)
A designer shirt at C'est Pas Grave will cost around $180.
C'est Pas Grave (Haute couture designer)
3914 rue St Denis
Atwater Market
138 Atwater Avenue
Tel: 0011 1 514 937 7754 (international)
Tourism Montreal
