Attend both ED-MEDIA & the Montreal International Jazz Festival (Jun. 30-Jul. 10)!

 

What do you get when you combine the smarts of North America with the laid-back insouciance of Europe? 350 years of progress with the friendly nature of a village? High-tech and high style? You get the city of Montréal - an unpretentious knockout that has no idea of the effect she has on people. Why? Because the driving force behind this unique hybrid is the Montréal mantra: Get out there and celebrate life. And, it must be said, life lived à la Montréal is about as sweet as it gets. From her festivals (Montréal is the undisputed festival capital of the world), to her incredible food, to her legendary nightlife, this city has a true talent for making the very most and best out of life's little pleasures.

Located about an hour from the U.S. border in south-western Québec, Montréal is the largest French-speaking city in North America. This is not a sprawling urban centre by North American standards, and that's part of Montréal's charm. No "donut" town, there is no 6 pm exodus to parts unknown. Montrealers live, work and play in a compact downtown core. Safe, clean and green, this city is good to her citizens and guests alike, who lunch and lounge on terraces for nice, long sessions of people-watching (a sacred Montréal ritual), stroll, hike or bike on mount Royal (a natural haven right downtown), take in the sights and sounds of Old Montréal and the Old Port. This is a place that understands following one's fancy.

Physically, the city's architecture is an artful mix of old and new, with graceful historic structures lovingly preserved and merged with the cool lines of the 21st century. The visual arts flourish here, too, at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Musée d'art contemporain, and hundreds of top-notch local galleries. In fact, Montréal has an international reputation for creative excellence, not just in the traditional arts, but in cutting-edge technology, multimedia, sound and film production.

Perhaps it's the Latin blood. The passion Montrealers bring to whatever they do is felt everywhere; certainly in international tours de force like Cirque du Soleil, La La La Human Steps, Céline Dion. But you can feel it too as your chef comes to ask you truly, sincerely, how you liked your crème brûlée, and to raise a glass to your health. It's warm, it's relaxing, it's fascinating, it's thrilling. It's life à la Montréal.

When summer beckons in Montréal, everyone and everything heeds her call. The city's many parks and squares are decked out in flowerbeds, fountains, greenery and cool stretches of water. Impromptu gatherings of friends and family animate the colourful balconies, beginning at Happy Hour or "5 à 7" and continuing well into the warm nights. The entire island moves to the traffic-stopping beat of street festivals or fairs and everyone - locals and visitors - takes part in the scene on foot, bikes or blades.

Sunny weather and a 350-km (220-mile) network of bike paths will bring out the athlete in anyone. Don't miss the Mosaiculture "Myths and Legends of the World" while you're in Old Montréal. These immense floral sculptures by international artists are breathtaking. If you prefer water over land, there's no shortage of blue at the Old Port - from pedal boating to cruising to sailing on the St. Lawrence River. On a warm afternoon, cool off with high-speed jet boating, rafting or kayaking down the Lachine Rapids and when you dry off, be sure to stop in at some of the nearby historical sites; the Canal, today an important leisure hub, has a long and rich fur-trading, industrial and transportation history. You'll discover countless other sites of historical significance, each relating a unique chapter in the founding and building of Montréal, all along the paths and waterfront of the Pôle des Rapides area.

The city also has more than enough happening indoors to keep you happily occupied on a rainy day, including the many museums offering exhibits on life in Canada and Montréal. In the Old Port, the remains of the original First Nations and European settlements are revealed through archeological digs and crypts at Pointe-à-Callière and the Marguerite Bourgeoys Museum. And Montréal's only fort, the Stewart Museum on Île Sainte-Hélène, invites visitors to wander through four centuries of history, with authentic 18th-century military drills performed here in the summer months--good reason to head back outdoors.

Montréal is an ideal location for ED-MEDIA 2005, June 27-July 2, 2005. We look forward to seeing you there.

 

 

 

Photos: ©Tourisme Montréal; ©Tourisme Montréal, Stéphan Poulin; © Canadian Tourism Commission, Pierre St-Jacques; Page 5 Photos: ©Tourisme Montréal, Stéphan Poulin; ©Casino de Montréal; ©Parc Jean-Drapeau, Bernard Brault; ©Montréal Botanical Garden; www.old.montreal.qc.ca, le photographe masqué.