Path Well Travelled: A Montreal Travel Guide (Winter Edition)
The World Tour is back in Montreal following the release of Compendium of Rathe and I’m really excited to see the Flesh and Blood community go again in my hometown just a few months after a successful first Calling in Canada.
Conquer the Icy Terrain
I’ve already covered the starting point in my previous Traveller’s Guide to Montreal. I will instead highlight the differences between Montreal with an autumn’s touch versus when it’s laden with frost and how you should adapt accordingly.
The World Tour will again be held in the Montreal’s Convention Center (it’s called Palais des Congrès in French). The available transit options have not changed since the Flesh and Blood World Tour’s last visit. If you feel full of bravado, you can still hop on a BIXI to move around, but be mindful that there are fewer stations around the city because we get covered in snow and yes, the bikes have been adapted to our endless winters. I will say though, if you have time and you’re feeling a bit emboldened, renting a car might be worthwhile because I have some great suggestions below for the courageous crossing the bridge out of Montreal.
Colors of Aria (or rather, Montreal)
This year’s World Tour stop in Montreal is at a smashing good time in terms of things to do in Montreal. Every year, the city hosts a light festival called MTL en Lumière. All of downtown and the Old Port is covered in shimmers of silver and bright lights with many fun outdoor activities. This thematic week culminates in the Nuit Blanche on February 28th, where you can let the night’s embrace answer your call of adventure. The Metro exceptionally operates all night. You’ll be able to dance to the song of Larinkmorth White until you run out of that fire that burns within.
While you’re here, why not indulge in some of Canada’s favorite sport? The Montreal Canadiens are among the most exciting teams in the NHL this year and the entire city is hungry for more championships. The team has one of the richest histories in all of professional sports. Unfortunately, the entire country has not seen the cup being won in Canada since the Habs’ last conquest in 1993. You can get to experience the energy of the audience at the Bell Centre (Bonaventure station on the Orange line) as the crowd goes wild at one of the local Habs’ games on Thursday or Saturday night.
Channel Mount Isen
Do you feel like you can embody greatness yourself? Why not lace on some skates and weave the ice at l’Esplanade Tranquile (near Saint-Laurent on the Green line), at the Lafontaine Park (near metro Sherbrooke on the Orange line) or at the frozen beaver lake (lac des castors) at the top of the Mont-Royal (Bus 11 from the Mont-Royal metro station). If you want to experience the winter fun, but don’t want to brush off the rust on your skating skills, you could ride some tubes or mats down the hill to feel like a kid again! This is something you can do near the beaver lake, but you could also stay closer to downtown at the Glissades Gamelin (near Berri-UQAM at the intersection of the Green, Orange & Yellow lines), there’s even a free shuttle that’ll take you there from a few blocks off the convention center.
If you like going down the hill but you also want to lay down the challenge, there are many other mountains not too far away from Montreal where you can try skiing and/or snowboarding. Mont Saint-Bruno is just a few minutes away by car. It’s a perfectly small mountain that’s beginner friendly. You could also chart a course to Mont-Tremblant and experience its majestic slopes and then recharge and shop in their magnificent village. There are many other mountains worth visiting, but your schedule might need strategic planning to visit them all.
Strike Gold
I mentioned in my previous article that, to us Canadians, Maple Syrup is like liquid gold. Luckily, the Sugar Shack season starts mid-february and lasts until April. What that means is that you’ll have the chance to witness the entire process of how we make our sapwood elixir. I personally haven’t been to a sugar shack within Montreal in the last few years, but here’s an article from a reputable source with good recommendations to experience this core part of our local culture. To experience an authentic display of craftsmanship, you probably will end up having to visit a shack outside of Montreal.
Hungry for more? For the most part, the food scene has not changed much since the World Tour’s last visit to Montreal. Please refer to my first guide for the original food recommendations and you’re ready to roll.
Doubling Season
The current weather forecast in the upcoming weeks is anywhere between -15°C and 0°C (5°F and 32°F). I personally find that to be mild temperatures for this time of year, but that’s because I’ve lived through what has felt like an arctic incarceration in the past. Another important thing to keep in mind is that it may snow while the temperatures are below freezing point. We usually get quite a bit of snow but it doesn’t persist long due to its melting point. The trick to not succumb to winter is to come prepared with a warm wind cutter, a good pair of basalt boots and, for the hands, some old leather and vim. In all seriousness, an extra layer might be all you need to survive the gentle breeze of our northern winds. If the flurry is still too much for you, I recommend an interlude at one of our many coffee shops and indulge in a heart-warming hot chocolate. Chocolats Favoris in the Place-des-Arts is a great option.
The following is a snippet from my previous article:
Our local currency is the Canadian Dollar (CAD). There are very few places that operate using cash only. This is true mostly of some smaller shops and restaurants. You could very well not need cash in the time you spend in Montreal. In case you do end up needing some physical currency, you can cash out at one of the many ATMs available in the city.
The official languages in Canada are English and French. Montreal is located in the one province where French matters more than English. If you keep within the confines of the more crowded areas, you’ll be absolutely fine with just English. If you want to take a stab at it, “Bonjour” and “Merci” mean “Hello” and “Thank you”.
If you wish to recharge your devices during your stay, you’ll want to know that we use Type-A and Type-B plugs. These are the standard in all of North America. Voltage here is 120V at 60Hz. Make sure to pack the appropriate adapters.
Wi-Fi is easily accessible in most public areas like hotels, malls and some cafés and restaurants. You may also want to lock it up ahead of time and load a SIM or eSIM with data you can use on the go during your visit.
Manifest Muscle
Montreal’s Flesh and Blood scene is thriving and it’s tough as a Rok!. You could descend into madness and FaB all week if you’d like.
On Tuesdays, Expedition Montreal is still hosting CC armories. This store is located in the Plaza Saint-Hubert, near the Beaubien metro station. Additionally, Silver Goblin now hosts Silver Age on Tuesday nights just a few blocks away from the convention center.
On Wednesdays, the action can be found at Capitaine Quebec. This LGS is located on Sainte-Catherine Street near the Guy-Concordia metro station. The game store, located on the second floor of the building, is not to be confused with the comic book store that’s on the ground level. This CC armory has seen consistent growth and it’s a tuffnut to crack. I’d also like to give a shout out to the Noodle Empire located in Kirkland. Although you may feel lost in transit trying to get there, they make it worthwhile with their humungous play space with tons of consoles, PCs and other games.
On the eve of World Tour Montreal, Chez Geeks will be hosting a Silver Age ProQuest. (Tickets available ici.) There isn’t a better way to test the destructive tendencies of your deck. This LGS is located at the doorstep of the Fabre metro station on the blue line. I must insist that if you didn’t try it last time, you should go to Mange dans mon Hood (MDMH). I strongly advise finding them online and ordering ahead of time (about 30 minutes) because the wait times are untamed during dinner time’s rush hour. I recommend a “Cali burger” or a “dirty ol fries”. Or both if you want to push the point. They also have a vegetarian option that is just as great.
Leave 'em Speechless
I’m really happy that the Flesh and Blood community will get to walk in my shows once more and hopefully many more times in the future.
I hope this guide helps you withstand the frosting that Montreal can deliver. Time flies when you’re having fun, so let’s make the most out of it.
Cheers!
Featured Image by Olivier Collet. Images in article by Shawn Dearn, official sources, and LSS.
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