Frommer's Montreal and Quebec City 2004

321 Pages·2003·6.122 MB·English

by  Herbert Bailey Livesey

Montréal &
Québec City
2004
by Herbert Bailey Livesey
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About the Author
Herbert Bailey Liveseyhas written about travel and food for many publications,
including Travel & Leisure, Food & Wine, and Playboy.He’s the coauthor of several
guidebooks, including Frommer’s Canada,Frommer’s Europe from $70 a Day,and
Frommer’s New England.
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ISBN 0-7645-4124-2
ISSN 1084-418X
Editor: Liz Albertson
Production Editor: Donna Wright
Cartographer: Elizabeth Puhl
Photo Editor: Richard Fox
Production by Wiley Indianapolis Composition Services
Front cover photo: Québec City: Citadel, Changing of the Guard
Back cover photo: Montréal: Promenade on Place Jacques Cartier
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5 4 3 2 1
Contents
List of Maps vii
What’s New in Montréal & Québec City 1
1 The Best of Montréal & Québec City 4
1 Frommer’s Favorite Montréal & The Best of Montréal &
Québec City Experiences . . . . . . .5 Québec City Online . . . . . . . . . .8
2 Best Hotel Bets . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 3 Best Dining Bets . . . . . . . . . . . .9
2 Planning Your Trip to Montréal & Québec City 13
1 Visitor Information . . . . . . . . . .13 8 Planning Your Trip Online . . . . .31
2 Entry Requirements & Frommers.com: The Complete
Customs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Travel Resource . . . . . . . . . . . .32
3 Money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 9 The 21st-Century Traveler . . . . .32
The Canadian Dollar, the U.S. Online Traveler’s Toolbox . . . . .34
Dollar & the British Pound . . . .17 10 Getting There . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
What to Do If Your Wallet is Flying with Film & Video . . . . . .41
Lost or Stolen . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
11 Packages for the Independent
4 When to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Traveler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Montréal & Québec City
12 Escorted General-Interest
Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . .21
Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
5 Travel Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . .24
13 Tips on Accommodations . . . . .44
6 Health & Safety . . . . . . . . . . . .25
14 Recommended Reading . . . . . .45
7 Specialized Travel Resources . . .26
3 Getting to Know Montréal 46
1 Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 2 Getting Around . . . . . . . . . . . .54
The Neighborhoods in Brief . . . .50 Fast Facts: Montréal . . . . . . . . .56
4 Where to Stay in Montréal 60
1 Downtown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 2 Vieux-Montréal
Family-Friendly Hotels . . . . . . . .67 (Old Montréal) . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
5 Where to Dine in Montréal 73
1 Restaurants by Cuisine . . . . . . .75 3 Vieux-Montréal
2 Downtown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 (Old Montréal) . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
Family-Friendly Restaurants . . . .81 4 Plateau Mont-Royal . . . . . . . . .88
5 Mile End & Outer Districts . . . . .91
iv CONTENTS
March of the Tongue 7 Picnic Fare:Where to Get It,
Troopers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92 Where to Eat It . . . . . . . . . . . .97
6 Early-Morning & Late-Night
Bites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
6 Exploring Montréal 99
Suggested Itineraries . . . . . . . .99 4 Special-Interest Sightseeing . . .113
1 The Top Attractions . . . . . . . . .100 5 Organized Tours . . . . . . . . . . .115
Long May They Wave . . . . . . .105 6 Spectator Sports . . . . . . . . . . .117
2 More Attractions . . . . . . . . . .108 The Great American Pastime
3 Especially for Kids . . . . . . . . . .112 Goes North . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
7 Outdoor Activities . . . . . . . . . .118
7 Montréal Strolls 121
Walking Tour 1: Walking Tour 3:
Vieux-Montréal . . . . . . . . . . .121 Plateau Mont-Royal . . . . . . . .133
Walking Tour 2: Walking Tour 4:
Downtown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128 Mont-Royal . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136
8 Montréal Shopping 140
1 The Shopping Scene . . . . . . . .140 2 Shopping from A to Z . . . . . . .142
9 Montréal After Dark 150
1 The Performing Arts . . . . . . . .151 3 The Bar & Cafe Scene . . . . . . .159
A Circus Extraordinaire . . . . . .153 4 The Gay & Lesbian Scene . . . .162
2 The Club & Music Scene . . . . .154 5 More Entertainment . . . . . . . .163
10 Side Trips from Montréal 165
1 North into the Laurentians Cantons-de-l’Est:
(Laurentides) . . . . . . . . . . . . .165 Wine Country? . . . . . . . . . . . .189
Lodging at Tremblant Resort . .180 Hitting a Sugar Shack Near
Dining at Tremblant Resort . . .182 Mont-Orford . . . . . . . . . . . . .192
2 East into Montérégie & Dragonwatch: 4bdrm, eat-in kit,
the Cantons-de-l’Est . . . . . . . .183 frpl, lake vu . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195
11 Getting to Know Québec City 199
1 Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199 2 Getting Around . . . . . . . . . . .203
The Neighborhoods in Brief . . .203 Fast Facts: Québec City . . . . . .205
CONTENTS v
12 Where to Stay in Québec City 208
1 Haute-Ville (Upper Town) . . . .209 2 Outside the Walls . . . . . . . . . .213
Family-Friendly Hotels . . . . . . .212 3 Basse-Ville (Lower Town) . . . .215
The Coldest Reception 4 A Country Hotel in the City . . .217
in Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213
13 Where to Dine in Québec City 218
1 Restaurants by Cuisine . . . . . .219 3 On or Near the Grande-Allée . .223
2 Haute-Ville (Upper Town) . . . .219 4 Basse-Ville (Lower Town) . . . .224
14 Exploring Québec City 228
Suggested Itineraries . . . . . . .228 3 Especially for Kids . . . . . . . . . .237
1 The Top Attractions . . . . . . . . .229 4 Organized Tours . . . . . . . . . . .238
Room with a View . . . . . . . . .233 5 Spectator Sports . . . . . . . . . . .239
2 More Attractions . . . . . . . . . .234 6 Outdoor Activities . . . . . . . . . .239
15 Québec City Strolls 242
Walking Tour 1: Walking Tour 2:
The Upper Town . . . . . . . . . .242 The Lower Town . . . . . . . . . .249
16 Québec City Shopping 254
1 The Shopping Scene . . . . . . . .254 2 Shopping from A to Z . . . . . . .255
17 Québec City After Dark 258
1 The Performing Arts . . . . . . . .258 3 The Bar & Cafe Scene . . . . . . .262
2 The Club & Music Scene . . . . .260
18 Side Trips from Québec City 264
1 Ile d’Orléans . . . . . . . . . . . . .264 5 Canyon Ste-Anne &
2 Montmorency Falls . . . . . . . . .269 Ste-Anne Falls . . . . . . . . . . . .273
3 Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré . . . . . . .270 6 The Charlevoix Region:Baie-
St-Paul,La Malbaie &
4 Mont Ste-Anne . . . . . . . . . . .272
St-Siméon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .274
vi CONTENTS
Appendix:Montréal & Québec City in Depth 280
1 A Look at French Canada: 3 Cuisine Haute,Cuisine Bas:
Now & Then . . . . . . . . . . . . . .280 Smoked Meat,Fiddleheads
Dateline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .280 & Caribou . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .286
2 The Politics of Language . . . . .285
Index 288
General Index . . . . . . . . . . . . .288 Accommodations:QuébecCity
Accommodations:Montréal& & Environs Index . . . . . . . . . . .298
Environs Index . . . . . . . . . . . .297 Restaurants:QuébecCity &
Restaurants:Montréal& Environs Environs Index . . . . . . . . . . . .299
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .298
List of Maps
Greater Montréal 48 Walking Tour: Mont-Royal 137
Montréal Métro 55 The Laurentians (Laurentides) 167
Where to Stay in Downtown Montérégie & Estrie 185
Montréal 62
Québec City Orientation 200
Where to Dine in Downtown
Where to Stay in Québec City 210
Montréal 78
Where to Dine in
Where to Dine in
Québec City 220
Vieux-Montréal 83
Québec City Attractions 230
Downtown & Vieux-Montréal
Walking Tour: The Upper
Attractions 102
Town 244
Walking Tour:
Walking Tour: The Lower
Vieux-Montréal 123
Town 251
Walking Tour: Downtown
Québec City Environs 265
Montréal 130
Walking Tour: Plateau
Mont-Royal 135
An Invitation to the Reader
In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful places—hotels, restaurants,
shops, and more. We’re sure you’ll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share
the information with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed
with a recommendation, we’d love to know that, too. Please write to:
Frommer’s Montréal & Québec City 2004
Wiley Publishing, Inc. • 111 River St. • Hoboken, NJ 07030-5744
An Additional Note
Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any time—and this is
especially true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirma-
tion when making your travel plans. The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held
responsible for the experiences of readers while traveling. Your safety is important to us,
however, so we encourage you to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep a
close eye on cameras, purses, and wallets, all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets.
Other Great Guides for Your Trip:
Frommer’s Canada
Montréal & Québec City For Dummies
Frommer’s Star Ratings,Icons & Abbreviations
Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality,
value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating system.In country, state,
and regional guides, we also rate towns and regions to help you narrow down your choices
and budget your time accordingly. Hotels and restaurants are rated on a scale of zero (rec-
ommended) to three stars (exceptional). Attractions, shopping, nightlife, towns, and
regions are rated according to the following scale: zero stars (recommended), one star
(highly recommended), two stars (very highly recommended), and three stars (must-see).
In addition to the star-rating system, we also use seven feature iconsthat point you
to the great deals, in-the-know advice, and unique experiences that separate travelers from
tourists. Throughout the book, look for:
Finds Special finds—those places only insiders know about
Fun Fact Fun facts—details that make travelers more informed and their trips
more fun
Kids Best bets for kids and advice for the whole family
Moments Special moments—those experiences that memories are made of
Overrated Places or experiences not worth your time or money
Tips Insider tips—great ways to save time and money
Value Great values—where to get the best deals
The following abbreviationsare used forcredit cards:
AE American Express DISC Discover V Visa
DC Diners Club MC MasterCard
Frommers.com
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