We’re not going to try and pretend it’s not true: we have a reputation for our nippy winters.

But Montrealers are brave folk. We refuse to stay cooped up in our homes because there is a bit of snow on the ground. Instead we use the fluffy white stuff to our advantage!

Here are five free* ways to enjoy the winter wonderland in Montreal.

*We’re using the word “free” because there is no access fee the activities or festivals. In most situations equipment rentals are available, should you decide, for example, not to bring your ice skates in your carry-on luggage.

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ICE SKATING

One of our favorite locations to glide across frozen water is at Parc Lafontaine (because it’s free!), but there are a whole slew of options available to exercise the inner Johnny Weir. Whatever you choose to do, be sure to warm your fingers afterwards with some decadent cups of hot cocoa. Or better yet, head to the bar for some “speciality” coffees.

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HIGH LIGHTS FESTIVAL (February 17 -27)

Ladies take the spotlight for the 12th edition of the HIGH LIGHTS Festival, entitled “Celebrating Women”. Leading ladies of the arts and culinary worlds from here and abroad have been invited to brighten up Montréal’s wintry skies with their creative brilliance. It’s like Lilith Fair for your mouth.

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CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING

Head to Mount Royal. Put on your cross-country skis (or rent a pair at Beaver Lake) and forge into nature along a number of relatively easy trails for both beginner and intermediate skiiers. In some parts of the park, it’s easy to forget the hustle and bustle of the city at the foot of the mountain. If you get lost, just walk south and hail a taxi.

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LA FÊTE DES NEIGES DE MONTREAL (January 22 – February 6)

A great winter festival where families are invited to play outdoors in the magical setting of Parc Jean-Drapeau. Whether it’s walking along the Parc’s trails or strolling through the very festive Allée Carnavalesque, tube-sliding, playing boot or ice hockey, kicksledding on snow or skating alongside the river, La fête des Neiges promises a wealth of memorable moments. Three consecutive weekends, from January 22 to February 6, 2011.

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TOBOGGANING

Children of all ages enjoy throwing themselves down icy hillsides! At the top of Mount Royal, this safe and affordable activity offers hours of fun. Tobogganing is free if you bring your own sled (or rent from Beaver Lake pavilion, main floor). Many sledders enjoy the groomed trails down the slope on Placide Hill on the eastern side of the park.

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Let’s get right to it: you know what ice skating is and even if you’ve never been to Montreal before, you probably think it’s a good place for it. And you’re right. Here’s a list of places where you can skate arm and arm with a loved one, play pick-up hockey with some goons you just met or just freeze standing up for a while before getting some hot chocolate…

Bonsecours Basin: The quintessential Montreal skating experience, Bonsecours Basin (aka, the Quays of the Old Port), has a huge expanse of ice and a postcard-like view of Old Montreal. Nothing is free down there, though discounted memberships are available, but it’s very well set-up and totes worth it.

Beaver Lake: Alongside Bonsecours Basin, Mount-Royal’s Beaver Lake is perhaps Montreal’s best-known and most beloved skating spot. The ice is almost always in great shape, admission is free, skates and lockers are available for rental, there’s a heated chalet with hot chocolate and coffee and, come on- you’re skating on a mountain!

Parc Lafontaine: This might actually be the best pick for an afternoon of skatery, which is not a real word but should be. There are a couple standard patches for hockey and loop-de-looping, but far more interesting for the casual skater are the meandering ice paths that twist and turn their way throughout the park. Entry is free but skates, lockers and helmets are entirely rentable.

Parc St-Viateur: This little-known gem in Outremont is like LaFontaine, except there’s no spots for hockey- just one totally cute path around a heated cabin that passes under an equally cute bridge. Just please don’t all go at once. You won’t fit.

Maisonneuve Park: Most people might know this park as home to the Botanical Garden and the Biodome, but this massive park is dotted with several rinks especially popular with pick-up hockey enthusiasts.

These are just some possibilities out of literally hundreds of options- by my totally unscientific estimation, no matter where you are in Montreal, you are never more than a 10 minute walk away from somewhere to skate. Between the spots mentioned above, the city’s French-only-but-entirely-comprehensive list and this one assembled by Rinktime.com, you should have no trouble finding a place to get your skate on.

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If you’re preparing to run a marathon or any other running race, you know that a weekend getaway does not mean a vacation from your training program.

Montreal has hundreds of hectares allocated to urban park space, enabling locals and visitors to jog safely.

With the help of runningmap.com, I’ve created 10 different jogging itineraries. From the easy to the arduous, these routes will keep your training on schedule, while touring through some of the best Montreal scenery.

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[the jeanne-mance loop] 1.0 Mile | 1.6 KM – Jeanne-Mance Park is home to many sporty activities, including softball, tennis, football and soccer. You’ll definitely see other joggers. And the beauty of the loop is that you can run it as many times as you need to achieve your daily training goals (i.e. 6 miles = 6 loops).

[exploring the old port] 2.5 Miles | 4.0 KM – This is an easy but scenic route, perfect for the business person who wants to zip out and see a bit of the city between meetings. Start at Square Victoria, head along McGill until Rue de la Commune. Come back along the charming and European St. Paul Street.

[plateau loop] 3.5 Miles | 5.5 KM – Start anywhere along the route and enjoy some of the best plateau views as you cruise through Parc La Fontain, Parc Jeanne-Mance and along the cobble stone loveliness of Duluth Street.

[saint helen’s island to downtown] 3.7 Miles | 5.9 KM – Take the metro along the yellow line to Jean Drapeau Station. Weave your way through the park towards the Concorde Bridge (access at the southeast corner of the Lac des Cygnes). Trot in front of Habitat ’67 and follow the canal back downtown. Head up Blvd St. Laurent to Metro Place-d’Armes to reconnect with your hotel.

[downtown to the mountain] 3.7 Miles | 6 KM – This is a great route for those staying or working downtown, and looking for a bit of an elevation challenge – a gradual, thigh-burning 200 meters. Take the stairs down after the lookout.

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[over the mountain] 4.4 Miles | 7 KM – Look for the angel statue on Parc Avenue – she’s your starting point. Begin by curving your way up, following the wide gravel path. At the 5.47 KM mark, turn left off the main track, run down the stairs and past the vehicle look out. Follow the terrain that curves close to “Voie Camillien-Houde.” road. It’s a hilly, but fun run.

[from east to west] 4.5 Miles | 7.2 KM – This route will bring you through many Montreal neighborhoods, enabling you to see much of the city. Take the metro Pie-IX Station (pronounce pee-noof). Run back along Rachel Street, which features a bicycle/jogging lane. Finish at the gates of McGill, Canada’s most historic university.

[the whole sha-bang] 9.3 Miles | 15 KM – Not for the faint of heart. This route includes hills and high bridges, but stunning views of the city. You’ll cover tons of ground. And if you can complete this route, you’re considered a local.

[to the end of the canal] 12.3 Miles | 20 KM – Declared an official national historic site, the Lachine Canal is an ideal site for a run. Start at the Atwater Market (accessible via the Lionel Groulx Metro Station), and coast along the canal. When you reach the end, turn around and come back, enjoying views of the downtown skyline. Route can be shortened as necessary.

[official montreal marathon route] 26 Miles | 42 KM – Chances are you are not actually masochistic enough to run a marathon on your Montreal getaway, but for the sake of curiosity, here’s the route. The race is usually held on the second Sunday in September. More information at Marathon de Montreal.

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If you have any questions about the routes, don’t hesitate to contact me. Or inquire with Steve or Phil at the Running Tourist for a personally designed run.

Now go pound some pavement!

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Boutiques might have unveiled their fall collections, but don’t be fooled – summer is not over yet!!! Here are eight delightful things to do in Montreal before we kick into fall romance.

1)   PICNIC AT LAFONTAINE PARK

With its dreamy fountain, winding pond, bike paths and abundance of trees, Lafontaine Park is one of Montreal’s hangouts of choice when it comes to the picnicking business. Stop at a nearby supermarket (there is one just a few steps away on St-André Street) and grab some paté, fruit, cheese and a baguette.  Also, don’t forget the wine! May I remind you that it is totally permitted to drink in Montreal parks as long as there is food involved.

2)   SIP ON ROSÉ WINE AT A SUNNY MONTREAL PATIO

Montrealers are very talented at spending countless hours doing nothing but having great conversations while sipping on a glass (or two, or three) of rosé at one of the city’s many terraces. I myself am an expert in the field. Drop by the pretty patio of French bistro “La Croissanterie” or head to the intimate backyard of Casa del Popolo. They are two of my personal favorites. In the nighttime, mingle with locals on the patio of La Buvette Chez Simone.

3)   PLAY BEACH VOLLEYBALL AT JEANNE-MANCE PARK

Whether you join a team or simply admire the hot male and female bods working out a sweat under the sun, make sure you stop by Jeanne-Mance Park before the end of summer. The volleyball matches take place every day starting around 12pm until sunset from May to October. Some twenty thousand people of all ages and nationalties have played volleyball in Parc Jeanne-Mance since it started back in 1973. Everyone is welcome from beginners to elite players, and singles to full teams. Since you are visiting and you won’t need a full season membership, it will cost you a tiny 3$ for a full afternoon of fun. No appointment necessary.

4) INDULGE IN BILBOQUET ICE CREAM

Located on Bernard Street in Outremont, Le Bilboquet is a major ice cream institution in Montreal. Although I’m a big fan of their taffy ice cream in springtime, no feeling is comparable to that of sitting on their sunny front porch and orgasm-ing over a spoonful of homemade Bilboquet ice cream and/or sorbet.

4)   SURFING ON THE ST-LAURENT RIVER

Surfing ? Where ? You might not know this, but it is possible to surf right at the heart of Montreal. Being the island that it is, Montreal is surrounded by water, including two permanent waves in the St. Lawrence River that allow water babies to surf in the city. I tried this activity  with a private teacher last year and loved it. You can obviously also go with your friends and it is very easy to rent a board and get a lesson for a few hours. Read all the details here.

5)   DANCE YOUR SUNDAY AWAY AT MONTREAL TAM-TAMS

The Tam-Tams Festival is Montreal’s Sunday ritual of dance and music. Unlike river surfing, the weekly gatherings near the Angel Statue on Park Avenue are a secret to none.  Locals, visitors, and even celebrities (Kirsten Dunst was spotted 3 or 4 weekends in a row this summer) all merge to the mountain on Sunday afternoon to listen to the sound of drums and just lay down in the park.

6)   GO FOR A WALK IN THE GAY VILLAGE WHILE THE STREETS ARE STILL CLOSED TO TRAFFIC

Only a few more weeks to take advantage of the Montreal Gay Village while it is closed to traffic. Started as an experiment in the summer of 2008, Aires Libres has become a regular summertime “permanent festival” of sorts.  Sainte-Catherine Street, the main artery in the village, gets rid of all cars and becomes the perfect place for strolling and people watching. Our very fabulous insider, Daniel Baylis, gives you a few suggestions of things to do on the strip.

7)   AFTERNOON LOUNGING BY THE WATER IN THE OLD PORT OF MONTREAL

One my my favorite things to do during the summertime is head to Old Montreal and simply hang out by the water. There are many activities you can do at the port including spending  in a glammed- up soirée on the Belvü, a swanky yacht, docked in Old Montreal. The spacious boat’s decks, bars and dining areas are open for after-works drinks and you can even go on a 45 minute cruise every Friday night. For more information, read the post our friend Christophe Bergeron wrote about this Miami Vice- style nautical expérience.

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I don’t think there is a single person in Montreal who doesn’t know Anthony Calvillo. But if there is, you definitely don’t want to be their friend as they’ve clearly been living under a rock for the past 13 years.

Known as Montreal’s favorite Alouette, quarterback Anthony Calvillo also happens to be one of the most outstanding players in the Canadian Football League’s history.

The Los Angeles native got us three  Grey Cup this past decade, in 2002 and just last season in 2009 (you might remember this insider video shot by fullback, Kerry Carter, at the championship parade).

I met with Anthony after practice at the Olympic Stadium to ask him about some of his favorite Montreal hangout spots. Here’s the juice!

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From April 22 until June 27 you can revel in the magic of Cirque du Soleil on its home soil.

The Cirque du Soleil is arguably Montréal’s greatest export. The imaginative blend of acrobatic performers, emotive music and street-style entertainers has captured the hearts of dreamers for the past 25 years. Now with a new show, TOTEM, just unveiled in the Old Port of Montréal, us locals are buzzing with excitement, knowing that we are the first city in the world to enjoy the show.

And you can join us.

Montréal has had a long-term love affair with Cirque (as we call it here), yet we’ve never kept the mystical performance company to ourselves. In Europe, Australia, Asia, the Middle East and beyond, our Cirque has become your Cirque.

TOTEM is an exploration of evolution, and was written and directed by Quebec’s own Robert Lepage. And in the typical international style of Cirque du Soleil, the show involves 52 performing artists from 19 countries. Each artist selected to reflect the advancement of human motor functions…

“TOTEM traces the fascinating journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly. The characters evolve on a stage evoking a giant turtle, the symbol of origin for many ancient civilizations.”

Through visual and acrobatic expression, TOTEM takes us on a journey somewhere between science and legend, exploring the infinite potential of humans.

It is inspiring entertainment.

Here’s sneak peak of the show…

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THE DETAILS

TOTEM
Cirque du Soleil
April 22 – June 27, 2010
www.cirquedusoleil.com
(Ticket prices vary depending on category and day of week)

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Where to stay: For easy access to the circus tent, any of the boutique hotels in Old Montréal would be a perfect choice!

Where to eat: If you’re with the whole family, a meal on any patio at Place Jacques-Cartier is a fun place to see street performers while you eat. For something more upscale, you’ll enjoy the elegance of Verses Restaurant in Hotel Nelligan.

What else to see or do: Those trim circus performers might inspire a desire for some exercise. A walk to the top of Mount Royal might be the perfect next-day activity to get the endorphins flowing (map…).

The post TOTEM: CIRQUE DU SOLEIL’S NEWEST SHOW DEBUTS IN MONTRÉAL appeared first on Tourisme Montréal Blog.