Green City Guide: Montreal

This historic Quebec city offers organic, vegetarian, and raw restaurants, bike and car sharing, green hotels, and more.

If you're looking for a bit of French flair, but are a little intimidated by the language, then Montreal is your best bet for a more European experience on this side of the Atlantic. Second only to Paris in the number of native French speakers, this culturally diverse city is blessed with a rich history and charming architecture. In summer months, crowds flock to the abundance of renowned festivals (such as the Jazz Festival, Just for Laughs, and the Fringe Festival), numerous street fairs, and cheerful outdoor cafés.

Green visitors will discover a vibrant eco-consciousness permeating the city: from the numerous bike-friendly streets, to the local markets to the community initiatives. Montreal is also the place where the famous ozone regulating Montreal Protocol was signed in 1987.

For up to the minute green news, check out TreeHugger's Montreal archives.

1. Take Public Transportation: The Société de Transport de Montreal (STM) and the Aérobus Airport Shuttle
   Inspired by its Parisian counterpart, Montreal's public transportation system is operated by the Société de Transport de Montreal (STM), which boasts subway stations celebrated for their many works of public art—including sculpture, stained glass, and murals. Depending on your plans, you can purchase a one-trip ticket ($2.75 CAD or about $2.20 USD); a CAM (Carte Autobus-Métro) "hebdo" weekly pass ($20 CAD or about $16 USD); or a tourist card ($9 CAD or about $7.20 USD per day / $17 CAD or about $13.60 USD for three days). The Tous Azimuts route planner will help you map out your trip.
   
   If you can't avoid the flight, your next best bet is public transportation from the airport. Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport, about half an hour west of the city center, is served by the Aérobus shuttle. The shuttle runs to both the Aérogare Centre-ville (777 De La Gauchetière, at rue University) and the city's bus station, Station Centrale (505 boul De Maisonneuve East, above the Berri-UQAM métro station). Tickets are $15 CAD or about $12 USD one way and $25 CAD or about $20 USD round-trip. Alternatively, you can also take STM bus #204 from outside the arrivals gate. Take a transfer ticket, and from Dorval you can transfer to bus #211 or #221 to Lionel-Groulx métro station.


2. Stay at a Green Hotel: ALT Hotel, Casa Bianca, and Auberge Alternative
   Conveniently located near Mount Royal, Casa Bianca offers organic food and linens and non-toxic cleaning products. For a more inexpensive and informal stay with a younger crowd, try the Auberge Alternative, situated in a renovated 1875 warehouse in Old Montreal. This lovely hostel offers organic breakfasts with free fair-trade coffee in a relaxed atmosphere with interiors showcasing works by local artists.
   
   You can also head across the Saint Lawrence River to Brossard and stay at the newly opened no-frills and environmentally friendly ALT Hotel Quartier DIX30, which boasts geothermal heating and cooling in every room.


3. Dine at a Green Restaurant: Organic, Local Food and Coffee
   Whether you are craving fine French cuisine or something uniquely Québècois like poutine (French fries with gravy and cheese curds), or just a simple falafel, Montreal is home to many gastronomical delights. A number of restaurants use organic and/or local produce, and some even have a fair-trade and community-building ethic. Café Santropol is one of the city’s best examples on this front and is famed for its huge eclectic sandwiches, fair-trade coffee, and Santropol Roulant, its "meals-on-wheels" program for seniors. Le Zigoto, in the up-and-coming Mile End neighborhood, is another place to get your organic caffeine fix in a cozy, boho-chic atmosphere. On the east side of Montreal, there's also Coop Touski Cafe de Quartier, a community-operated and owned café. Other places which use only organic produce include the Stew Stop, but if you're willing to shell out more, there's also LeBlanc on St. Laurent Boulevard, which uses local produce.
   
   For dessert, head to Fuschia, where the sweets and pastries are made with edible flowers such as pansies, lavender, and roses. Need more choices? Federal Real Estate's restaurant guide offers a comprehensive list including price ranges.


4. Dine at a Vegetarian or Vegan Restaurant: Aux Vivres, Chu Chai, Crudessence
   Vegetarians, vegans, and raw foodists—fear not, Montreal will also deliver meat-free cuisine to suit any palate and budget. Some of the more popular places include the all-time favorite, Aux Vivres, serving organic and vegan fusion cuisine and boasting the best vegan BLT sandwich this side of the 49th parallel. A close second is the veggie Thai restaurant Chu Chai, which also has a take-out bar and is close to all the nightlife found on rue St. Denis. Further downtown, Yuan serves delicious vegetarian Taiwanese dishes made with mock meats, while Lola Rosa is popular with students. For a vegan-friendly bakery, check out La Bouchée de pain. Raw and living foodists can head to Crudessence on rue Rachel, tucked steps away from a park, for an array of sandwiches, entrees, desserts, and smoothies. For more listings of veg-friendly places with ratings and reviews, check out VegGuide.org.


5. Rent a Bike: BIXI Bike Share Program
   Montreal's spanking new self-service, bike-rental system BIXI—a mix of bicycle and taxi—is modeled after Paris's Vélib program. Officially launching this spring, the program will feature 300 stations and 3,000 bikes in its first rollout phase. Intended for short trips, BIXI bikes are free for the first half hour. Users can also buy a day pass for $5 CAD or about $4 USD.


6. Browse an Open Air Market: Jean-Talon or Atwater
   Find local produce, food, and flowers at one of Montreal's famed open-air markets, such as those at Jean-Talon or Atwater. Cheese lover? Check out stores that sell the deliciously aromatic and unique cheeses from Fromagerie Le Gré des Champs, produced from cows that graze on special pastures filled with wildflowers and herbs.


7. Head to the Parks: Botanical Gardens, île St. Hélène, or Biodome
   A great, green, inexpensive activity is a trip out to the Jardin Botanique (Botanical Garden), one of the world's largest gardens. The greenhouses are open year-round and the Garden hosts a number of great events annually, such as the Papillons en Liberté (Butterflies Go Free) exhibit, though spring and summer are definitely the best time to visit the various outdoor pavilions. Next door is the Biodome, which allows visitors to walk through replicas of four ecosystems and is located in a building once used for the 1976 Olympics.
   
   For a spectacular view of the downtown skyline across the St. Lawrence River, hop over to île St. Hélène via Jean Drapeau métro station. Remnants of Montreal’s highly successful 1967 World Expo, such as Buckminster Fuller's Biosphere and Alexander Calder's "Man" sculpture, are still open to visitors.


8. Take a Stroll on Mont-Royal
   Of course, no visit to Montreal would be complete without a stroll on Mount Royal, the famed mountain after which the city takes its name. Designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, the same man who oversaw the planning of New York's Central Park, the mountain offers winding paths with scenic views of the city. For a chance to really get to know local culture, don't miss the Sunday Tam-tams, a free, impromptu weekly gathering of djembe drummers, musicians, and cityfolk dancing well into the sunset, under the auspices of a statue of an angel-in-flight. The Tam-tam gathering has been around for 30 years and is the largest group of its kind.


9. Shop Green at an Eco-boutique: Rien à Cacher, Moly Kulte, and Preloved
   For green threads, be sure to check out Rien à Cacher ("nothing to hide"), which boasts local labels such as Oöm Ethikwear and Grace & Cello. Great one-of-a-kind, recycled vintage finds can be at Preloved and Moly Kulte. Fashion by local designers can be found at General 54 and Local 23, two boutiques that have both new and vintage items.
   
   For a great selection of alternative, health, and spirituality books in French and English, there's Boule de Neige and Biosfaire.


10. Explore Quebec by Car Share: Allô-Stop
    If you are venturing out beyond the city limits to explore Quebec, the car-sharing service Allô-Stop is a fantastic way to save money and meet interesting people. It costs a mere $6 CAD or about $4.80 USD to join, and various destinations have very low fixed prices, when compared to renting a car.

Travel much? Check out more Green City Guides.

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