Vive le Québec!

June 7, 2006 9:20 AM

Suggestions for anglophones visiting Montreal pour la fête nationale on June 24?

I've found the website for la fête nationale à Montréal, but other than the main events, is there anything we should check out in particular?

Also, my French is existent but quite limited. How much of a handicap will that be? I know Montreal is very English-friendly, but I'm wondering more specifically about the Saint-Jean festivities.

posted by heatherann to society & culture (14 comments total)

You might want to reconsider this trip down the 401. The day isn't for you. I personally prefer to celebrate it by getting far, far away from Quebec.
posted by jon_kill at 9:46 AM on June 7, 2006

From my last trip to MTL around that time, by 8pm once the beer did its job it just seemed like a big party of drunken Francophones and Quebecois nationalists. Who, y'know, didn't seem to like Anglophones that much. If your French is limited, I'd say to pass.
posted by huskerdont at 9:57 AM on June 7, 2006

Parc Maisonneuve is supposedly where the purest of pur laine hang out on St. Jean. But from what I've been told, the party in Montreal is tame compared to the one in Quebec City (which I'm going to this year... despite my only-passable French). I wouldn't worry too much.
posted by Succa at 10:18 AM on June 7, 2006

heatherann: your limited French or otherwise your use of English will be welcome almost anywhere.

I have no doubt that jon_kill's and huskerdont's typically squareheaded comments reflect the true experience of bigot drunks meeting other bigot drunks. If you are neither, chances are that you'll just meet nice and helpful people.

As for entertainment, what are you looking for? Music? Street animation? Do you have kids?
posted by bru at 10:48 AM on June 7, 2006

bru: No kids, but one friend visiting from Scotland looking to experience another bit of Canada. Buskers, music, good food, good alcohol, anything like that would be great. I haven't been to MTL for Saint Jean before, so I don't know what all is available.
posted by heatherann at 11:04 AM on June 7, 2006

Just stay downtown, where the allophones are. Make your way up and down Crescent (between Maisonneuve and Renée-Levesque) and you'll do just fine.

Me? I'm headin' over to Ottawa for Quebec Day :P. Ha ha! So long, suckas!
posted by freakystyley at 11:25 AM on June 7, 2006

typically squareheaded

And then you go on to mention bigotry. Interesting.

your limited French or otherwise your use of English will be welcome almost anywhere.

False.
posted by jon_kill at 11:41 AM on June 7, 2006

Please don't listen to anything jon_kill says re: Montreal; I've found it uniformly uninformative and ignorant.

I recommend going up to the fete at Waverly and St-Viateur in Mile-End. Too much fun.
posted by docgonzo at 11:58 AM on June 7, 2006

Docgonzo, if you're talking about my attempt to keep a stripper-hungry stag party out of my neighborhood, I stand by it. Otherwise, what are you talking about?

I'd also like to point out that almost everybody who has advised you to come has also advised you to stay in the English parts of town.
posted by jon_kill at 12:06 PM on June 7, 2006

I'm a simple man, so I would recommend going to La Banquise (994 Rachel Est) to get a poutine, then stop at a depanneur (corner store) and buy an 1837 and then head to Parc La Fontaine, to sit by the pond at sunset.

It will be mellow and full of happy people having a good time. If you're with friends, you'll have a good time regardless of what languages you speak.
posted by dobie at 12:15 PM on June 7, 2006

I was born and raised in Montreal, went to a French-language school until university, but have an allophone background. For those not from Quebec, allophone means 'something other than french or english'

Heatherann, come on down to Montreal, and enjoy the festivities and the people. This is a good-natured holiday, it does have a nationalistic bent (largely historic by now), no one will be carrying pitchforks and torches against les anglais. Good grief.

Make some effort to speak a few words of French, most people will see that you are struggling and they will switch to english for you. Be nice, and people will be nice back - that's been my experience of Montreal for nearly three decades. In particular, if you have a friend visiting from elsewhere, then perhaps engaging a friendly reveller into conversation about the origins of this holiday would be helpful.

Places to visit: Parc MtRoyal (the TamTams give a great show on the slopes of the mountain, near Parc avenue), Parc LaFontaine, Vieux Montreal (old montreal), La Main (St Laurent) and rue St Denis. You may want to visit the 'anglo' streets (Crescent, Bishop) as well, but the real fun is on the francophone side of town (previous sentence).

If you can learn the words and melodies to "Mon Pays" and "Gens du Pays", you'll score brownie points.
posted by seawallrunner at 12:36 PM on June 7, 2006

Make your way up and down Crescent (between Maisonneuve and Renée-Levesque)

Please, avoid Crescent street at all cost, unless your idea of having fun is watching Anglo college type getting drunk senseless and hurling in the street (which I gather is not the plan). OK, maybe I'm not being fait here, but if you're going stick to Crescent, might as well go to (stay in?) Toronto.

I recommend going up to the fete at Waverly and St-Viateur in Mile-End. Too much fun.

I don't know this one, but sounds good.

one friend visiting from Scotland

There a history of nationalism in Scotland, lots of interesting parallels to draw (or not) with Quebec. Definitely a plus....

BTW, Stephen Harper is actually going to be in Quebec City on the 24th.....
posted by bluefrog at 2:12 PM on June 7, 2006

Docgonzo, you're right, Waverly & St-Viateur event promises to be much fun. Simple, diverse, beautiful people.

I don't know what I'll do but dobie's and seawallrunner's suggestions are also very good.

Carré Saint-Louis, by the fountain, past 9pm, will probably be worth a short stop. Petit Bar, a minuscule place with minuscule terrasse, is located on rue Saint-Denis in front of Carré Saint-Louis : if there's room, you'll have fun.
posted by amusem at 4:17 PM on June 7, 2006

You'll win points for politeness if you always start with French, even if you have to switch to English to be understood pretty quickly. My French is nothing to write home about, but I was treated graciously everywhere.
posted by desuetude at 6:10 PM on June 7, 2006