Travel
Montreal: Beyond Le Village
Although Le Village is the hub of gay life in Montreal and the logical place to base oneself when visiting, there are numerous reasons for the gay traveler to venture beyond its borders. After all, Montreal feels pretty queer, even when there aren’t rainbow flags in sight.
Unsurprisingly, a summer visit to the city is a different experience than in the dead of winter. For example, the sidewalk cafés along St-Denis, so festive in fair weather, hold scant appeal come December. Trekking out to the Botanical Garden greenhouses is a lovely idea in spring, but a questionable one during the dog days of August (remember holding a magnifying glass over those poor little ants?). The best way to cope with Montreal’s wildly variable climate is to go frequently, ever-prepared to layer. Here’s a few other suggestions – it’s up to you to transform them into gay happenings.
Wandering
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When the wind chill doesn’t make you fear your extremities will begin dropping off at any moment, simply wandering around is our favorite way to enjoy Montreal. Old Montreal is an obvious start, too obvious. Instead, try strolling funkier Plateau Mont-Royal.
Though I am in many ways a stereotypical gay male, my fag credentials fall short in a couple of notable areas: I adore neither the musical theater nor shopping. While it’s unlikely the words “original cast album” will ever make my heart race, the stores on St-Denis and St-Laurent (the main streets of Plateau Mont-Royal) have nearly inspired me to shop till I drop. The best strategy is take the Metro to Sherbrooke or Mont-Royal and then to begin window shopping in earnest.
There are all kinds of clothing and accessory stores along St-Denis, from the inevitable Gap-blah-blah chains to small shops with more eccentric wares. If the thumping disco doesn’t put you in the spirit to toss off your lackluster wardrobe for groovier duds, the trendily groomed clerks just might. Last time I was on a spree, the young saleswoman almost convinced me I was cosmopolitan enough to consider black stretch hip huggers and a shimmering shirt in some stunningly unnatural fabric. “Great for club hopping!” she said brightly. “Right!” I responded, forgetting for an instant that, in Vermont, club-hopping doesn’t exist. Montreal gives you permission to play with the possibilities, even if practicality wins out.
If it’s your home that needs a playful makeover, you’ll find furniture stores that Ethan Allen never dreamed of, not to mention unique civil-union gift ideas. And if you’re seeking a swimsuit too sexy for uptight American tastes, you’re on the right rue. Between stores, be sure to check out restaurant menus and muse over which corner of the culinary globe you might want to land in that evening.
If it’s a nice day and the sidewalk cafés don’t lure you in, take a break by wandering through Square St-Louis to pedestrian rue Prince-Arthur. Note the colorful row houses surrounding the square and pick the one that will become your deluxe pied-ˆ-terre when your lottery number comes up. Prince-Arthur leads you to St-Laurent, on which you’ll find more shops, chichi restaurants (a bit overpriced, but man, you’ll look phenomenal in them), and – we’re back in Oz, Dorothy – L’Androgyne, Montreal’s compact but well-stocked gay/feminist bookstore.
We’ve been lucky enough to hit St-Laurent in the midst of their street fair, where you’ll find people-watching opportunities and bargains galore. Continue up the street until you reach the ethnic food shops, the most amazing of which is called La Vieille Europe. Here you’ll discover delicacies from around the world at very reasonable prices – it’s all I can do not to buy all 44 varieties of mustard.
Chinatown makes for a more bustling yet equally enjoyable wander. It’s within walking distance of Le Village, centered on St-Laurent (look for the telltale gateways) between René-Lévesque and Viger. There are, of course, innumerable Asian restaurants to peruse, particularly along de La Gauchetière, most making up in authenticity what they lack in atmosphere (save the romantic candlelit dinner for elsewhere). The Asian groceries are a treat, though vegetarians like myself may want to steer clear of the hanging chickens section. We always bring a list and stock up on exotic ingredients, sadly foregoing the fruits and vegetables (I can see the headline now: Gay Vermonters Caught in Baby Bok Choy Border Bust!).
Other attractions
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If you need to escape the urban rush for a spell, Montreal offers oases inside and out. The Museum of Fine Arts on Sherbrooke is always a dependable choice; through Oct. 15, they’re featuring “From Renoir to Picasso.” More out of the way, but worth the trip, is the Canadian Centre for Architecture/CCA on Baile (metro Guy-Concordia or Atwater). It has a terrific bookstore, and the building is a must-see for anyone interested in beautifully crafted contemporary architecture.
For those longing to contemplate nature instead of art, Parc Mont Royal has a scenic if confusing network of paths circling the mountain. From the Chalet, there are striking views over the city, if you’re not too distracted by the Spandex-clad cyclists zipping about the terrasse. Like any urban park worth its salt, Mont Royal supposedly has cruising potential, though on which paths this potential best manifests itself has thus far eluded us.
Montreal’s Botanical Garden (metro Pie-IX) isn’t precisely a gay attraction, but its greenhouses and outdoor gardens are enough to make even non-gardening gays (there must be one or two in Vermont?) giddy. Last March, our visit overlapped with that of the magical “Butterflies Go Free” exhibit. Between the flowers and the butterflies – “flitting gaily among the nectar-bearing plants” to quote the Web site, aptly describing both us and the winged creatures – it was more colorful than a drag queen’s tiara, certainly a welcome break from mid-winter doldrums.
Dining
Though we usually eat at least one meal in Le Village, St-Denis offers more variety and better food. And you’ll never know who you’ll be dining next to – a couple of New Year’s Eves ago, we were coincidentally seated beside two happy queens from Ontario and had ourselves a gay old time.
For authentic French cooking and wine – select your bottle from the rack next to the bar – without breaking the bank, try La Bohème. The staff is friendly and the mostly French-speaking clientele create a bon vivant atmosphere. We haven’t eaten at Witloof next door, but it’s oft-mentioned in Montreal travel articles. For that special occasion, there’s Laloux on Av. des Pins between St-Denis and St-Laurent. You’ll feel like you’re in an elegant Parisian bistro, and the food is exquisite – as was the wine steward the night we visited; we practically had to tape our hands to the tablecloth.
For real Greek food (unlike the dubious joints on Prince-Arthur), with a strong accent on simply prepared fresh fish, we love the casually romantic Psarotaverna du Symposium. For vegetarian Thai food, try Chu Chai. Av. Du Mont-Royal (running perpendicular to St-Denis) also has an ethnically diverse selection of restaurants. On our last visit, we discovered Lugrano, a coolly sophisticated Italian trattoria (i.e. not for the meatball crowd).
BB&B
When the weather outside is frightful, boys might want to consider a stay at the mid-town Aux Berges, “Canada’s Finest All-Male Hotel.” Not your standard B&B (we’ve nicknamed it the Triple-B, or Bed Bath & Beyond), it conveniently provides sleeping and steaming facilities under one roof. The rooms are surprisingly comfortable, and those inclined toward exhibitionism will delight in its multi-story public Jacuzzi/shower space. The sauna clientele ranges from studly to spooky, but you can always retreat to your room to watch the continuous porn, or to the roof deck (in friendlier temps) to wag your dangly bits at the metropolis.
Expose yourself often to the many pleasures of Montreal and laissez les bon temps rouler!
Ernie McLeod and Kevin Moss live in Middlebury.
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WANDERINGS & ATTRACTIONS Montreal
Museum of Fine Arts Canadian
Centre for Architecture Montreal
Botanical Garden and Insectarium Plateau
Mont-Royal L'Androgyne
Books |
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RESTAURANTS La
Boheme Witloof Laloux Psarotaverna
du Symposium Chu
Chai Lugrano |