Jogging is life, and it’s also a good solution for exploring the city. Obviously, I run a lot and I certainly don’t like to always go on the same paths. An easy path is along the Lachine canal as it is fairly flat... But if like me you live in St-Henri, going up can be also interesting, as you cross the city of Westmount and its numerous parks as King George park.
But sometimes I want to go further away than around my home. Checking the map of Mont-Royal, I have found a way to follow the cemetery above the university of Montreal, so I took it and I arrived at a view point toward the West, the perfect spot for sunset, the whole continent in front of you. It's quiet and pretty cool.
Going down, you follow the Chemin de Ceinture toward Outremont, or continue toward the closest subway station. If you don't want to end up running 20km like me, you can of course also walk and not run. And the Chemin de Ceinture is a nice alternative to the one leading to the other belvedere which overlooks downtown Montreal, which is always full of people and definitively less peaceful.
1J4, Chemin de Polytechnique
C$
free
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Sit on the sidewalk and eat the most delicious gnocchi for only $5, with a rich tomato sauce and imagine whatever you want in your own alternate reality.
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I was struck by the enthusiastic staff and the very tender exhibit about window coverings that invited us to consider what is shown and what is hidden.
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Here you will find a strange pyramid of benches that doubles as an art gallery, small fields & greenhouses tended by students from the nearby university.
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Olimpico attracts the young and beautiful. And Club Social feels like it's been there longer, and remains true to its roots. Both have terrific bombolini!
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The cannoli! A crisp shell that shatters a bit as you bite into it, first-class ricotta cheese. Not too sweet. Somehow light and filling at the same time.
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Caffe Italia has been popular with Italian families for decades & it never lost the homey feeling. The coffee is delicious. The vibe is welcoming and loud.
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Jean Talon market is the kind of place where there is a vast choice, but I'd bet that most regulars end up with their favorite sellers.
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The exhibits are free to the public, and very well curated by Isabelle de Mévieus and her team. The converted post office is worth a visit on its own.
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Somehow in the race to make everything chain stores Duluth has remained pretty much a family-run affair, skewed towards the hippy/punk end of the spectrum.
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I was quite smitten with the gnocchi at Restaurant Marconi, not least because a portion of the price of the meal is shared with those in need around town.
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"Nonnina Panini and Gelato" in Montreal is a café that offers Italian snacks & desserts - get your chocolate & peanut butter tartelette and explore Lachine!
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There are bird spotters, trainspotters... and plane spotters - and this is where they meet in Montreal! Ready for some plane spotting in YUL?
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