Weather in Montreal
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Partner stay in Canada |
12 days: Splendors of Eastern Canada
The seasons are very marked in Montreal, and throughout Quebec, it is therefore imperative to organize your trip accordingly and bring the right clothes.
Average temperatures are close to -10 ° in winter and 20 ° in
summer
, but be careful, they can regularly drop to -30 ° on certain
winter
days
and 35 ° in midsummer.
In addition, snowfalls of several centimeters are regular in winter, so remember to bring warm and waterproof boots.
In March and April, the beginning of
spring
marks the melting of the snow, so the streets of life are covered with "sloche".
Much softer and more pleasant, the month of May has temperatures close to 15 ° to 20 °.
As for the
fall
, the temperatures of September and the beginning of October are still mild, while the greyness seizes November and the beginning of December which can turn out to be rather sad and rainy months.
When to go to Montreal
As mentioned in the “Weather in Montreal” section, it is imperative to take the seasons into consideration to properly organize your stay.
To avoid tourists and the sometimes oppressive summer heat, the months of May, June and September are very pleasant alternatives.
For a cultural visit
: in spring and early fall, museums and theaters generally renew their programming.
Tourists are then less numerous.
To party
: during the summer when you can enjoy the terraces and rooftops of the many restaurants in the city.
Several festivals, such as the Jazz Festival and the Francos de Montréal, then take over the streets of the city.
To be amazed
: from mid-September to mid-October, Mount Royal is adorned with its warm fall colors.
The days are generally sunny and a little cooler.
To take advantage of the beautiful snow, February and March are generally good months.
With the family:
Montreal offers a multitude of activities to do with the family depending on the season.
In summer, the many activities in the Old Port and in Parc Jean-Drapeau will delight children.
Well equipped for winter activities, families can indulge in skating, sliding, snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in Mount Royal Park or in the city's many parks or experience Montréal en Lumière, the festival which highlights the light, the arts and the pleasures of the table.
Documents and formalities
The Place Ville Marie observatory in Montreal.
Stanislas Fautré / Le Figaro Magazine
A visa is not required for French tourists who wish to visit Montreal for less than six months.
However, you need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) when you arrive in Canada by air.
This is available at a cost of CAN $ 7 on the Canadian government website.
Please note that the AVE form is necessary for each member of the same family.
Once approved, your eTA remains valid for five years or until your passport expires.
For entry by land or sea (including cruise ships), a passport is sufficient.
USEFUL ADDRESSES AND NUMBERS IN MONTREAL
If you need information while in Montreal, here are the addresses and useful numbers to know.
Consulate General of France
1501 Av. McGill College 10th Floor (Suite 1000), Montreal, H3A 3M8
,
Tel.
: 514-878-4385, montreal.consulfrance.org
French Embassy in Ottawa
42 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1M 2C9, 1 (613) 789 1795, ca.ambafrance.org
Embassy of Canada in Paris
130, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris, Tel.
: +33 (0) 1 44 43 29 02, canadainternational.gc.ca
Canadian government travel and tourism website
travel.gc.ca
Emergency services (ambulance, police, fire)
One number, 911.
Arrival in Montreal
Montreal-Trudeau International Airport receives direct flights from several major French cities.
To take a taxi, go to the arrivals level near the central exit.
The rate is fixed for the city center (CAN $ 41) and a minimum rate applies for other directions (CAN $ 17.45).
You can also schedule a ride with Uber in advance or take the 747 shuttle to downtown.
The service is offered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at a cost of CAN $ 10.
Two routes are possible, one with a single stop at the Lionel-Groulx metro (25 to 35 min) and the other with 11 stops to the Berri metro (45 to 70 min).
Getting around Montreal
Guimard metro station in old Montreal.
Stanislas Fautré / Le Figaro Magazine
Getting around Montreal is easy.
Montreal's public transportation network is managed by the
Société de Transports de Montréal (STM)
and is made up of four metro lines and numerous interconnected bus lines.
The metro service is provided, depending on the line, from 5.30 am to 12.30 am (1 am on Saturdays).
Beyond these times, it is possible to take the night bus network.
The price of a passage is $ 3.50 CAN and passes for one day or three consecutive days are notably available.
If you do not intend to explore other regions of Quebec and believe that you are only staying in Montreal, public transport and taxis are better than car rental.
Museums in Montreal
Pointe à Callière and Notre Dame Basilica in Montreal.
Stanislas Fautré / Le Figaro Magazine
Whether you are passionate about history, the arts or the sciences, you will find a multitude of cultural places in Montreal to satisfy your curiosity.
Whether it is the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC) or Pointe-à-Callière, the city of archeology and history of Montreal, most museums in Montreal are for the most paying.
The Montréal Museums Card allows you to save money with different packages.
Currency in Montreal
The unit of currency is the Canadian Dollar ($) which is divided into 100 cents.
There are 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 dollar bills.
The smallest coins are the 5, 10 and 25 cent coins, followed by the 1 and 2 dollar coins.
Bank cards are also welcome almost everywhere.
Call Montreal
To call from Montreal to France, just dial 011 + 33 + the area code without the initial 0 and finally the 8 digits that make up the London number.
In the other direction, dial 00 + 1 + area code (514 or 438 for Montreal) + seven-digit correspondent's number.
What electrical outlet in Montreal
In Montreal, and throughout Quebec, the voltage is 110 volts.
It is therefore necessary to provide you with an adapter with two flat pin plugs with or without a third grounding pin.
You can easily find its adapters on site, especially at the airport or in pharmacies.
Time difference in Montreal
In the streets of old Montreal.
Stanislas Fautré / Le Figaro Magazine
The time difference between Paris and Montreal is -6h.
When it's 6 p.m. in Paris, it's noon in Montreal.
The change to summer time is done at the same time, but there is a difference between the change to winter time.
For France, the change takes place on the last Sunday in October, while for Quebec, the one hour setback takes place on the first Sunday in November.
The time is the same everywhere in all of Quebec, except on the Magdalen Islands which have one hour more.
Health in Montreal
There is no risk in going to Montreal.
To enter Canada, the French, like all foreigners, must have completed a complete vaccination schedule for at least 14 days and have a negative result in a PCR test carried out at least 72 hours before the flight departure time.
Check the government site for the various exemptions.
It is advisable to take out travel health insurance before leaving for Montreal.
Alcohol, tobacco and cannabis
In Montreal, and throughout Quebec, you must be 18 years of age or older to purchase alcohol and tobacco products or to enter bars and pubs.
To access the premises of the Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC), you must be 21 years of age or over.
Tips in Montreal
In Montreal, and throughout Quebec, it is essential to leave a tip in bars and restaurants.
The average tip is generally around 15% to 20% of the bill before taxes depending on the quality of the service.
In catering, servers depend on tips as their main income.
They must report their tips and their tips are taxable.
We also usually leave 10% to 15% of a fare to the taxi driver, $ 1 to $ 2 CAN to a porter, and $ 2 to $ 5 CAN per day for hotel room maintenance.