But this experience left a very sour taste in my mouth and I will never come visit Montreal or recomend to any of my friends. Best regards! Please believe me as an American citizen, permanent Canadian resident, living in Montreal for 6 years now, that that is definitely not the typical attitude of average Montrealers.
On the contrary, I have most often found the locals to very welcoming and even very accommodating to my not-so-perfect French. Usually when they hear my accent, they switch to English just for me.
I hope you will visit again. There are so many wonderful places to visit and things to see. That being said, if you move here and only speak english, prepare to have a really tough time finding a job. As mentioned above, bilingualism is a must for any customer-facing job here, which you would expect of any mixed language region.
In terms of quality of life, rent is average, public transit is really good, and the cultural aspects of the city compare well to that of Toronto. In terms of parking and driving, things go badly quickly.
Local parking is scarce and often restricted, and further to this, it is very obvious that the city fines aggressively as a means of raising capital. Additionally, the parking signs are often confusing. There is also large police presence compared to other Canadian cities, and while some may find this comforting, I personally find it oppressive.
That being said, Montreal is a very safe city, so do not think the heightened police presence implies otherwise. Finally, for those thinking of moving here, official document integration is a laborious, unpleasant process. If you like security, green space, family environnement with no stress and if you search a life quality and a cheaper place to live all is more expensive in Montreal: tax, house, rent, gas you will find it outside of Montreal.
Montreal is like most cities…. I moved here having never lived in a city and this experience is making me loath cities even more. Visiting here is fun. Living here is hell. The winters are cold and it makes the locals bitter. I love winter camping and living in a city in winter is possibly the worst experience i have ever had. The metro breaks down quite often. In the summer, if you have a car, you will have to move it twice a week so they can clean the streets.
The only reason to live in the city is if you are a true consumer of things. Immigrating to Quebec is also complex. I do not see the return on investment for all the tax dollars. There is no connection to local officials or the ministry. People just seem to fall in line and pay taxes though the nose without demanding anything in return.
The CBC coverage of local issues is non-existent. This town. The last comment from Andy is very accurate. I personally really like much of Quebec outsider of Montreal, yet wihtin the city….. There is the rancid smell of rotting garbage and dirty diapers in the summer air as you walk the sidewalks, large heeps of garbade bags full of putrifying food scraps lay out in the open for all to see. Even in fast food and restaurant areas.
As for the street sweeping system and high fines for parking in sweeping zones, especially when there are limited places to park in the first place.
It would be more efficient to schedule the sweeping days only for when its actually needed like in the spring and fall instead of weekly and instead improve upon waste management and systems of composting and more renewable practices.
And how about those high taxes and low paying jobs! Rent is not actually cheap considering the qulaity of what you get is certainly not that great. Living in a building full of people, some who smoke cigarettes indoors and landlords who could care less about the implications it has on quality of life and health.
The bad was so bad that the good became not worth gambling for it anymore. Needless to say, I will be making my way back west as soon as possible. How do they treat visitors? We will be coming from Alabama and we know very little French. At worst someone might force an accent through their English, however you are guaranteed service in English by law so just ignore this arrogant minority, though be aware that they do exist.
Should it happen, just apologize and say you are visiting, they should apologize. It is very safe and the thieving is very low. Cleanliness standards in both restaurants and hotels are very demanding therefore there should not be issue on that level.
A lot of museums are free, there are usually several festivals going on at pretty much any given time. All banks accept american money and american credit should be accepted pretty much everywhere, however if you intend on using cash, please convert it as, by law, patrons are not required to accept american money.
Credit and Debit should work, simply advise your bank of your trip abroad beforehand. Also, American express is greatly limited in Canada. A few behaviors to avoid for a best experience; like any good family dinner, avoid political discussions or issues as well as the language status of French, however, if you want to ask questions, that is certainly fine, however these tend to be a polarising topics.
The legal age is 18, however alcohol and other substances are not permitted in public and cannot be sold past 9pm. Quebec is still technically in prohibition when it comes to alcohol.
For the best experience I would recommend to have an idea, an outline of your trip and where you want to visit to maximise your experience, there are various information centers that offer free services to orient you with activities and information should you need them. I have to say, I agree with a lot of your points about Montreal. I absolutely love this city. I do speak French at decent intermediate level.
Even so, finding a job in my field publications has been extremely difficult. Canadians in general are the most accommodating people in the world. I migrated here 10 months back and lived a few days in Toronto. Then i found a job in Montreal and moved here.
If you dont know French, then this is not the best place to be. There is language racism! Take my word for it. People will ignore you or be rude to you if you do not speak in French. So think again before coming in here. But not all people in Montreal are bad. I have met a few French Quebecois who are really nice people!
Hi, My son wants to study French in high school starting next year in Los Angeles and, to help him, I was thinking of maybe taking him to Montreal for the summers for the next four year and enrolling him in French summer school. I reckon this would make him get a head start, give him practice opportunities, and put him in a natural, French-speaking environment for 2 months each summer.
What I would like to know is the following: Are there any free summer schools that an American teenager can attend in Montreal or Quebec City?
What troubles me the most about this city is the bilingualism. I have to agree with Sheri. Always complaining about money or politics. I live in Westmount, the most expensive area supposedly. But aside from a few blocks here and there of prominent first world feel, you run into bums everywhere. The scary part is they are not bums, just regular locals. And seriously, what is going on with people walking into you on sidewalks.
How hard is it to walk WITH the foot traffic and make room for oncoming people!? On the plus side, the city itself IS beautiful, clean and safe and there are parks everywhere, big and small. I like that.
But the people are lazy and obnoxious with their cultural complexes and snobby attitudes. There are exceptions of course, as with everything. I have some wonderful friends who are from here and they feel the same way about things. I will of course learn more french as time goes on there, I just need somewhere to start. Where would you recommend a Non French speaking individual to live in Montreal? I really want to move there so badly but I have no knowledge in French.
We just got back from Montreal and we loved it. The subway system is excellent, something the city of Toronto could only dream of. The residents speak French as their native language.
The city was established in the 17th century and in modern times it is one of the most developed, progressive, and advanced cities in Canada, with all the latest facilities and amenities. Montreal is a center of culture, commerce, business, education, technology, design, communication, and transport. Montreal is number 1 in the region Quebec. The city is number 2 in Canada. The population is Where is Lac Indy? Where is Lac du Sabot? Where is Lac Caron? Where is Lac Dumais?
Where is Lac Alpin? Montreal, in the Canadian province of Quebec , is a stunning mix of old Europe and glittering modernity. Whether you're in the old town or walking among the new buildings of downtown, you'll find that the city pulses with life and culture.
From its ever-present festivals to its historic churches and bustling shops and restaurants, there's much to see and do in Montreal. For visitors from Vermont and New York, the city is just a short drive away. New York is physically the closest state to Montreal. Visitors coming from upstate are just a minute drive from the city center once they cross the border. This route puts you on the Champlain Bridge over the St.
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