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Urban Outdoor Adventures: Bicycling Montreal

Program Number: 17375RJ
Start and End Dates:
5/30/2013 - 6/3/2013;
Duration: 4 nights
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Price starting at: $1,144.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: Bicycling; Festivals, Misc.; Arts, Misc. Activity Level: t (see description)
Meals: 8; 4 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch, 3 Dinners    
Meal Options: Vegetarian; Gluten Free    

There is no better way to discover Montréal's 400 years of history, public arts, culinary delights and European ambiance than by cycling along the city's 250-mile network of bike paths. Get inside access to hidden places and local favorites, from the city’s historic heart to its trendiest new neighborhoods. Get to know one of North America’s most intriguing cities from a unique and rewarding perspective. Discover Montréal enduring art and history and premier urban biking.




Highlights

• Discover the unique 17th-century architectural wonders in the old city, the Victorian Golden Square Mile, the imposing McGill University, and the Olmstead-designed Parc du Mont-Royal.
• Immerse yourself in Montréal’s unique heritage and urban landscape as you explore the islands of Ste.-Hélène and Nôtre-Dame and the historic Lachine Canal.
• Join Montréalers and others at the exciting Tour de l’Île, with the streets reserved for bikes only, during the Montréal Bike Fest.



Activity Particulars

Moderate to easy cycling; 10-30 miles per day; equipment provided.




Montreal

Montreal is an intoxicating blend of Old World charm and big-city excitement, from the cobblestone streets of the Old Port to the concert halls and theaters of the Place des Arts. The second-largest French-speaking city after Paris, Montreal hosts world-class museums and galleries alongside centuries-old basilicas and family-owned restaurants.
Accommodations
Stylish, modern hotel in old town.
Meals and Lodgings
   Marriot Springhill Suite Vieux Montreal
  Montreal, QC 4 nights
 Marriot Springhill Suite Vieux Montreal
Type: Hotel
  Description: SpringHill Suites by Marriott - Nestled within the charm of Old Montreal, located in the historical district, just steps away from the waterfront and all major attractions & venues. Enjoy a stroll along our cobble stone roads, ride the St. Lawrence River on a cruise, visit a museum or dine in one of our many quaint restaurants. Auberge Le Saint-Gabriel is one of the oldest restaurants around (circa 1754) and is connected to the hotel!
  Contact info: 445 rue St-Jean Baptiste
Montreal, QC H2Y 2Z7 Canada
phone: 866-875-4333
web: www.springhillmontreal.com/en/index.php
  Room amenities: Free high speed internet, micro-wave, fridge & coffee maker, Iron and ironing board, hair dryer
  Smoking allowed: Yes
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights prior: Current Price Contact Sylvie by email at snadeau@quebecculture.travel or at 1 888 569-4040 to get registration form for additional night at the Marriott SpringHill.
  Check in time: 3:00 PM
  Additional nights after: Current Price Contact Sylvie by email at snadeau@quebecculture.travel or at 1 888 569-4040 to get registration form for additional night at the Marriott SpringHill.
  Check out time: 12:00 PM


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
Montreal - 3:00pm Hotel Check-In Time. 5:30pm Meet in the hotel lobby for Road Scholar registration. You will be staying at Marriot Springhill Suite Vieux Montreal that night.
  End of Program:
Montreal - Program ends at noon. You will be staying at Marriot Springhill Suite Vieux Montreal the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required. Passport is required for all air travel to and from Canada. A valid passport or original birth certificate along with a valid driver’s license or a state issued photo ID card will be required for land and sea border crossings to and from Canada. Passport requirement for land and sea is subject to change. Visit www.travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html for up-to-date info.
  Parking availability:
$24.00 cdn per day
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Montreal, QC
  Nearest city or town:  Montreal
  Nearest highway: Trans Canada Highway #40
  Nearest airport:  Pierre Elliot Trudeau Int'l Airport (formerly Dorval)
  From End of Program
  Location: Montreal, QC
    (Additional transportation information same as above)
Travel Details
 

Montreal

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Taxi

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$40.00
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

25 minutes 
 

Montreal

 

From Bus Terminal

 
 

Service:

 

Taxi

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$8,00 cost can be shared
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

7-8 minutes 
 

 

From Train Station

 
 

Service:

 

Taxi

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$9-10 cost can be shared
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

8-10 minutes 
 

Montreal

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Public Transportation
747 Express Bus

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$9.00
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

40 minutes 
 

Distance:

 

25 miles
   

Public Transportation: 747 Express bus $9 per pers. You could buy your ticket right after you pick up your luggage.The 747 will bring you to the central bus station and from there, you could take a taxi to the hotel (8-9 minutes/ $8-9). Or you could stop at St-Laurent blvd and from there take a taxi to the hotel (5 minutes). Or you could walk South 4 blocks (last block is uphill). After crossing Notre-Dame St, you will turn left on Le Royer St. (small street) and you'll see the hotel entrance.
 
Driving Directions
  From New York State From New York State: Take Highway 87 North to border / After the border you will be on Highway 15 North / Exit at Champlain Bridge / Cross the bridge to Montreal / Follow directions to Highway 10 (Centre-ville) / Take Exit 1 Notre-Dame/Rue Wellington / Keep right and go straight on Duke Street / At the fourth traffic light turn right on Notre-Dame St / Then turn right again on St-Jean-Baptiste St (1st street after St-Laurent St).Time of travel from the border: 1 hour. Quebec road are in French, and speed limits are in kilometres (100 k/h equals about 62 m/h).
  From Ottawa From Ottawa: Take Highway 417 East to Highway 40 East and to 15 South / Then take the 720 East / Take exit 6 (Vieux-Montreal, rue Berri / Blvd. St-Laurent.) / At the first traffic light make a right on Bonsecours St / Then make another right on Notre-Dame St / Finally make a left on St-Jean-Baptiste St. Time of travel: 2.5 hours.
  From Quebec City From Quebec City: Take Highway 20 West to Highway 132 West / Exit at Champlain Bridge / Cross the bridge to Montreal / Follow directions to Highway 10 (Centre-ville) / Take Exit 1 Notre-Dame/Rue Wellington / Keep right and go straight on Duke Street / At the fourth traffic light turn right on Notre-Dame St / Then turn right again on St-Jean-Baptiste St (1st street after St-Laurent St). Time of travel: 3 hours
  From Toronto From Toronto: Take Highway 401 East to Highway 20 East and to the 720 East Take exit 6 (Vieux-Montreal, rue Berri / Blvd. St-Laurent.) / At the first traffic light make a right on Bonsecours St / Then make another right on Notre-Dame St / Finally make a left on St-Jean-Baptiste St. Time of travel: 6 hours.
  From Vermont State From Vermont State: Take Highway 89 North to the border / After the border you will be on Highway 133 North / Then 133 North merges into 35 North / Exit at Highway 10 West (Montreal) / Drive until Champlain Bridge / Cross the bridge to Montreal / Follow directions to Highway 10 (Centre-ville) / Take Exit 1 Notre-Dame/Rue Wellington / Keep right and go straight on Duke Street / At the fourth traffic light turn right on Notre-Dame St / Then turn right again on St-Jean-Baptiste St (1st street after St-Laurent St). Time of travel from the border: 2 hours
Equipment Requirements: We will provide a hybrid bike and lock. Participants may bring their own bike. We ask to bring your own helmet.
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: Registration/Orientation
(Thursday, May 30)

Note: We ask to bring your own helmet. We will provide a hybrid bike and lock. Participants may bring their own bike.
   
 Afternoon: Check in between 3-5:00 PM at Front Desk and Lobby area. Registration between 5:30 to 5:45 PM
 Dinner: Dinner in Old Montreal at 6:00 PM
 Evening: After dinner, presentation of program details, general information and a few other useful tips to enhance your bike experience in Montreal.
   
Accommodations: Marriot Springhill Suite Vieux Montreal
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Cycling Montreal
(Friday, May 31)

Note: Optional - Le Tour de nuit - 15 miles
   
 Breakfast: Buffet-style breakfast at the hotel.
 Morning: With a focus on architecture and history, we will cycle through some of Montreal's diverse neighborhoods. Your local guide has chosen several exciting nooks and corners that reflect Montrealers conviviality and multicultural flavor. Learn about Montréal's fascinating history and discover by bike the wonders of this magnificent city. Starting at the Old Port, to the Latin Quarter, La Fontaine Park, with an unusual detour into one of the alleys of The Plateau, to Mount Royal Park, into the Golden Square Mile's Victorian ambience, the business district and onto Old Montreal. Marvel at the characteristic architecture exemplified in the colorful wrought-iron staircases that wind up the facades of the duplexes and triplexes. Easy rides: approximately 3 hours. Bike and helmet are provided.
 Lunch: Lunch in Old Montreal.
 Afternoon: Visit the birthplace of Montreal - the Pointe a Calliere Archaeology and History Museum. Rising above evidence of more than 1000 years of human activity, this museum houses remarkable architectural remains, displayed in situ with absolute respect for their integrity (optionnal).
 Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant.
 Evening: Optional but not to be missed! Join the montrealers and Sylvie your coordinator in the special event Le Tour de Nuit (the night tour) part of the exciting Montreal Bike Fest. The streets will be reserved to the bikers. Easy ride of 15 miles in a festive atmosphere starting at 8:30 PM. More info and video www.quebecscience.qc.ca/feria/en/MBF
   
Accommodations: Marriot Springhill Suite Vieux Montreal
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Cycling the Islands and the Lachine Canal
(Saturday, June 1)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel
 Morning: With our guide ride your bike across the St-Lawrence River, Vista-Architecture - Discover Montreal, its St-Lawrence river and its architectural elements. Superb landscapes. The historical importance of the St-Lawrence river for Montréal. Architectural works that have branded Montréal. Parks which have established Montréal’s renown. And you’ll cross the St-Lawrence river via the "estacade" (an icebreaking structure). Landmarks and sites visited: Old-Port * Lachine Canal * Habitat 67 (Moshe Safdie) * "L’Homme" sculpture (Alexander Calder) * Biosphere (Buckminster Fuller) * F-1 racetrack (Gilles-Villeneuve) * Sainte-Hélène Island * Notre-Dame Island * Atwater Market
 Afternoon: More bike, ride along the Lachine Canal. Immerse yourself in a unique Montreal heritage landscape. Continue along the St. Lawrence River, upstream from the Old Port of Montreal to the neighborhoods of Pointe-Sainte-Charles, Verdun and LaSalle. Feel the spray of the rapids and watch for the herons in the beautiful bird sanctuary at Parc des Rapides. Follow in the footsteps of the French explorers who were looking for a passage to the treasures of China. Highlights include the Old Port, Lachine Canal Locks, Rene Levesque Park (sculpture park), and Lachine Rapids Park. Easy rides - approximately 22 miles.
 Dinner: Dinner on your own. Suggestions will be made.
 Evening: Jazz concert in a renowned Jazz Club. (Optional)
   
Accommodations: Marriot Springhill Suite Vieux Montreal
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 4: Le Tour de l'Ile at the Montreal Bike Fest
(Sunday, June 2)

Note: Ride 35 miles with montrealers - For every one.
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel
 Morning: Today we discover another face of the city participating as we ride together alongside festive Montrealers in Tour de l'Île de Montréal. Before the start, the excitement and enthusiasm among the participants is palpable. Some dance and sing, while others film and pose. And everyone gets off smoothly, on an immense street with new perspectives, a different Montréal, a mass of bicycles and an easy pace, like a gigantic rush hour where the destination is pure fun. Some are participating in their first Tour de l'Île de Montréal, happy to say at the finish line that they made it! Others are regulars who come back year after year. There are spectators providing encouragement along the way, entertainers in the rest stations, volunteers offering friendly support and thousands of people joining together to bike Montréal.
 Afternoon: After le Tour de l'Ile, take more free time to enjoy Montreal.
 Dinner: Farewell dinner in a french restaurant in Old Montreal.
   
Accommodations: Marriot Springhill Suite Vieux Montreal
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 5: La Petite Italie
(Monday, June 3)
   
 Breakfast: Buffet-style breakfast at the hotel.
 Morning: Visit the neighborhood of La Petite Italie. At the Jean Talon market, drink in the multicultural flavors and sights. In addition to the ubiquitous fruit, vegetable and flower stalls is a tasty array of gourmet specialty shops that feature spices, oils, cheeses, meats, pastries and other delicacies and offers exquisite products that are specific to Québec.
   
Meals Included: Breakfast
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Suggested Reading List


A People’s History of Quebec


Author: Jacques Lacoursière


Description: A People’s History of Quebec is a lively guide to a little-known part of North American history. It tells of the settlement of the St. Lawrence Valley, but also of the Montreal and Quebec-based explorers and traders who travelled, mapped, and inhabited most of North America, and embrothered the peoples they met.



A short history of Quebec


Author: John Alexander Dickinson and Brian J Young


Description: A Canadian classic, A Short History of Quebec offers a concise yet comprehensive overview of the province from the pre-contact native period to present-day constitutional struggles. The authors bring a refreshing perspective to the history of Quebec, focusing on the social and economic development of the region and its diverse peoples.



Montreal & Quebec City Guide – Lonely Planet


Author: Montréal-based author


Description: Montréal and Québec City really serve it up. You've got old-world grandeur, new-world sensibilities and big-city charms - there's enough neighbourhoods, restaurants and festivals to keep you mon-dieu'ing for months. This guide, penned by a Montréal-based author, gets you straight to the action. Pick & Mix: buy and download individual chapters from this book You could download free: Introducing Montreal (Very interesting…)





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