Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
As we descended the elevator for our first breakfast at our hotel in Montreal, the other elevator passenger asked if we were going to see the bike race. What bike race?
We soon learned about the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal, one of the major events on the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) World Tour calendar and one of only two such races in North America. The race featured 209.1 kilometers (130 miles) around a 12.3 km circuit on Mount Royal, repeated 17 times, for a total of 4,573 meters (2.8 miles) of elevation gain—comparable to a major mountain stage in the Tour de France.
The event attracted over 150 riders participating and an estimated 80,000 spectators. We quickly decided to be two of those spectators. We had no plans and no idea where we could find a spot to watch the race. I was able to find the exact race route on an app that I use for biking (RideWithGPS). I picked a spot on the other side of the race route and requested an Uber ride to that location. As I had hoped, the road was blocked right as we were about to cross the race route. The surprised Uber driver let us out. We watched three race laps from that location, then requested another Uber ride to bring us back to our hotel. An excellent, surprise adventure!
Hop-on/Hop-off Bus
We walked to the primary office for the Hop-on/hop-off bus and bought two two-day tickets. We enjoyed the London-style double-decker buses with live bilingual commentary in English and French.
It provided a great way to see and hear about Montreal without having to take more Uber rides or getting too exhausted from walking.
Mont Royal Park / Parc Mont-Royal
When the bus reached the top of Mount Royal, we disembarked and went for a stroll, admiring the city.
This is the “mountain” which gave the city its name. “Mont” is French for mountain, and “réal” was an old variant of “royal”.
Avoiding climbing Mount Royal made our bus ticket worthwhile. After our walk, we boarded the next bus to continue our tour.
Notre-Dame Basilica
We also got off the bus at Parc de La Presse and walked to Notre-Dame Basilica.
This was the breathtaking experience we had expected at the Basilica in Halifax. It was a stunning example of Neo-Gothic Revival architecture with a richly decorated interior. It was designed to awe with its vast scale, twin towers, and luminous interior of deep blue vaults adorned with golden stars, intricate wood carvings, and vibrant stained glass. It’s listed as a National Historic Site.
Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History
Another stop was at the Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History.
We couldn’t find the entrance. We walked all around the building, checking for an unlocked door. Finally, we found a sign saying “Closed Mondays”. Sigh… It was Monday.
Bungee Jumpers
We spent a lot of time strolling along the banks of the St. Lawrence River. The Old Port features Canada’s highest urban bungee jump from the historic Conveyors Tower at an impressive 64 meters (210 feet).
Potential riders (victims?) would ascend the tower, then walk out on the arm. Eventually, they would emerge from the arm of the tower, usually screaming, taking the ultimate leap of faith in an ankle-harnessed free fall that promised an unforgettable adrenaline rush.
We’d watch them fall until they touched the water or just before the river. After the jump, they were slowly lowered into a motorboat waiting for them.
Together with people watching the many tourists on the pier it made an excellent way to relax and enjoy the city.