You risk falling in love with Montréal after wandering her streets; it is a charming and vibrant city steeped in history yet not smothered by its past. Montréal is a magnet for chefs, artists, designers, and musicians who want to thrive in a place that allows them to be outrageous and experimental but at the same time refined. The city is world-class in so many domains that it would be impossible to categorize it as simply a foodie paradise or an arts and culture hub; there are too many wonderful and varied happenings all over the island.
Going for a walk on a summer day, you would be hard-pressed not to find yourself amidst a festival, parade, impromptu art performance or all three. While Montréal is a foodie paradise, festival haven, and culture hub, the city also boasts unique architecture, history, and parks reminiscent of a Rococo “Fête Galante” painting.
Feminism started a little later in Québec than in the rest of Canada; the Québécois trembled under the gold plated, jewel-encrusted thumb of the Catholic Church until the early 1960s. After Catholicism lost its stranglehold on the province, things began to progress quickly allowing Québec women to become among the strongest, most determined people you will ever meet.
Twenty years ago the province introduced subsidized daycare which has helped lift families out of poverty and has allowed women to have better control over their lives by being able to return to work with less financial burden than those in other provinces. Subsidized daycare has also made it much more feasible to start and run your own business. In 2017, Montréal elected its first female Mayor, Valerie Plante, who is aiming to achieve gender parity on the city council and to make Montréal more equitable across all fronts.
Through history, strong women like Jeanne Mance and Margeurite Bourgeoys were integral in founding Montréal and today women are confidently innovating in many fields, making Montréal a rich, diverse, and inclusive place to live and to visit.
HI! It’s Melanie from Choeur Maha, Montreal’s feminist choir. I was looking forward to seeing the blurb about us on your site and I notice it has not ben posted yet. Let me know if you need more information.
Thanks for the terrific set of suggestions. I visited Montreal for the first time two years ago and fell absolutely in love. (My ancestor left Montreal in 1810 to arrive in Oregon in 1812, and I love the link back through time and history to that gorgeous city.) I hope to return again and visit more of these gems.