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LoewsLiving

canada’s culturecapitals

Right: Place Royale in Old Quebec

Opposite page: One of Loews Hôtel Vogue’s romantic canopy beds

Montreal and Quebec city’s

artful offerings span More than

their french heritage.

the strong french influence in Montreal and Quebec city makes

some think that they’re old World outposts in the new World. in

fact, some refer to Montreal as the paris of north america. but it

really isn’t. the character of both cities is much more complex—

and so are their cultural charms.

that’s why you can explore 18th-century buildings during

the day, then check out cutting-edge indie rock bands at night.

or snack on local french canadian delights like poutine and for

lunch, try a spicy Middle eastern sujuk sandwich—or pizza that

will make you think you’re in naples. you can gaze at exquisite

art in world-class museums or experience homegrown culture

at a quirky winter carnival that includes a canoe race that takes

place on a half-frozen river.

regardless of which culture capital you choose to explore

first, each has a loews hotel that’s an ideal jumping off point for

cultural adventures.

MONTREAL

a number of this city’s cultural coolspots are found in the

downtown area—conveniently close to the charming aaa 4-

diamond loews hôtel Vogue, which made Travel and Leisure

magazine’s 2010 list of 500 best hotels. as

you walk into its graceful, intimate marble

lobby, you are immediately welcomed and

made to feel at home. but while wrapped

by abel delgado

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“a number of montreal’s key cultural coolspots are in the downtown area, located conveniently close to loews hotel vogue.”

in elegantly stylish design, what really makes for a memorable

stay here goes beyond décor or comforts: people drive the

loews hôtel Vogue experience. guests enjoy the fact that the

hotel staff not only greets them by name but also remember

their dog’s name...and they’re happy to take him for a walk!

loews hôtel Vogue’s people power is also found in l’opera bar

in the lobby, where francine, the masterful bartender, knows

the favorite drinks of the regulars—and the soon-to-be-regulars.

a first stay at loews hôtel Vogue is never your last! and when

you need reservations at a hot new restaurant, the connections

of louis-philippe, a double golden Key concierge, make all the

difference. guest rooms also balance warmth and elegance,

with a soft color palette and old World touches like the romantic

by abel delgado

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This page: bonsecours market Opposite page, top:

A street scene from montrealOpposite page, bottom:

L’Astral, Loews Hôtel Le Concorde

canopy beds found in 25 of the 142 rooms and suites. expansive,

all-marble bathrooms feature a jetted soaking tub, velvety robes

and silky-smooth bath products. from this home base, you can

easily stroll into Montreal’s cosmopolitan cultural offerings—and

the following rundown will get on your way.

The Golden Square Mile District | this area is where loews

hôtel Vogue is located, and it was the home of the city’s elite

until 1930. these days, it’s home to the Montreal Museum of fine

arts, canada’s oldest art institution. the permanent collection

features works by both canadian masters—like borduas, Morris

and riopelle—and international luminaries like picasso, Matisse

and cézanne. current and upcoming exhibitions focus on the

fascinating paintings of otto rix, cutting-edge contemporary

works from young artists, the couture creations of Jean paul

gaultier and ancient chinese military artifacts. also nearby is

the canadian centre for architecture, with exhibitions revealing

the creative process of figures like Matta-clark. upcoming

exhibitions explore the impact of migration on the environment,

the role of architecture during World War ii and the work of

pritzker prize laureate James stirling.

Old Montreal | located about 15 minutes away from loews

hôtel Vogue by taxi or metro, this area lets you time travel back

to the 18th century. place Jacques-cartier is popular and has all

kinds of fun street performers, but narrow rue st.-paul seems

to take you back with its cobblestoned streets, iron balconies

and stunning stone facades. here you’ll find bonsecours

Market, a historic 19th-century market that today is home to

shops featuring Quebecois products. Make time to explore the

notre-dame basilica, known for its jaw-dropping gothic revival

architecture. on the same street as the church is impressive

Montreal city hall, originally built in the 1870s and rebuilt in the

1920s, and château ramezay, a former governor’s mansion

that dates back to 1705.

Montreal Music | indie rock bands like arcade fire, the deers

and Wolf parade have helped make Montreal a music mecca in

recent years. head to the plateau area, specifically boulevard

saint laurent, to explore clubs like divan orange and concert

venues like casa de popolo. the burgeoning music scene led

to pop Montreal, an annual festival that happens at the end of

september or early october and features hundreds of indie rock,

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alternative, hip hop and folk artists. it’s bigger every year and

rivaling austin’s south by south West and new york’s cMJ. if

your taste runs more to pop and jazz, the Montreal Jazz festival

kicks off in late June with big names like sonny rollins and stevie

Wonder and lesser-known but amazing talents like ibrahim

Maalouf and chantale gagné. in early June, les francofolies

de Montreal showcases music stars from the french-speaking

world like pierre lapointe and catherine Major.

Food Markets | a quick taxi or metro ride from hôtel Vogue will

also get you in touch with the city’s rich food culture. at atwater

Market, you can explore more than 400 different types of cheese

at la fromagerie while also browsing farm-fresh local produce.

stop by première Moisson bakery for their flaky croissants

and delectable patés. Jean-talon market, located in little italy,

caters more to locals. you can eat your way around the market

with free samples of creamy cheeses, exotic spices, exquisite

olive oils and more. be sure to try the sweet and savory crepes,

as well as the ice cream from havre de glace. near the market

are a range of italian grocery stores and restaurants serving a

range of delicacies you can enjoy there or take home with you.

QUEBEC CITY

the aaa 4-diamond loews le concorde provides a unique

perspective on Quebec city, starting with its location. it’s set

on the highest point in the city, so from an east room you can

see the laurentian Mountains, old Quebec’s citadel and the

island of orleans. looking out from the west side, you’ll view

the plains of abraham, the st. lawrence river and Joan of arc

garden. beyond sights, here you’ll gain insights into the city’s

rich food culture: every friday you can go to the lobby to try

homegrown delights like artisanal cheeses from tourilli farms

or smoked fish from the Jos paquet fishery on the island of

orleans. then you can see how master chefs turn these

delights into exquisite dishes by going to l’astral, the hotel’s

rooftop restaurant. Winner of la carte d’or for its oustanding

wine list, l’astral offers exceptional cuisine served up amid 360°

views. While you’re sampling tender, perfectly cooked rack of

lamb, rich, buttery maple crepes or succulent piglet pot-au-feu

with turnip and panice chick peas, the restaurant slowly rotates,

giving you an unparalleled panoramic view of the city. loews le

concorde partners with the city’s outstanding cultural events,

like the Winter carnival, making it a great base to explore and

experience the essentials of a stunningly beautiful city ranked

by Conde Nast Traveler magazine as the 10th-best destination

in the world.

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Old Quebec | two blocks from le concorde you can enter

this unesco World heritage site through the saint louis gate.

you’ll be in upper town. head to place d’armes and look for

the gorgeous cathedral of the holy trinity, built in 1804. if you

explore rue de tresor, you can browse the works of local artists

and eventually run into rue st-Jean, one of old Quebec’s main

shopping and dining areas. several blocks away you’ll see

place d’youville, a vibrant square where you can watch street

performers in summer or ice skate in winter. also in the area

is artillery park, a historic military barracks from the 1700s.

be sure to stop by the citadel, a fascinating fortress from the

time britain and france fought over control of canada. to go to

lower town, it’s easier to take a funicular, which is kind of like

a cable car but set on a track. start exploring lower town from

place royale, the main square: it features historic homes and all

kinds of shops with local treasures made in Quebec province.

Musée de la Civilisation | located in lower town of old

Quebec, near the waterfront, the Musée documents Quebec’s

history with an evocative exhibition. you can also learn about

the first nations, the Quebecois who predate the europeans, in

another intricate display. the Musée also features two interactive

exhibits, one in which kids can dress up and act out fairy tales

and another in which you get a hands-on understanding of how

the earth is put together.

Party Times | running from January 28 to february 13,

2011, the Quebec Winter carnival is the city’s Mardi gras. it’s

held weekend to weekend in old Quebec, and while it has

parades like any good carnival, it also has events that are pure

Quebecois quirkiness. for instance, there are dogsled races, an

international snow sculpture competition and

a canoe race on the semi-frozen st. lawrence

river—competitors actually drag their vessels

part of the way. place desjardins is where the main carnival

action happens, and it’s right behind le concorde. the saQ

new france festival is another party you shouldn’t miss: it takes

place in early august, celebrating Quebec’s french heritage

with parades, traditional music and more than 700 performers

dressed in period costumes who act out french colonial life.

Le Chemins Invisible | if you visit Quebec in the summer,

you can see a special cirque du soleil show unavailable in the

u.s.—for free. it’s called Le Chemins Invisible and takes place

from late June to early september every night in l’Îlot fleurie,

located in nouvo st. roch neighborhood. the storyline of Le

Chemins Invisible centers on three tribes who travel to the realm

of another tribe, the embarrassants, who seem to symbolize

marginalized members of society. good luck following the plot

points: you’ll probably be too busy being amazed by the colorful

costumes, ethereal music and amazing acrobatics. the show

takes place around 8 p.m. and lasts for around 90 minutes.

Image Mill | this is a wild architectural projection done on the

grain silos of Quebec harbour in the summer; originally it was

created for Quebec city’s 400th anniversary in 2008. using

27 projectors, 40 million pixels and 300 speakers, image Mill

takes viewers through Quebec’s history through a lightning-

paced series of images, blending illustrations of french explorer

samuel de champlain with photos of buildings, historical figures,

graffiti art, famous singers like alys roby and other Quebecois

touchpoints, all set to a rocking soundtrack. the 40-minute

spectacular will run from June 21 to september 5 of next year.

“beyond luxurious accommodations and superb service, loews hÔtel le concorde provides a unique perspective on quebec, starting with its location.”

Right: Preliminary canoe

races at the Quebec Winter Carnival

LoewsLiving

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