Geoff Livingston
A taste of Paris in Canada
Whether you BIXI it or bring your own bike, the city has plenty to explore. Montreal Island hosts 310 miles (500 kilometers) of bicycle paths. Many paths lead to quiet green spaces where the only traffic you’ll have to contend with is of the two-wheeled variety. One of Montreal’s favorite bike paths runs along the historic Lachine canal. But for many cyclists, nothing beats the beauty of Mount-Royal Park, the site of the mountain that gives Montreal its name.
Meets
Tour de l'Ile and Tour de la nuit (Vélo Québec) are indisputably the largest cycling events of the year, attracting over 25,000 cyclists. The group rides have now gotten so big that Vélo Québec created a whole festival around it called, “Féria du vélo.”
Bike Movies in the Park (various locations) This gathering includes rides and movie screenings at various parks. Previous flicks included Breaking Away and The Triplets of Bellevue.
Coupe des glâces/Ice Cup Race (various locations). Montreal gets pounded with so ice and snow, that it would be a shame not to have an ice bike competition. Usually happens in early February.
Santropol Roulant (111 Roy East) is Montreal's most famous meals-on-wheels program. (Most of those wheels are bike wheels). One of their many projects is a community bicycle workshop called Santrovélo.
Montreal Bike Polo (various locations) meets every Sunday for a game. (In case you haven't heard, bike polo is, as the name suggests, like polo, on bicycles).
Bicycle Film Festival (1564 St Denis St.) This international film festival hits Montreal late summer or early fall, and is usually combined with other activities such as bike scavenger hunts and after-parties.
Wheel Club (3373 Cavendish Blvd.) One of Montreal's longest running open stages, "Hillybilly Night," attracts a high number of cyclists every Monday night.
Eats
Le Cajibi (5490 St. Laurent) This shaggy-chic dive has long been a favourite haunt for scenesters, zinesters and cyclesters in the Mile End. Great food, live entertainment and generous bike parking.
La Panther Verte (66 St-Viateur St. W.) True to its name (which means "Green Panther"), La Panther Verte has many ecologically-friendly practices, including catering delivery by bicycle.
Cafe Santropol (3990 St.-Urbain) Located along a bike path in the Plateau, Santropol Café is famous for their monstrously big cream cheese sandwiches.
Maison des cyclistes (1251 Rachel St. E) Housed in the Vélo Québec quarters, this café is a popular rest spot for cyclists. At the intersection of two important bike path superhighways.
Les Foufounes (87 Ste.-Catherine E.) Go to this downtown bar at 5:30 on any weeknight, and you're sure to find bike couriers drinking after work. A favourite Montreal institution.
Café Fractale (200 Sherbrooke St. W. SH-R380) Located on the UQAM (Université de Québec à Montréal) campus, this student-run café specializes in fair trade and organic food and drinks. BQAM, UQAM's community bicycle shop, is housed in the same building.
Sleeps
So many Quebec hotels, B&Bs and hostels wish to advertise themselves as "bicycle-friendly" that Vélo Québec established a certification program – Bienvenue cyclistes!. To be certified by Bienvenue cyclistes!, an establishment must provide guests with covered and locked bike storage, tools for minor repairs and information on cycling and cycling facilities in Montreal. To find certified Bienvenue cyclistes! accommodations that suit your specific needs, consult the database.
