The Montreal Plateau: A traveler's guide to the essentials

The Montreal Plateau is one of the hippest neighborhoods of any metropolitan area in North America - but most first time visitors to this great city never even know it's there. It's a delightful tree-lined residential area criss-crossed by a few large avenues, spotted with wonderful parks, and home to everything from live theater, to authentic French restaurants, bookstores, bakeries, and chic specialty shops of every description. The Plateau is truly a walker's paradise as it is small enough to be easily traversed in the course of a day, yet big enough to offer the diversity and kind of eclectic attractions to keep you fully engaged and delighted as you wander around. This is the kind of neighborhood where cute little restaurants of every description - all with tantalizing menus - are frequently found tucked away in quiet, charming nooks and corners of otherwise completely non-commercial living areas. The bottom line is that the Montreal Plateau is an undiscovered treat for those who love to lose themselves in organic culture and ambiance without being constantly confronted with hoards of tourists doing the same thing. The Plateau is a gem in a world characterized by visitor saturation. Welcome to one of North America's best travel experiences - hidden in the largest French speaking city in the world outside of France - and a place that you will have all to yourself - along with those who make it home.