Old Montreal

(Local Name: Vieux Montréal) Said to be North America's most remarkable concentration of 17th, 18th and 19th c. buildings, "old Montréal" is the delightful Parisian-style quarter between the harbor and the banking district. Lovingly restored over the past thirty years, and very popular with visitors, it is best explored on foot, starting from the Metro for the Champ de Mars, just south of the station. A one-time drillground, then a promenade for the bourgeoisie, and now a square on the Rue Notre-Dame, this is overlooked by the two imposing 19th c. buildings of City Hall and the Palace of Justice.