Lunch in Montreal (on bikes)
Aug 22nd, 2007, 08:39 AM
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Lunch in Montreal (on bikes)
My wife and I are planning on renting bikes on Sunday morning in Old Montreal. We'd like to know if there's a good place to stop and grab some lunch either on Notre Dame island or along the way back near Lachine Canal (or the neighborhoods in between). We'd be open to bringing a picinic if someone had a great spot to stop. Thanks!
Aug 22nd, 2007, 04:38 PM
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If you're biking on the Lachine Canal, a great stop is the Atwater Market... there will be a bridge from the bike path across to the clock tower. Get the sorbet at Havre aux Glaces there... yum yum, get cheese for your sandwich at Fromagerie Atwater. Yum yum.
Aug 23rd, 2007, 06:56 AM
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We're planning on starting in Old Montreal (bike rental), going to Atwater Market via Lachine Canal to get picinic food, over one of the bridges to get to Parc Jean Drapeau and back to Old Montreal. I can't see exactly from the on-line maps how much is strictly bike trail only. I know the parks have bike trails. I've read that many streets have bike lanes, though. I can't wait to see Montreal this way - weather looks good too (so far).
I'll post a summary of the trip when we get back next week.
I'll post a summary of the trip when we get back next week.
Aug 23rd, 2007, 04:56 PM
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From Old Montreal-->Atwater-->Jean Drapeau Park, you are on bike paths, not bike lanes next to traffic (except for a small section where there is barely any traffic). Ile Sainte-Helene in Parc Jean Drapeau I think is the best best on your itinerary for a picnic; I did just that with my aunt, at a spot overlooking the Saint Lawrence River near the metal structure called "l'Homme" (looks a bit like a spider).
Montreal's a terrific city to bike in. I often commute/visit friends this way, using paths, designated bike lanes and even streets. Only accident I've had is on a designated bike-only path, hit by a cyclist barreling toward me at high speed with cigarette dangling out his mouth I did everything to avoid; enjoy but be wary of roller-bladers and especially cyclists, some of which are trying to win la Tour de France on the Lachine Canal bikepath or are careless.
Other terrific excursions and great places to picnic are crossing the Saint Lawrence River on the Estacade via Ile des Soeurs (and Ile des Soeurs itself overlooking the water), going to the spit at Rene Levesque Park in the town of Lachine at the end of the Lachine Canal... gorgeous sunsets!, picnicking out by the Lachine Rapids (mostly trail but some designated lanes, river views all along), biking up the "Mountain" is also great exercise. And that's just a few of the excursions I've done by bike from where I live in Mtl. But I'd stick to your plan for your first venture out.
Enjoy! DAN
Montreal's a terrific city to bike in. I often commute/visit friends this way, using paths, designated bike lanes and even streets. Only accident I've had is on a designated bike-only path, hit by a cyclist barreling toward me at high speed with cigarette dangling out his mouth I did everything to avoid; enjoy but be wary of roller-bladers and especially cyclists, some of which are trying to win la Tour de France on the Lachine Canal bikepath or are careless.
Other terrific excursions and great places to picnic are crossing the Saint Lawrence River on the Estacade via Ile des Soeurs (and Ile des Soeurs itself overlooking the water), going to the spit at Rene Levesque Park in the town of Lachine at the end of the Lachine Canal... gorgeous sunsets!, picnicking out by the Lachine Rapids (mostly trail but some designated lanes, river views all along), biking up the "Mountain" is also great exercise. And that's just a few of the excursions I've done by bike from where I live in Mtl. But I'd stick to your plan for your first venture out.
Enjoy! DAN
Aug 23rd, 2007, 06:30 PM
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Thanks for the advice Dan! I thought about Ile des Soeurs, but didn't know where we could stop for a picinic. If we spend too much time at Atwater Market we may want to stop there for lunch instead. Is there a park or area you recommend just in case? Thanks again!
Aug 25th, 2007, 07:18 AM
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While there are picnic tables that offer up lovely water views from Ile des Soeurs, I'd recommend going to Parc Jean-Drapeau instead rather than Ile des Soeurs from the Atwater Market with your picnic supplies for the following reasons:
1. getting to Jean-Drapeau and a pretty place on Nun's Island (as anglophones say Ile des Soeurs) take about the same time from Atwater Market.
2. while the cutoff to Jean Drapeau park is clearly marked on the Lachine path, getting to Ile des Soeurs and esp. the pretty parts takes a bit of map-reading. Pick the wrong turn on the roundabout in Ile des Soeurs and you'll end up seeing condoland and a technopark rather than lovely waterviews.
If as you say, you dilly-dallied too long in Atwater Market, I think eating right next to the market by the canal is as good a bet as any other place on the canal. But I'd recommend pushing off to Jean Drapeau, which is only maybe 20 minutes by bike from Atwater Market.
If it's nice tomorrow, you may see me on the paths
.
1. getting to Jean-Drapeau and a pretty place on Nun's Island (as anglophones say Ile des Soeurs) take about the same time from Atwater Market.
2. while the cutoff to Jean Drapeau park is clearly marked on the Lachine path, getting to Ile des Soeurs and esp. the pretty parts takes a bit of map-reading. Pick the wrong turn on the roundabout in Ile des Soeurs and you'll end up seeing condoland and a technopark rather than lovely waterviews.
If as you say, you dilly-dallied too long in Atwater Market, I think eating right next to the market by the canal is as good a bet as any other place on the canal. But I'd recommend pushing off to Jean Drapeau, which is only maybe 20 minutes by bike from Atwater Market.
If it's nice tomorrow, you may see me on the paths
.
Aug 26th, 2007, 04:57 PM
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TRIP REPORT: What a great ride! We started this (Sunday) morning and got back this afternoon.
We rented bikes in Old Montreal and started on the bike path towards Atwater Market.
The ride along Lachine Canal was very nice -- maybe the best part of the trip. The trees shade you from the sun and it's great being along the water.
It was easy to get over to Atwater Market, where we picked up some great food for our lunch -- cheese, bread, strawberries, cranberry juice, and a couple pastries from Premiere Moisson for dessert. My wife and I traded turns going in to some of the indoor stores since we were advised not to leave our bikes (even if they were locked) out of sight. Atwater Market has a lot of good food and is an interesting place to visit along the canal, but we enjoyed Jean Talon more if you're looking for a market to visit and people-watch while sitting at a cafe.
We went back towards Old Montreal and crossed over to Jean Drapeau and Notre Dame Island. We ended up finding a great spot on Notre Dame island alongside one of its canals for a picnic. Jean Drapeau park was a bit crowded and noisy for what we were looking for.
After lunch we rode around the island a bit more -- on some of the bike paths and on the Formula 1 race track. If you go on the race track, don't be surprised to find a car drive up alongside you. We didn't know they were allowed on the race track, and one came around a curve and surprised both my wife and I.
By the time we were finished riding around Notre Dame island, we were ready to get back to the hotel to rest before dinner.
We loved the Lachine Canal bike path and Notre Dame island for the picnic. We noticed there were a lot more people on the bike path in the afternoon. We were glad we started in the morning (around 10).
Thanks to everyone for the advice. We'll definitely do this again when we come back to Montreal!
We rented bikes in Old Montreal and started on the bike path towards Atwater Market.
The ride along Lachine Canal was very nice -- maybe the best part of the trip. The trees shade you from the sun and it's great being along the water.
It was easy to get over to Atwater Market, where we picked up some great food for our lunch -- cheese, bread, strawberries, cranberry juice, and a couple pastries from Premiere Moisson for dessert. My wife and I traded turns going in to some of the indoor stores since we were advised not to leave our bikes (even if they were locked) out of sight. Atwater Market has a lot of good food and is an interesting place to visit along the canal, but we enjoyed Jean Talon more if you're looking for a market to visit and people-watch while sitting at a cafe.
We went back towards Old Montreal and crossed over to Jean Drapeau and Notre Dame Island. We ended up finding a great spot on Notre Dame island alongside one of its canals for a picnic. Jean Drapeau park was a bit crowded and noisy for what we were looking for.
After lunch we rode around the island a bit more -- on some of the bike paths and on the Formula 1 race track. If you go on the race track, don't be surprised to find a car drive up alongside you. We didn't know they were allowed on the race track, and one came around a curve and surprised both my wife and I.
By the time we were finished riding around Notre Dame island, we were ready to get back to the hotel to rest before dinner.
We loved the Lachine Canal bike path and Notre Dame island for the picnic. We noticed there were a lot more people on the bike path in the afternoon. We were glad we started in the morning (around 10).
Thanks to everyone for the advice. We'll definitely do this again when we come back to Montreal!
Aug 26th, 2007, 06:07 PM
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Hey
I was on the Lachine Canal path today too; went through Old Montreal to Atwater Market for sorbet (around 4pm though). Actually, I thought about you as I was biking out, remembering Sunday is the day of the Piknik Electronik by the l'Homme statue, and that Sunday was the day you wanted to go! If one likes to dance to techno music outdoors with lovely riverviews on a pleasant afternoon, Piknik Electronik can be a terrific experience with a surprisingly large variety in ages enjoying that music genre. However, if one wants a quiet picnic in a lovely setting as I suspected you did, I realized that I had steered you the wrong way! On a weekday, that same area is so quiet and peaceful, a world's difference from the Piknik.
Glad you enjoyed Notre Dame, your picnic and got goodies from Atwater Market.
All the best, DAN
I was on the Lachine Canal path today too; went through Old Montreal to Atwater Market for sorbet (around 4pm though). Actually, I thought about you as I was biking out, remembering Sunday is the day of the Piknik Electronik by the l'Homme statue, and that Sunday was the day you wanted to go! If one likes to dance to techno music outdoors with lovely riverviews on a pleasant afternoon, Piknik Electronik can be a terrific experience with a surprisingly large variety in ages enjoying that music genre. However, if one wants a quiet picnic in a lovely setting as I suspected you did, I realized that I had steered you the wrong way! On a weekday, that same area is so quiet and peaceful, a world's difference from the Piknik.
Glad you enjoyed Notre Dame, your picnic and got goodies from Atwater Market.
All the best, DAN
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