Montréal at a Glance

1. Located on an island in the St. Lawrence River, Montréal is the second largest city in Canada and has a truly unique heritage where both French and English are used on an everyday basis. Only a few hours from the U.S. border, this charm-filled city is often described as a wonderful blend of Latin joie de vivre and North American efficiency.
   
   City among favorites, Montréal invariably makes the short list of one of the most livable places in North America, if not in the whole world. Indeed, Montréal residents enjoy an unrivalled quality of life where education standards are high and living costs and crime rates are much lower than those of most North American and European cities of similar size.
   
   While Montreal is the most important French-speaking city after Paris, it is also made of a patchwork of many distinct cultures coexisting in perfect harmony that lend it such an inviting atmosphere of openness and vitality. After all, with a population of almost 2 million people, representing no fewer than 80 different ethnic groups, Montréal has a reputation of always being warm and gracious. It is not unusual to strike up a conversation with a perfect stranger who will make any visitors feel right at home.
   
   Because Montréal loves to celebrate, its streets and theatres hold throughout the year world-class cultural festivals or sporting events to keep anyone busy. The city is particularly famous for its refined museums and art galleries, gastronomic restaurants, lively nightlife or eclectic shopping centers. Above all, Montréal is an oasis of nature, dotted with numerous green spaces where outdoors enthusiasts can practice their favorite seasonal sports.