Quartier Latin
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A tiny, lively area centered on Rue St-Denis between Rue Sherbrooke and Blvd René-Lévesque. The name (in a nod to the Parisian namesake) alludes to the presence of a large university - in this case, the Université de Québec à Montréal (UQAM). Places to VisitThe area's redevelopment efforts have already yielded one significant result - the Grande Bibliothèque on Rue Berri. The library is open to the public and well worth a visit. » Our list of selected Quartier Latin Places to Visit (1) Places to Eat, etcRue St-Denis, the nerve center of this neighborhood, is literally one big restaurant row. Unfortunately, the preponderance of students, tourists and "transients" is not conducive to serious dining options. Fast food and "Paris on the cheap" imitation cafés abound. With a few exceptions, unless you are simply looking for a quick bite before catching a movie, most establishments on Rue St-Denis should be skipped. (You'll have a much better shot if you walk a few blocks up along Rue St-Denis, cross Rue Sherbrooke and choose among higher quality restaurants of Le Plateau). » Our list of selected Quartier Latin Cafés and Restaurants (1) SafetyAs with most areas in downtown Montreal, the Quartier Latin is not really dangerous, although, compared with most other central neighborhoods, it is clearly on the sketchy side. In part this is a result of the proximity of the bus station on Rue Berri. Street beggars can at times behave a bit aggressively, but are very unlikely to physically touch anyone. It's best to simply ignore them. Late-night crowds outside Rue St-Denis bars can may occassionally get unruly and getting offered drugs in the area is quite common. In any case, police patrol cars are almost never more than a couple of blocks away. Related Articles |
A staggering number of chain cafes and coffee shops in Montreal
haven't yet cornered the market on favoured hangouts. We Montrealers
enjoy our home-grown locales. Café Utopik is such a place that seems
to thrive on its independent situation...
I've met quite a few people in Montreal, and all of them surprised me with the same statement: "I've never been to La Grande Bibliothèque".
Worse, that would happen immediately after I'd answer the most common question, which is: "What have you liked the most in Montreal so far?"
La Grande Bibliothèque is definitely one of the top things on my list
and when I mention it many people seem surprised...
