Pre-Cruise in Montreal with a Question About Mont-Royal Park

[MalibuCA]

I am trying to plan our itinerary during our pre-cruise days in Montreal. I have read that the view from the summit of Mont Royal is truly spectacular. Is this true? If yes, is there a way to reach the summit for that perfect "Kodak moment" without "climbing" the hill on foot? Is it accessible by taxi? If yes, where do I ask the taxi driver to take us for the view? Should I have the taxi wait for us while we enjoy the view and take pictures, or is there something more to see in the vicinity of the summit? If we let the taxi leave us at the summit, are there other taxis available to bring us back down, or is the only way down by foot? We are certainly mobile, but I just didn't want to spend a huge chunk of our time walking down the hill unless there is really something worth seeing along the way. Please advise.

Oh, and BTW, if it makes a difference, we will be in Montreal during the last week of September, 2010. Will the weather at that time effect my plans for viewing the summit (as well as our view from the summit.) This is definitely a consideration since we never got up the cable car to Victoria Peak in Hong Kong last March because the peak was fogged in every single day we were there!

Thanks for the help.

Shelley

[ricki]

A taxi can take you to the top of Mount-Royal Park, and the view is beautiful. There is not much else to do but look at the view, so the taxi should be able to wait for you in the parking lot and take you down. Other than look at the scenery, there is not much to do unless you are picnicking, playing softball or soccer or walking through some of the cemeteries at the top of the "mountain."

The weather varies, as weather does, from clear to rainy to cloudy.

Ricki

[Roland4]

Keep in mind that while it's called Mont Royal, it's really more of a very large hill. "View from the summit" would be a bit of an exaggeration. It is a very nice view as Ricki says. For a comparison, I would say it would be about the same relative height as Telegraph Hill in San Francisco. Maybe a little higher.

As to the weather, the central part of Canada (Toronto to Montreal) had fabulous weather the entire month of September. Almost constant sunshine, temps in the mid/high 70's every day and only a half inch of rain for the entire month! Who knows if it will be like that next year, but the chances of good weather in Montreal are about the same as the chances of good weather in any city in the US Northeast.

[MalibuCA]

Where do I ask the taxi to drop us? Is there a specific name for the viewing area at the top or specific street names? Or do I just ask to be taken to the parking area? I just want to be sure we end up in the right place for the view. Thanks.

Shelley

[CrystalLady]

Roland is the expert here, but do they still offer the horse and carriage rides up Mount Royal? That was a delightful way to go to the summit (of the hill).

[beargal]

Shelley,
I wish the weather starting the first of Oct was half as good as Roland found it to be in September! We arrived on 1 Oct and spent the evening viewing the Chinese Lanterns at the Botanical gardens and the temp was 7C! Glad I had gloves. I was expecting the weather to be cool and crisp but mistakenly thought it would also be clear but we had cloudy weather most of the 5 days we were there.
We went up to Mont Royal on Sunday and it was cloudy so the views were not that good. We had bought a Metro pass that included buses so we took the Metro and then the bus up to the Mont. Just don't get off at the first lookout stop as it is a bit of a climb to get to the Chalet from there. If you take a taxi then you would most likely tell them to take you close to the Chalet and have a short walk up to the main viewing area. If it is cloudy then I am not sure I would bother to go up there.
If for any reason you are trying to decide on the Mont or the Botanical Gardens I would highly recommend the gardens!!
Rebecca

[MalibuCA]

My plan is to take a taxi to the lookout. I will have the taxi wait for us while we "look," and then, the plan is to have the taxi drop us in the Plateau Mont-Royal area (probably at Schwartz's Deli for smoked meat). We will then wander around the Plateau area.

My question pertains to our visit to Mont Royal Park. Should we visit the Oratoire St-Joseph? Is it a "must see?" If yes, is it practical to ask the taxi to drive us there from the lookout and wait while we take a peek inside? How long should we allow for the Oratoire? Is it spectacular inside or is it better viewed from the outside? Keep in mind that we will be visiting other churches as well and only want to go to this location if it's really incredible. If it's not practical to have the taxi wait for us, are there taxis available in that location, or is it necessary to walk down the hill to grab a taxi in Downtown? I want to maximize our time in the Plateau Mont-Royal area, but I don't want to miss a "must see." Please advise . . . and thank you very much!

Shelley