Living in Montreal

There’s no place in the world quite like Montreal. It’s a city steeped in culture and internationalism, a cross between the Old and New Worlds where Montrealers can commute across centuries-old cobblestones on their way to their shiny skyscraper offices. Montreal embraces its paradoxes and juxtapositions, and the result is a world-class city teeming with energy.

For Europeans coming to Montreal, it may feel “American”.  There are many McDonald’s, Burger Kings and fast food restaurants. Another thing some people will notice is the presence of the many coffee chains ie: Starbucks, Second Cup and Tim Horton’s which are ubiquitous. However, Montreal is also known for their great restaurants.

French in Montreal

Montreal metro area is home to about 3.8 million people, and while it is multicultural, French is the majority language followed by English. One thing to notice is that French speaking Quebecers are very proud of the French language, (surprisingly, often much more than people from France!) Quebec law also states that business must be predominantly French, which can give a special charm to the city.

Montreal Weather

Montreal experiences all the seasons which can be a good or bad thing, depending on your tastes. Summers can be very hot, up to 30°C, and winters can be brutally cold, especially if you are not prepared for it. Several snowstorms and temperatures dropping down to -20°C (which can feel like -40°C) are a few things to get used to in a Montreal winter! The “underground city” of Montreal, where everything is interconnected via corridors, underground shopping malls, metro system are great to have around when the winter weather gets really cold!

Montreal snow