I don't quite understand the name - in English it should be Mount Royal Park and in French shouldn't it be Mont Royale Parc and not Mont Royal Parc ? - to me this is neither Anglais or Francais but Franglais.
I had an idea of how to get to Mont Royal Parc from the hostel ie straight up and to my right - it should be about a 15 to 20 minute walk uphill or I could catch a bus from somewhere closer to the downtown core of Montreal.
I walked and it was a very long walk - far longer then the 15 - 20 minutes I was advised of and all up hill. You had a choice of walking around Mont Royal Parc along the driveways or paths or climbing several sets of very steep wooden stairs. I decided to take the stairs even with my skiers knees and previous injuries which felt worse from the extreme cold.
Are we there yet? Are we there yet? I kept asking myself as I continued to climb each set of stairs - stopping each time. You don't realise how far up you are until you actually reach the top or look back down on your return back to where you started walking.
Along the way the park was still covered in snow but paths were becoming icy and slippery due to the "mild" temperatures that day. Cleets were recommended.
Once I reached the top of Mont Royal where the Chalet was located - there was an amazing 180 degree view of Montreal below. Although still a little cold, the sun was out and it was a very clear view of Montreal below. A perfect photo opportunity day. The parc was full of people that day with the same idea and many of them were out running around the park.
After taking hundreds of amazing photos and video of the views from outside the Chalet on Mont Royal, I took a break inside the Chalet which was an amazing building itself. It contained a souvenier store information office toliet facilities vending machines but no cafe and a large foyer area fit for a function ir gathering. In this foyer area there were deck chairs all occupied by people just sitting there and taking in the view outside.
One person I observed in typical French style sitting in one of these deck chairs had a rather large block of fromage a rather large loaf of bread and a big chunk of meat of some sort and was cutting them up to make a rather tasty sandwich picnic style.
After a toliet break a map from the information office a look at what was available to purchase as snacks from the vending machines and a quick look at the souvenir store to see if there were any Mont Royal pins (which there wasn't) available for purchase, I debated where to continue wslking around Mont Royal or start my descent back to the hostel. I took a few more photos of the inside and outside of the chalet and put my cleets on as a precaution. I noticed that clerts were avsilabke for sale at the souvenir store and someone else sitting in the chalet also had a pair on.
I decide to explore Mont Royal Parc more and tried to find the Ice skating rink. I had no intentions of skating and was unprepared as I had left my skates back at the hostel.
It was another 15 minutes walk I was advised by the information officer inside the Chalet in these icy slippery conditions.
No stairs just winding paths and signs to follow.
I got to the ice skating rink which is next to a large partially frozen pond - I am sure it is usually fully frozen over and skatable on other colder days during Winter. There was also a tube park which was closed and skate hire toliet facilities and storage building.
There was a Christmas sled and other paraphenalia from Christmas still present in the snow. Out of nowhere a grey squirrel appears very close up. I take photos of it shivering in the cold. It is not the first squirrel I have seen since I arrived in Eastern Canada but my first one up close and personal. Cute but you never know it could be viscous - be aware that rabies still exist in Canada and I have seen signs warning of this in parks around Canada.
It was getting late in the afternoon so I start walking back towards the Chalet and back down the steep sets of stairs I had climbed earlier but along the way took more photos of snow shoers and cross country skiiers also making their way around Mont Royal Parc on the snow covered trails that are under bridges and through tunnels.
So beautiful - the snow, the trees, the buildings, the sculptures and the squirrels - all colours black , grey and brown all gathered along side the driveway and paths in the snow looking for food climbing up and down trees and the passers by that feed them. I think they just love their photos being taken - selfie squirrels! The squirrels around Montreal certainly are not shy.
All the way down back to the hostel - it is certainly much easier and quicker going downhill.
Back at the hostel with time to spare for dinner and another walk around town at night - an opportunity to not necessarily find the closest super marche but I did go to the IGA in the Complexe Dejardins as advised by one of my roommates. So much yummy food there!!!!
End of night 4 and Day 3 in Montreal.
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| Inside The Chalet on Mont Royal Parc |
Spot the difference - Are the photos above squirrels or just my stuffed possum?
Post Script - Apologies above are the only surviving photos of my trip to Mont Royal taken on my Samsung Note. Refer more recent blogs for post scripts regarding photos
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