“Le temps est bon
Bon Entendeur
Le ciel est bleu
Nous n’avons rien à faire,
Rien que d’être heureux.”
Montréal is one of those cities I can absolutely picture myself living in.
Wandering, conversing and existing in a French-Canadian environment feels like a familiar world to me.
My French upbringing
Many new people I meet are often surprised to know I speak French fluently, and are curious to know my background.
Lebanon, my birthplace, used to be a French Mandate territory in the early 20th century, so having a French education was very common for the Lebanese population. When I was 3 years old, we left our war-torn Beirut to start a new life in Toronto.
My parents made the decision to put us in the French school system so that we can continue expanding the French language while also learning English. To immigrant parents who wanted a better future for their children, being bilingual meant increased employment opportunities, which was a symbol of stability.
I appreciate the Franco-Lebanese upbringing my parents gave me. It is layer of my identity that I feel very proud of. I am proud to be Lebanese, and I am proud to be Francophone.
Why Montréal feels like home
In present-time adulthood, that appreciation looks like connecting to the poetic lyrics of French songs, chit-chatting with the baristas after ordering iced lattes in French, and most importantly, understanding and relating to the cultural and historical context of the diversity of people around me.
I can’t quite explain it other than whenever I come to Montréal, I feel at home.
A perfect blend of elegance, edginess and unapologetic confidence, the joie de vivre of this city is enhanced spectacularly during summer.
Below are my Top 4 Highlights of the weekend we had in July. Come along with me to this charming little corner of the world.
Fireworks performance at La Ronde
The purpose of our trip was to attend the International Fireworks Festival that Montréal famously hosts every summer.
Mesmerized by a 30 minute pyromusical performance executed by France, I felt like I was floating in a vast sky of dancing galaxies.
Locking eyes with the glitters above me, I thought of the people I loved as the music synchronized with radiant explosions. I couldn’t help but think of people who recently departed and that I miss. After all, what are fireworks if not stars making a brief appearance in the night sky?
After the crowds left, we walked around the hush of La Ronde amusement park and snacked on carni food under the lights of the carousel. Between bites of our hot dogs, we agreed that coming to this fireworks show might become a new annual tradition for us.
Returning to Plateau Mont Royal
Revisiting our proposal spot brought waves of emotions I was not ready for. The last time I stood there, the tree in front of me was red, and a global pandemic hadn’t entered our lives yet.
Sitting on the very same hill where my husband knelt down with a diamond ring in his hand, I observed the row of trees and admired how lusciously green they were this summer.
The presence of these trees felt like I was revisiting old friends. It was as if I was asking them, “Hey, do you remember us?”. I felt a ‘yes’ as their branches swayed in the heat of July, towering over me like spectators who did indeed witness a boy asking a girl to marry him some years ago.
Our Plateau hike was rewarded with a tasty lunch at Ô Four, a delicious Lebanese manakeesh eatery.
We came back to the Plateau neighbourhood a second time to visit some of my favourite shops, notably Boutique 1861 and Maison La Petite Garçonne, admiring the colourful French Colonial homes dotted along the vibrant Avenue Duluth, quenching our thirst with iced lemonade from Café Névé and satisfying our appetite with bagels from St-Viateur.
Browsing the shelves of the Multimags bookshop, I picked up some French novels by Québécois authors to sharpen my French reading, and to get lost in a story in a different language. Something I haven’t done since my childhood.
New memories in Old Montréal
We got to know Old Montréal a lot more intimately this time since we stayed at the Sonder Le Victoria, a little hotel tucked in a quiet corner of the old city.
For 4 days, we took in the powerful presence of history as we walked on the cobblestone streets and passed the Renaissance Revival buildings that have transformed into present-day art galleries, cafés, restaurants, office buildings, apartment lofts and dreamy boutiques.
Over the course of our time in Old Montréal, we enjoyed multiple trips to Café Olimpico (their pistachio amaretti cookies were divine) and Micro Espresso, which was conveniently around the corner of our hotel.
A delectable steak dinner was enjoyed at the historical Gibby’s, refreshing cocktails were sipped on the rooftop terrace of Le Perché, and of course, an espresso and croissant were had at my favourite little depanneur, Le Petit Dep.
Street musicians, the aroma of fresh caramel, colourful artisan market stalls, and fuchsia flowers arched on centuries-old stone buildings are vignettes that capture the energetic charm of this special little neighbourhood I adore.
Just For Laughs Comedy Night
When we found out our favourite improv comedians from Dropout TV will perform at the Just For Laughs Festival the same weekend we would be there, we didn’t blink an eye to get tickets.
It felt surreal seeing them interact with a live audience when they’ve been our source of comfort on a screen during the pandemic lockdowns.
We ended our comedy night with a late night snack at the famous 24 hour poutinerie La Banquise. We reminisced on how the last time we sat at this establishment for poutine, it was -30 degrees in February 2015. A whole decade ago.
Between bites of cheesy fries, we reflected nostalgically on our dating years of 2015, and stated how our younger selves would be proud of how things turned out in our lives, and they’d be happy to know that Montréal is a thread that continues to weave into our story.
As we sipped on cocktails on the rooftop terrace overlooking the ferris wheel and the St-Laurent river, I asked my husband what he loved most about Montréal.
He pondered for a minute, and replied: “Every time I’m here, I feel like I’m with a group of people who know how to live life”.
His answer perfectly summed up a scene we witnessed the day before.
On our way to the comedy club, we walked right into a salsa festival that was happening at the historical Jardin Gamelin. All around us, people of all ages and cultures were dancing to the romantic melody of bachata music. I noticed no phones in anyone’s hands. That night in that corner of Montréal, only dancing was everybody’s shared love.
Having witnessed the people of this city dancing on the street during a heatwave or socializing during a snowfall, both times greeting their friends with kisses on the cheeks, I nodded in agreement with my husband’s statement as we clinked our gin and tonics to one of our favourite cities.
Perhaps a joie de vivre we can all learn from.
À la prochaine, Montréal. ❤️
My Turquoise Bag 
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