Montreal Winter 2013

This city is on fire in the dead of winter! From outdoor raves in subzero temperatures to restaurant week to festivals honoring snow, lights or whatever else organizers can pinpoint as a celebratory fixation, this is not the season to stay home and sulk. Au contraire. Read More

From ice skating to inner tubing, kicksledding to cross country skiing, Montreal hosts several winter sports that can be practiced at an assortment of parks across the city. Many of these locations also rent out equipment that even tight budgets can afford. Read More

The Montreal Snow Village, a Montreal winter attraction which debuted January 18, 2012, is a Canadian and North American first, the only snow village of its kind to be built in a major metropolitan area worldwide. As one of the city’s most important winter draws, activity options are anything but in short supply, with opportunities to play, eat, drink, sleep and even get married. On ice.

If you grew up in Montreal, or anywhere across Quebec for that matter, chances are you've slipped on a pair of skis and snowplowed down a hill at least once in your life. It's kind of hard not to in a location that would freeze hell over six months of the year. Add to that chill eightysome alpine ski hills scattered throughout the province of Quebec and over 200 km of cross-country ski trails on the island of Montreal, and you've got yourself a local rite of passage.

But visitors from all over, particularly from Europe, the United States and the rest of Canada, join us in the fun every year, though it can be confusing where to start with so many resorts scattered throughout the province. Read More

There is something irresistibly becoming about the foot-like reek of melting raclette overtaking the kitchen on a snowy day, stinking up a storm as its mild, nutty flavor is scraped onto potatoes and served with white wine, preferably an Alsatian Riesling or Pinot Gris. Baby gherkins, pickled onions and assorted sliced meats accompany the pièce de résistance. If you have never tried raclette then you must do something about that as soon as possible (and no, fondue doesn't count). There are two ways to indulge in this Swiss delicacy in Montreal: either make it at home with raclette-specific kitchenware or spare oneself a little cooking grief and reserve a table at La Raclette, on the Plateau. Read More

Tea is good. Sipping carefully brewed oolong picked from the Phoenix Mountains in the Fujian Province of China on a bitter cold Montreal winter's day? Even better. Read More

One of the few opportunities you'll have all year to eat Christ's ears drenched in the heavenly goo of the gods is now. Or soon. But the window is short-lived, from late February to early April. Read More