Canada's insider blog

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but Ruby Roy is my secret weapon to discover Montreal’s hidden gems.  A guide with Tourism Montreal, she says these are the locals-know spots around the city that we all need to note down.

A French garden has a few distinct characteristics.  If it had artichokes in the garden (I would say there had to be an archeological team behind that discovery), that means the garden belonged to a wealthy family. Apples were not grown on trees, but placed on a vine against a stone wall, so all the nutrients would seep directly into the fruit and chives were placed around the perimeter of the vegetable and fruit plants, because little insects and bugs don’t like the smell.  For an example, visit the Chateau Ramezay Museum.

If you take the St. Laurent bus from Old Montreal you will get on at a McDonald’s, one of the very few in the city.  The bus takes you through Chinatown, Little Spain, Little Portugal, Plateau, Mile-End, and Little Italy ending with Jean Talon Market.  The cool thing? You get off at another McDonald’s the only one on the route.

Watch for the lamp-posts changing on the streets.  They signal entering a new neighbourhood.

There are 46 dog parks on the island of Montreal.  One of them even has posh dog-sitter services.

There is a bridge called the Ice-Breaker Bridge that is only used to break the ice during the winter months.  No cars allowed.

There are 11,000 pedalists per day on the Maisonneuve bike route.

Montreal parks can’t charge admission, therefore all the  festivals are free and so is the "dancing in the park."

Montreal women rarely wear sneakers to go outside–unless they are jogging–Montrealers never drink or eat on the run, and they always make eye-contact when they walk by you.

If you go to Little Italy to Alati Caserta– an Italian pastry shop–you can order cannoli, but they’re kept in the back. They’re the best in the city.  There is also a painting of Mussolini on a horse in the church across the street, Madonna della Difesa.  It’s on top of the ceiling.

La Canadienne shoes carries the best leather boots in North America.

Les Touilleurs kitchen store carries Tom Littledeer designed maple-wood cooking spoons that come in left and right handed varieties.

Ruby’s favourite cheese shop is Fromagerie Atwater at Atwater Market.  Her cheese of choice is a 3-year old Chevre Noir.  The owner of store met his wife at the store.  She was a customer.

Montrealers are crazy about garlic more than anything else.

Spruce Beer is native to Quebec and Carolyne says it tastes like “Christmas in a bottle.”

What's your secret Montreal spot?  Tweet us @bigplaceblog.