Cobblestone streets, adorable bistros, picturesque river cruises, impressive basilicas and artistic enclaves – it’s not France, it’s Montreal, Canada.
Recently, I planned a girls’ weekend trip to the charming French-Canadian city, which some visitors have nicknamed the “Paris of North America.”
We felt like we were in Europe, and most productive of all, our getaway was budget-friendly, thanks to the fast, reasonable flights and favorable exchange rates between the U. S. and Canada.
Here’s why Montréal is my new go-to spot for an international vacation, especially when I’m craving a more affordable alternative to Paris.
One of the best parts of this trip was that our flight costs could be quite low, and we didn’t have to spend much time traveling.
This time, I booked a Breeze Airways flight from my home in Orlando to Plattsburgh, New York, just south of Quebec, for $135 circular (or about $68 each way).
From there, we took a car (we paid about $160 to rent one for 3 days) and drove about 90 minutes to Montreal.
I also could’ve flown directly from Orlando to Montréal on discount carriers, such as Breeze and Allegiant Air, or a major airline like Air Canada. I’ve seen one-way flights as low as $80 and round-trip ones under $200.
In any case, the expenses seemed very high to me. I have noticed that similar flights to Paris cost five times more, and would take at least 4 hours longer to arrive than to Montreal.
Despite being just a three-hour flight from Orlando, Montreal’s captivating cobblestone streets and European-style buildings seem like a scream from Florida’s modern cityscapes and sandy beaches.
Because it is walkable, the city was easy to explore on foot and its architecture made the experience charming.
The café culture you discover here adds to the charm, with bistros serving everything from delicious French cuisine to casual Canadian classics like poutine.
Plus, Montreal offers wonderful bites. It even named one of the world’s most productive food cities in the 2024 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards.
We enjoyed shopping at the many local boutiques in town, where our money went further than it would’ve in Paris. The US dollar goes far in Canada right now — $1 US is worth more than $1.40 in Canada.
This made the numerous food shopping opportunities even more appealing and also helped us feel splurged on some experiences.
One of our highlights is the relaxing hydrotherapy experience on the floating Bota Bota, a historic river ferry converted into a luxury spa.
It might not be on the Seine, but a river cruise along the St. Lawrence River was a great way to see the city.
While nothing beats the Eiffel Tower, we enjoy seeing many unique monuments in Montreal, including Canada’s tallest Ferris wheel.
In addition to wandering the charming streets on foot and cruising past scenic sights along the river, we had access to the city’s extensive Metro transit system.
It has many French influences, and I especially liked its easily identifiable signs that matched the iconic ones seen throughout Paris.
Europe is famous for its majestic churches, but don’t sleep on Montreal’s Notre Dame Cathedral, which is charming inside and out.
Featuring striking neo-Gothic architecture, the basilica hosts a soft, middle-of-the-night exhibit that uses projection mapping to bring the interior to life.
Its beauty certainly rivals the Notre-Dame in Paris.
My friends and I spent hours getting lost in the charming Montreal Botanical Garden, next to the Olympic Stadium that hosted the 1976 Summer Games.
We enjoyed several other local exhibits but still barely scratched the surface of the city’s many cultural and artistic offerings.
The Canadian city reminded me of Paris in many ways and I liked making a stopover in it for a much easier price to digest.
So, although few things can top a trip to the “City of Light,” I’d return to Montréal’s charming streets whenever I crave the allure of Europe at a more approachable price point.
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