Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!

I hope you’re enjoying delicious food and cozy family time. Today, I wanted to share more about Montréal with you. Did you know that Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated on the second Monday of October? I think it’s great timing because you can decorate for Christmas right after Halloween without feeling like you should wait.

This was my third visit, and not only did I get to see the first Montréal snowfall of the year, but I’ve been exploring more neighborhoods in this intriguing city. I’ve also been pratiquant le français tous les jours—almost 200 days straight! I’m hoping to be able to read French by the end of 2026. Understanding a live conversation may take much longer, but I’m up for the challenge!

Enough about my French Canadian obsession—let’s explore a new neighborhood, Hochelaga, and the tower and archaeological site of the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel.

This visit, I stayed in Hochelaga, a residential neighborhood a little southeast of the Biodôme. Parking in this area is much easier, and you can find free parking if you read the signs carefully and are willing to walk a bit to the main avenues. Plus, if you’re staying in Montréal for a while, this is a great neighborhood to find your basics like supermarkets, bakeries, and even a pet supply outlet called Chico.

And of course, in any great city neighborhood, there are restaurants and cafés. Rue Ontario has my favorite new Canadian restaurant—Motel Ontario. What I loved about this spot is that you order dishes to share. Each one is flavorful, and honestly, a full portion on your own would probably be a lot. Dinner and drinks for three was $130 US.

There are also a few art museums and galleries in this neighborhood that I’ll be sure to check out on my next visit. We had a snow/ice storm arrive that cut short some of our exploring—but it did allow me to experience snow before heading south. :-)

In my last issue about Montréal, I wrote about this chapel, one of Montréal’s oldest churches, built in 1771, but I didn’t have photos of the archaeological finds or know that you could visit the tower for dramatic views of the city.

As you enter the chapel, walk toward the altar, and on the left-hand side you’ll see a door with a very small sign: Musée / Museum Marguerite-Bourgeoys. Enter the door and walk to the right into a small gift shop. Purchase a ticket for entry to the museum for CA $16 (about US $11.50), and ask when the next archaeological site tour is.

While you wait for the tour, learn more about Marguerite Bourgeoys. She is considered one of the founders of Montréal, arriving from France on November 16, 1653. She came as a missionary to educate French and Native children in the new colony, but she also helped the young women sent by the King of France to help populate the area. She founded the Congrégation de Notre-Dame de Montréal, which still carries on her work today. Marguerite was the first woman of the Canadian Catholic Church to be canonized as a Saint, on October 31, 1982.

Next stop - your tour of the archaeological site. You’ll meet in the Gift Shop and follow the docent underneath the Chapel. We learned that the archaeological site was used as a storage area for over a century before it was discovered and excavated in the 1990s. (You can only visit on a tour because the site is still being explored.)

Many artifacts have been uncovered, including a small statue now on display in Marguerite’s crypt. You’ll see the original foundations of the chapel and learn about early Montréal history. The chapel was a pilgrimage site to honor the Virgin Mary and stood outside the protection of the early city walls.

After exploring the archaeological site, be sure to view the artifacts on display. You’ll have walk past everything kind of quickly as the tour began.

Then, make your way to the tower. There are two levels of incredible views, plus a quiet sitting area inside for prayer and contemplation. The steps to the second tower are quite steep, but it’s not a long climb—and it’s absolutely worth the extra height.

…is one of my favorite things to do. I’ve been digging into the history of each place I visit, and sometimes—like with the chapel—I discover things I didn’t explore the first time around. Next week, I’ll be sharing about an art gallery, the Musée d’art contemporain, and Mile End, a cute, hip neighborhood filled with artisan shops.

‘til next week, happy exploring!
Kathleen

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