Old PORT OF Montreal
The
Old Port of Montréal is the largest inland port on the continent. It
stretches about 25 kilometres along the St. Lawrence, from Cité du Havre to
the refineries situated along the St. Lawrence river all the way to the
east end.
The Vieux-Port de
Montréal, or Old Port, corresponds to the historic portion of the port,
located in front of the old city. Abandoned because of its obsolescence,
it has undergone a series of renovation between 1983 and 1992, following the example of various
other centrally located North American ports. It is one of the most
popular visited site in Montreal for local residents and tourists alike.
The Old Port
encompasses a pleasant park, laid out on the embankments and coupled
with a promenade, which runs alongside the piers or quai, offering a
"window" on the river and the few shipping activities. It also
boast of a well maintained marina available to the boating enthusiasts
right before the summer.
The layout accents
the view of the water, the scenery, the downtown area and Rue de la Commune, whose
wall of classical, grey stone warehouses stands before the city, one
of the only examples of so-called "waterfront planning" in
North America.
Place Jacques
Cartier
Built
in the first half of the nineteenth century on a site that
archaeologists have since discovered was an important gathering place
for Quebec's First Nations Peoples, Place Jacques Cartier opened as an
extension of the Bonsecours Market. The square was officially closed as
a market in 1847 and renamed Place Jacques Cartier but continued to
function as one of this city's largest outdoor markets until well into
the 1950's, as local artisans and farmers hawked their goods to the
hordes of people who continued to frequent the square for its
architectural beauty and Old World charm. Watched over by an enormous
statue of Lord Horatio Nelson, one of Britain's most decorated naval
officers, Place Jacques Cartier remains one of the most visited spots in
Montreal. Closed off to traffic, pedestrians, cyclists and rollerbladers
stroll down the once cobble stoned streets to check out the various
bars, restaurants and street merchants who line the square on either
side. Eventually spilling out into the Old Port, Place Jacques Cartier
also branches off into the Rue des Artistes with its wealth of artisan
boutiques and souvenir shops.
*Compaq
Armada M700 Notebook only $2639!
