Fall officially begins on September 22, but the nights are already cool in Montreal, and that makes us want to spend as much time as possible living like the “main character” in a “small-town” movie or TV series. We want to be an Owens sister from *Practical Magic* (before the second movie comes out on September 11, 2026), we want to be a *Gilmore Girl*, we want to be Max Dennison in the original *Hocus Pocus*, and we want a pumpkin spice latte.
You can find all this just a 40-minute drive from Montreal, in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue. And as a bonus, the village is right on the waterfront. You can also get there without a car by taking EXO Line 11—from downtown, the trip takes about an hour.
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OUR FAVORITE SPOTS IN SAINTE-ANNE-DE-BELLEVUE
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A WALK ALONG THE CANAL
Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue has a lovely marina overlooking the lake and a tree-lined waterfront promenade to stroll along. In the summer, you can have dinner while watching the sailboats return from a day on the lake. In the fall, grab a pumpkin spice latte to go and take a leisurely stroll along the promenade.
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Where? C Café, 103 Sainte-Anne Street, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue
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THE MORGAN ARBORETUM
The Morgan Arboretum, a forest education center owned by McGill University, is a forest preserved and nurtured by the trees’ best friends: scientists.
Anarboretum is a specialized botanical reserve that cultivates species of trees and shrubs to preserve and study them—much like a living museum. The Morgan Arboretum spans 245 hectares west of the Island of Montreal and has been part of McGill University’s McDonald Campus since 1945.
You can explore 24.8 kilometers of trails there, as well as take guided tours focused on nature and ecology.
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Where?MorganArboretum, Pines Cottage, 150 Chemin des Pins, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue
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CAFÉ LA LOUCHE ET LES ÉCLUSES (LOCKS & LADLE)
A lavender-flavored London Fog, a sandwich, and the charm of a small waterfront town—for that *Practical Magic* vibe, stop by Café LA LOUCHE ET LES ÉCLUSES for a bite to eat.
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Where? Café La Louche et les Écluses, at 7 Rue du Collège, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue
