The holiday season is the season of B-movies, romances, girlbosses returning to their small towns to reconnect with nature – and the sexy tree salesman at the local Christmas market. It’s (finally!) Hallmark movie season.
And this season, we can live in our very own Christmas movie, a 2-hour drive from downtown Montreal. We can drink hot chocolate with woolen mittens and possibly slip and fall into the arms of a local who runs the local bakery, or perhaps an ex-skating champion?
In Almonte, Ontario, 14 Hallmark films (to date) have been shot on the ultra-cute streets of this village that has earned the name of mini-Hollywood north…
Almonte, Ontario
The village of Almonte has something almost Dickensian about its architecture –cobblestones and 19th-century grey stone buildings built in the Scottish style of the region’s first settlers.
This makes it the perfect place for a movie-style holiday season, and a perfect day or weekend road-trip from Montreal for the months of November and December!
How to experience your own Hallmark movie in Almonte?
Almonte Farmers’ Market
The Almonte Farmers’ Market was established in 1990, and features homemade muffins, flowers, vegetables from local farmers, honey…
Farmers’ market season is a little over when the leaves start to fall, but Almonte’s has a Harvest Market on November 8 and a much-anticipated Holiday Market on November 29.
We recommend buying cookies to give to someone you’ve just fallen in love with, hanging out with a scarf you’ve knitted yourself, and hitting on a squash seller with abandon.
Where? High Street, Almonte, ON
Mill of Kintail
For a lovely stroll among the trees and a taste of yesteryear, take a tour of the Mill of Kintail. You can’t visit it, because it’s been turned into a museum and is only open during the summer months.
We recommend taking a tour in ill-fitting shoes, only to be rescued by a prince on vacation at his nanny’s, or questioning your life choices with a best friend and a mug of mulled wine in hand.
Where? 2854 Ramsay Concession 8, Mississippi Mills, Almonte, ON
Shopping and Cafés
For a “general store” atmosphere and to exchange longing glances with someone buying a hammer, solid rosemary soap or a year’s harvest almanac, we go to L.G. Lee & Sons.
Where? 36 Mill Street, Almonte, ON
To find a history book and learn more about ourselves, our careers and our teen romances, we go to Nine Lives Antiques.
Where? 30 Mill Street, Almonte, ON
For a date that we swear is just a meal between old friends, even if the restaurant is just relaxed enough to be incredibly romantic, we go to North Market.
Where? 78 Mill Street, Almonte, ON
For a coffee to go before strolling the snow-covered streets of Almonte-and to flirt like a Gilmore Girl-we go to Contact Equator Coffee Roasters.
Where? 451 Ottawa Street, Almonte, ON
Enjoy your visit!