That’s it! It’s (almost) spring, and the city of Montreal is about to go from being an icy obstacle course to being the most pleasant city in North America, according to us and Tourisme Montréal, so it counts.
The mayor’s office has announced that the big spring clean-up will start in March, earlier than usual, because we’ve had so much snow this winter that we can’t wait any longer, not a minute longer for spring.
It’s the season for the first gougounes for the hardest rockers, and runners with soles so thin you can feel the texture of the asphalt underneath, little scarves to look pretty, the cap of our favorite café-vintage-gallery-resto, and where we’ll pretend it’s not raining by closing our eyes when the April showers fall.
And spring is a fast-moving season, from late March to June – to fully appreciate it, and to maximize our schedule before we lose track of time during the summer (between festivals, hot nights, vacations, mornings in the country) we’ve made a bucket list of what we want to do in Montreal over the next few months…
1. the first blooms
First and foremost, spring is nature’s awakening. The earth, which has been frozen solid for the last few months, warms up and, like us, relaxes and softens under the sun’s rays. *Sigh*
And Quebec is beautiful in spring… We’ve got a list of the first blooms of the 2025 season, including local classics and budding trees.
Check it out when you see a colorful flower gently growing in the middle of the wasteland next door, between two potholes in Mile End, or in the park!
Tulips are in a class of their own, because in Montreal and the surrounding region , they’re a tradition that borders on the obligatory… We look at them, we smell them, we pick them, we compare them and we give them to mothers for Mother’ s Day – this year, on Sunday May 11.
You’ll be able to see them all over the city, but you’ll also be able to pick them during the Tulip Festival at the Old Port of Montreal (dates to come for this spring, but in 2024 it’s May 8 to 17), where 600,000 tulips of every color are laid out on the harbor.
To match our most beautiful spring fits , to arrange in bouquets for our moms and to enjoy as a foretaste of summer.
From the first weekend in May onwards, we’ll be able to stretch out in a field of tulips (the dream) to sip sangria from the previous evening’s terrace, or simply enjoy nature and the warm earth of spring. And, of course, it’s pick-your-own for tulip lovers too… Tulipes .ca fields in Laval and Boucherville, details to come!
3.sugars
Ah, we love sugar… No, it’s serious, it’s traditional, it’s a lifestyle: it’s the season.
We’re going to sweeten our beaks in the regions, not far from Montreal, and we’re also going to sweeten our beaks in the city, because Quebecers’ tolerance to hyperglycemia must be one of the highest in the world. A glass of water to wash it down? Out of necessity, our blood is 50% maple water!
On streets, rooftops and anywhere else there’s unused spacein Montreal, terraces are taking over.
It’s early days, so we’re waiting patiently, and keeping an eye out for them as they blossom on the city’s streets. While we’re waiting for the iconic ones in the Village and the more chic, darling! ones on the Plateau to be installed, we recommend that you start slowly (to get used to them again) with Montreal’s semi-permanent terraces…
5.walks
After Montreal’s (too) long winter, we’re going to be living outside-completely out of hibernation.
Every square centimetre of Montreal will be graced by a ray of sunshine, and it ‘ s time to hang out, deliciously, in the streets of the city. Not too hot, not too cold, it’s a time when you can walk all day without breaking a sweat.
We can wander between galleries, cafés, museums, cinemas… We’re very busy (as usual), and in between our planned events, we feel like strolling through some of Montreal’s most beautiful neighborhoods.
Coffee to go (or chai, matcha, or even a sloche on warmer days) and a sweater in the bag, and we’re ready for the long afternoons of spring weekends.
Spring also means rebirth, renewal and the return of sun-kissed skin, wind in the hair and bare hands (without the gloves).
It can be a bit of an intense transition, and sometimes a trip to a spa – either in Montreal, or in a nearby region – can help us make the transition from cold to the softness of spring a little easier.
We’ll also fall in love, buy tickets for this summer’s festivals, catch a cold from spending too much time outside without a scarf, and chase Easter bunnies…
It’s the beginning of the beautiful season! Happy springtime!
