The Tennis Traveler: Top 5 things to do in Montréal

The Paris Olympic Games is officially coming to an end for tennis as champions are medaled across the five draws, which means it’s time to set sail for a different French-speaking part of the world: Montréal, Canada.

Montréal is one of Canada’s prized tourist destinations, and below is a list of five must-see experiences you must do if you're heading up north for the ATP Masters 1000 event this week. Plus, resident reporter David Kane pops in with a pair of restaurant recommendations of his own.

Read more: Our must-dos in Toronto

1. Henri Henri Hats Hats

Accessorizing took a turn for the better in 1932 when Henri Henri, a family-owned business, founded a deluxe hattery on Sainte-Catherine Street. Opening its doors with specialty men’s collections, Henri Henri quickly became a successful means of business, and earned a reputation for having standards and great customer service.

Henri Henri is known for more than just its hats, however. Have you heard of the “hat trick” expression in hockey? That comes from here. At the time when the NHL had six teams, Henri Henri rewarded players a free hat when they scored three or more goals in one game. This tradition is ongoing.

Today, the store sits two blocks from its original location and offers more than men’s collections. Not only does it have hats for all ages, men, women and children, but it also prides itself on finding the right hat shape for every head shape.

2. Three-story Orange

One of the Top 10 Most Important Montréal Symbols is an orange that stands three-stories tall and 40-feet wide. Founded in 1932 (what a year for Canada, apparently!), the site began as a single, orange-flavored beverage stop. Named after founder Hermas Gibeau, the Gibeau Orange Julep is “orange juice with a twist."

Today, the orange is a fast-food staple in Montréal, and can be spotted in the skyline from nearly everywhere in the city.

Enjoy burgers and fries, veggie dogs and poutine while inside the massive fruit, and return home believing that you really have experienced it all.

3. Saint-Léonard Cavern

The Saint-Léonard Cave was discovered by a farmer in 1812. More than 200 years later, speleologist Luc Le Blanc discovered a hidden passage behind a limestone wall that changed the name of the game in 2017.

Suddenly, this 15,000-year-old cavern that formed during the last Ice Age became an educational opportunity for understanding past climate and environmental changes.

The cave only recently opened its doors to educational tours, where visitors can explore and experience history for themselves along with two certified guides. The administration recommends bringing warm and spare clothes, and a good pair of boots.

4. Schwartzing Around

Unchanged from the beginning of the 20^th century is Schwartz’s deli. From the location to the display name to the specialty spices, Schwartz Deli is sought out by locals and tourists alike.

The deli is so embedded in Montréal’s history that when French was made its official language, Schwartz was uniquely allowed to keep the apostrophe in its name—although there is no such grammar in the language.

Having that much influence over a city makes for a truly legendary establishment that stands tall to this day.

5. Insects for Days

The largest insectarium in North America, let alone one of the largest in the world, can be found in Montréal.

Displaying both living and dead collections, the Insectarium of Montréal is a one-stop shop for crawly thingies, and flying thingies, and why-the-heck-are-they-spotted thingies.

It houses its own anthill, honeybee and bumblebee hives, entomophily celebrations with visual and performing arts, a botanical garden with featured greenhouses and gardens, a planetarium with artwork to discover, a biodome that houses plants and animals alike, and a biosphere which is another one of the Top 10 Most Important Montréal Symbols we mentioned earlier.

But wait, there’s more, because one 55-word sentence couldn’t possibly fit it all.

For the more adventurous folk, i.e. those who haven’t been shivering with angst since starting to read about crawly thingies, the museum hosts “Insect Tastings” of crickets, stick bugs and beetle larvae.

Talk about getting your protein intake for the day.

Speaking of protein intake, here are the two must-try restaurants from David Kane:

Café II Cortile

Sitting just off Mount Royal Park, this fine dining Italian restaurant has everything from outdoor dining to live music to overhead décor. This hidden gem is a local’s delight for travelers to discover.

Burger Bar Crescent

Conveniently around the corner from Café II Cortile is a highly rated restaurant offering every comfort food in the book, including a separate mac n’ cheese menu and a “milkshakes, floats, sodas & desserts” menu for sweet teeth everywhere.