tour de montréal, june 3-6, 2011

Join us for four days of active exploration in Montréal with an insider at your side!

At the heart of our itinerary is the Tour de l’Ile, the greatest cycling event in Canada. We’ll join riders of all ages and fitness levels, as we ride 50 k (about 30 miles) and discover many areas of the city in this day long event.

We also ride Un Tour  la Nuit - a 12 mile evening ride under the city lights.  What fun!

When we aren’t riding, we’ll delve into the city’s rich history, sample international cuisine, view Canadian art , and enjoy scenic vistas and streetside cafés.

Travelers’ comments on last year’s trip:

Thanks so much for the great trip, Karen!

Perfection: redefined.

We did a week’s worth of activities in only 3 1/2 days.  Yet the visit felt leisurely.

I’m so glad I rode!

The trip was such a great success, we’re going to do it again this year: June 3-6, 2011!

What’s special about this trip

• Actively engage with Montrealers and their culture, discover hidden corners and neighborhood haunts.  Montréal insider Karen Kane regularly leads tours to Montréal and writes about the city’s food and culture.

• Participate in two events of the Montréal Bike Fest, a citywide celebration of the bicycle.  Tour la Nuit is a fun, car-free bike ride along some of the city’s loveliest streets under the lights.  The Tour de l’Ile is a noncompetitive all day ride through the streets of Montreal.

• Walking, we’ll explore several areas of the city in depth - examining Montréal’s Old World roots and its modern joie de vivre as we go.

• Our small group - 2-4 people, each with a single room - gives you your own space, while allowing opportunities for meaningful connections and stimulating conversations.

• Bike Fest registration and meals are included in the price of the trip. All you need to do is arrive and enjoy!

A sample day

9:00-12:00. Arrive Montréal. Check into your cozy room and unpack. Our base is a lovely B&B in the vibrant Plateau quartier. Then we’ll make sure our bikes are ready for the weekend.

12:00 - 1:30. We’ll take the Métro to Old Montréal - the French quarter - for a delicious lunch at a bustling café, and some wonderful views.

1:30 - 5:00. We’ll wander the cobblestoned streets of Old Montréal.  This area of Montréal is the city’s oldest - and we’ll learn about its past at Musée Point-à-Caillère. We’ll also take in 17th century architecture, modern galleries, and explore the walking path that borders the city’s vibrant waterfront.

5:00 - 8:00. Fortified by a light dinner (and with a few snacks for the road), we’ll get ready to see the city by bike.

8:00 - 10:00. We’ll join thousands of Montrealers for the Tour la Nuit, a car-free bike ride along some of the city’s loveliest streets under the lights. The event is about 12 miles long, and is a great family affair.  It starts a short distance from our lodging.

Trip leader
Karen Kane owns Montréal by Design, a travel consulting service that specializes in fantastic trips to Montréal. Her work has been recognized by the NY Times, LA Times, Boston Globe, Montréal Gazette, Houston Chronicle, Delta Sky Magazine, and National Public Radio.

What’s included
• 4 days and 3 nights in Montréal
• Your own room in a delightful three-star B&B
• Daily breakfast, four inspirational lunches, and three fantastic group dinners
• Guided walks that get you off the beaten path
• A personalized notebook that puts the city in context historically and culturally
• Montréal museum and métro tickets
• Recommendations for and help arranging optional activities, including jazz clubs, a cooking class, spa appointment and the like

Not included
• Transportation to Montréal, airport transfers
• Personal expenses
• Passports and travel insurance

Cost and registration
Cost is $1,560 per person, single occupancy, if registered before March 1, 2011. Cost is $1,690 after March 1.  Registration is on a first come, first served basis, and maximum group size is 4. A deposit of $500 is required to reserve your place in The Tour de Montréal.

Are you interested?
To register, or for a detailed itinerary, contact Karen Kane, at 800 430 5436, or email karen@montrealbydesign.com.

scandinave les bains spa

My first spa experience, more than 10 years ago, was at the Roman baths at Baden Baden. It’s hard to beat rarified Black Forest air, 12 pools and steam rooms, and maternal German masseuses who joyfully rub, slap and pummel your cares away.

Sure, I try new spas, but halfheartedly. I have found them too social, too beauty-oriented, too superficial.

So imagine my surprise when I entered the new Montreal spa, Scandinave les Bains, and something in the minimalist, slate and glass reception area called up a long lost image in my brain - an archeological dig, a half-forgotten memory of the original Roman bath ruins. The place actually reminded me of Baden Baden.

This subliminal effect is a tribute to Montreal architects Saucier + Perrotte, who used wood, water, daylight and stone to transform a 20,000 sq ft former warehouse into a temple of inordinate calm.

Curved tiled walls, smooth expanses of slate and glass, and the textured stone walls of Old Montreal coexist with panels of natural light, flowing water, and ipe floors.

Treatments include a spacious and sleek jacuzzi pool, a Finnish dry sauna, a eucalyptus steam bath, two bracingly cold rinse stations, and several relaxation areas. There are 11 sleek massage rooms, a juice bar, and a waterfall that kneads shoulder muscles while creating a comforting white noise.

The prescriptive nature of Scandinave les Bains resembles that of its European counterparts, and this is in part where it differs from many contemporary spas. Hot is followed by cold, which is followed by rest on a beanbag recliner or a heated bench. Then you begin again.

Silence, too, has its place: talking above a whisper isn’t allowed.

My experience, in a nutshell: I started in the dry, cedar-lined sauna. The treatment relaxed my muscles - but did little to quiet the mind. Next, the shock of a quick plunge in frigid water had me gasping and screeching (ever so quietly), then breathing deeply - calming the chatter in my brain.

Resting, I closed my eyes, pulled the hood of my rented robe over my head, let the outside world disappear, and thought of nothing, until called for my hour-long Swedish massage (sublime). Then it was back to hot, cold, rest.

Suffice it to say that I can’t wait to go back. Baden Baden has found its equivalent, closer to home.

If you go: Bring a bathing suit (and robe).  71, rue de la Commune O, 514 288-2009, open 10am-10pm daily.