Cycle-friendly Montreal

A CITY BUILT FOR BIKES: Mount Royal, smack in the centre of Montreal plays host to 35,000 cyclists during the Tour de l'Ile and Montreal Bike Fest.

Flower pots, horns, teddy bears, even small pairs of Crocs decorate the bicycle helmets around me. I seem to be one of the few without a distinctive adornment on my helmet but I’ve got my number on my shirt and I’m ready to go. I can’t wait for the signal to begin my first Tour de l’Île — part of the Montreal Bike Fest.

More than 35,000 cyclists have arrived at the foot of Mont Royal just before 9:30 a.m. on a beautiful Sunday morning. Seeing this number of cyclists assembled in one place is impressive. We’re here to join in the 50-km ride around the island of Montreal, though there is a shortcut that shaves off half the distance. The crowd includes teams from various companies, family groups, seniors, friends and neighbours, as well as the inevitable serious riders bent on being first across the finish line. What astounds me is the number of parents trailing toddler carts; it’s all I can do to haul myself around the course!

The gathering is like a big party. One group of women has arrived from Vermont. They have come every year since 1997 to take part in this event. Mary-Clare Gagnon’s roots are French but the 65-year-old has lived in the U.S. all her life. She points to two other women, both from Quebec, sporting bright red shirts and curly ribbons on their helmets. “We met them last year and arranged to meet here today again.”

We’re all raring to go, ready to tackle this year’s brand-new route, crisscrossing 11 boroughs and municipalities around the western part of the island — a wonderful way to get a little view of a lot of the city. The roads are closed to traffic and people line the route, cheering on the riders. As I start pedaling up from the bottom of a steep underpass, I’m tempted to hop off my bike and walk. But the voices of onlookers are shouting in both French and English, “Come on! You can do it. Just a little more! Encore un peu!” And I find new heart to keep pedaling. It’s actually a huge high!

The Festival begins on Friday with the Tour la Nuit – a night ride that starts as the last rays of the sun set. Some 12,000 cyclists join in this shorter, 20 km ride. On the streets, lights illuminate the route, but through the parks, occasional temporary spotlights create long shadows as the cyclists pass through. I stop to watch the long trail of red taillights ahead, winding through the park like a neon snake. The snake is multi-hued on its back because many riders sport glowing bands, decorations and even colourful flashing lights.

The atmosphere during both rides is festive and upbeat. Some people move to the beat, riding with a boom box and pedaling to the rhythms of the music. One woman has Celine Dion’s “I’m Alive” blaring from her speakers as she rides by. It could be the theme song for this ride.

Montreal is a city reasonably well set up for cycling. Many of the bike lanes are separated from the other traffic by small, raised concrete barriers. Brilliant! Unlike the case in many other cities, cars cannot infringe on this space while driving or park on the bike lane. Rush hour in Montreal has almost as many bicycles as cars and, according to Vélo-Quebec, the move to this emission-free mode of transport is growing 10 percent each year.

Bixi, a system of public bicycles available for rent by the day, week or month, now has more than 10,000 subscribers. These are conveniently located (often near subway stations) all over the city for riders to pick up, then drop off. Bixi is also a useful way for visitors to see the city — all that magnificent architecture is easily missed zipping by in a car.

In fact, Montreal is an architectural feast with a blend of modern and classic. Stop to look carefully as you ride. You’ll find spectacular structures like I.M. Pei’s cruciform Place Ville Marie (with fabulous shopping at its base) and Art Deco classics like Montreal’s own Empire State Building, the Aldred Building in Place d’Armes Square in Old Montreal. In the same Square, the gothic turrets of Notre Dame Basilica reach dramatically for the heavens, while on his monument, Sieur de Maisonneuve victoriously lifts his own banner skyward.

Probably the most remarkable of Montreal’s buildings is another icon: St. Joseph’s Oratory. A church constructed on top of another church, a visit inside reveals dusty rows of crutches abandoned by those cured by Brother André, the tomb of the devout monk himself, and remarkable stained glass windows. While a less common sight than in former days, it’s not unusual to see pilgrims kneeling their way up the 233 steps to the entrance.

Grab a Bixi bike when you get to the subway stop at Côte des Neiges to ride to the Oratory. Indeed, hopping on and off bikes and public transport is probably the most convenient way to explore this busy city.

The Tour slowly winds its way back to Mont Royal and as we return, the blare of live music greets us. The chatter around me is both French and English and there’s a shared camaraderie. After all, we’ve all arrived at the finish line and I, for one, am delighted to have made it. I don’t even mind that the lady pulling her toddler in a bike trailer got here before me. Now it’s party time.

If you go:
Velo-Quebec’s website is bilingual and offers lots of useful info including updates and registration for the Montreal Bike Fest: www.velo.qc.ca.

Bixi:
You can subscribe for a day for $5 with unlimited 30 minute rides. www.montreal.bixi.com

Montreal events:
Check the Montreal Tourism website for a comprehensive list of events, gallery shows, music, etc.: www.tourisme-montreal.org.