# The SUBURBS of Montréal, for a change



## brisavoine (Mar 19, 2006)

On these forums, we always see pictures of Montréal city proper, but we never see pictures of the suburbs. Yet most of the Montréalais live in the suburbs, and not in the city center. In fact Montréal is one of the most suburbanized cities in North America, with the (dubious, some would think) distinction of having the longest mileage of suburban freeways per inhabitant.

I guess we all see the world through our own cultural glasses. What attracts North Americans is the supposed Europeanness of Montréal, the dense urbanity of its city center, the old stones. Hence the reams of threads showing pictures of Montréal city center. Yet for a francophone from Europe, what's fascinating about Montréal is precisely the opposite, it's the fact that life there is _en français_, through and through, yet it looks so much like an American city, which is always so disconcerting and exotic for the francophone European visitor. So what about we have a look at the Americanness of Montréal for a change? That Americannness that strikes European visitors usually. Let's explore the suburbs (la banlieue) of Montréal!

PS: The pictures here are not meant to be representative of the suburbs of Montréal. They are just a random exploration of the suburbs according to my whims. Other pictures will be added over time. Also, all pictures come from Google Street View, as is obvious from the pics.


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## brisavoine (Mar 19, 2006)

1. Arriving in Montréal, the first shock for most French travelers usually (although nowadays with the internet people are already prepared to what they are going to discover; no more surprises alas). This is perhaps how America would look today if France had sent a number of colonists to New France and Louisiana more proportionate to its population in the 18th century (only 0.05% of the French population settled in North America during the 150 years of New France, a ridiculously low figure compared to England and Spain). The ad to the right is for car insurance.









2. Our last look at downtown Montréal. Now en route to the banlieue!









3. Wanna try a "festival of langoustines"?  That name can only leave the francophones from Europe totally puzzled...









4. Right, left, middle, which one is your house? Just don't drink too much alcohol before returning home. :lol:









5. Entering the world of Desperate Housewives à la montréalaise. Sorry, "Beautés désespérées" as it's known on the Quebec television.









6.









7. 









8.


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## brisavoine (Mar 19, 2006)

9. In our last episode of Beautés désespérées, Rachel had a crush on the hot Marc and would love to have him in her bed, but she didn't dare tell her friend Jessica.









10. Swimming pool in Quebec. Absolutely necessary. :lol:









11. 









12. A (boat) cruise for two people offered when you buy a new vehicle. Now that's the sort of deal you don't see in Europe!









13. Ah, its so easy to park one's boat in the suburbs of Montréal. 









14. This picture will leave North American forumers blank, but for a European it is a very strange view to see a notary office looking like that.









15. Take the conspicuous North American bagel, add the French ending -rie (used for shops, as in boulangerie, boucherie, charcuterie, etc.), and voilà! You've got a bagelrie! :lol:
(PS: The only "bagelrie" that I know of in Paris is in Rue Pavée, 4th arrondissement. It's of course not called "bagelrie".)


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

The suburbs of Montreal, are very nice, brisavoine


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## Montrealer (Jun 6, 2005)

brisavoine said:


> In fact Montréal is one of the most suburbanized cities in North America, with the (dubious, some would think) distinction of having the longest mileage of suburban freeways per inhabitant.


Do you have any data to back this up? After having seen Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, and many other cities, I'm _very_ skeptical...


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## mopc (Jan 31, 2005)

Beautés desespérées :lol: 

Insanely beautiful by the way.


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## ShawnOfTheDead (Jan 3, 2010)

Nice suburbs yet I like downtown Montréal than its suburbs  Interesting way to introduce Montréalais suburbs btw


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## zaphod (Dec 8, 2005)

What a fascinating perspective on things. Makes a lot of sense.


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Talking about Montreal, the population of the city (metro) should be probably above or less of 4 millon?


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## Ukraine (Apr 2, 2009)

metro is definitely above 4 million since 3 years ago it was 3 896 000..


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Ukraine said:


> metro is definitely above 4 million since 3 years ago it was 3 896 000..


If 2007 was 3,9 million almost, that number today should be the same. I dont think that in 3 years time, population of Montreal is above 4 million (+100.000 people)


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

brisavoine said:


> I guess we all see the world through our own cultural glasses. What attracts North Americans is the supposed Europeanness of Montréal, the dense urbanity of its city center, the old stones. Hence the reams of threads showing pictures of Montréal city center. Yet for a francophone from Europe, what's fascinating about Montréal is precisely the opposite, it's the fact that life there is _en français_, through and through, *yet it looks so much like an American city, which is always so disconcerting* and exotic for the francophone European visitor. So what about we have a look at the *Americanness* of Montréal for a change? That *Americannness* that strikes European visitors usually. Let's explore the suburbs (la banlieue) of Montréal!


Nice to see this side of Montréal! kay:

A word of advice: Canadian cities (Montréal included), are north American, not American. The urban plan and architecture grew in tandem in the United States and Canada. Saying that Montréal looks American is like saying that Chicago looks Canadian. 

Not only is it inaccurate, but it's also a put down. People around the world completely disregard Canada and tend to only see the United States, but that doesn't mean that Canada is a US clone. It's tantamount to saying that France looks so British. I don't think that would go over very well in France, would it?

I realize you meant no insult. People compare a new place to what they are familiar with. People know the US. That doesn't make Canada, American though.


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## FFJ-MTL (Jul 23, 2009)

Thanks for sharing these picture.
By the way Montreal isn't one of the most suburbanized city in North America, comparing it to other north American cities, it has a low percentage of it's inhabitants living in suburbs. Montreal ranks 15th in CMA but 6th in city proper.
But comparing it to Europe or other places in the world, it is very suburbanized, you're right.


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## brisavoine (Mar 19, 2006)

Montrealer said:


> Do you have any data to back this up? After having seen Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, and many other cities, I'm _very_ skeptical...


Apparently there are 6 metro areas in North America which have longer mileages of freeway per inhabitant than Montréal (these are Calgary, Denver, Houston, Phoenix, San Diego and Washington), but Montréal is definitely one of the North American metro areas with the longest mileage of freeway per inhabitant, above Los Angeles and Atlanta according to this source: http://bookoven.com/projects/169/chapters/1956/



> Metropolitan Montreal has abundant freeways, even when compared to US metropolitan areas. In 2006 Montreal had 0.156 metres of freeway per person, an increase of 8% since 1996. Of a sample of 25 metropolitan areas worldwide, only six had more per capita freeway provision. One was Calgary and the other five cities were in the USA (Denver, Houston, Phoenix, San Diego and Washington). Some metropolitan areas renowned for their freeway orientation actually had less freeway length per capita than Montreal; for example, Los Angeles had only 0.090 metres per person and Atlanta had only 0.152 metres per person (i.e. Montreal had 73% and 3% higher freeway provision respectively).


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## brisavoine (Mar 19, 2006)

isaidso said:


> A word of advice: Canadian cities (Montréal included), are north American, not American.


Well, in Europe, American = North American. We don't always specify "North". You could definitely say that Montréal has "un mode de vie américain". In fact the francophone culture in North America is often dubbed "l'Amérique en français". See for example the title of this paper: http://www.etudes-geopolitiques.com/article2.asp We also say that Québec is "notre Amérique à nous". 


FFJ-MTL said:


> By the way Montreal isn't one of the most suburbanized city in North America, comparing it to other north American cities, it has a low percentage of it's inhabitants living in suburbs. Montreal ranks 15th in CMA but 6th in city proper.


Yes, but don't forget that Canadian municipalities are very large due to the merger movement in the 1990s and 2000s, so the "city proper" of Montréal in fact contains many suburbs. The percentage of people who live in dense neighborhoods at the heart of the Montréal metro area is low, the municipality of Montréal encompassing many suburbs within its borders.


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

brisavoine said:


> Well, in Europe, American = North American. We don't always specify "North". You could definitely say that Montréal has "un mode de vie américain". In fact the francophone culture in North America is often dubbed "l'Amérique en français". See for example the title of this paper: http://www.etudes-geopolitiques.com/article2.asp We also say that Québec is "notre Amérique à nous".


Fair enough. I refer to this part of the world as French America as well and never use the word America to mean the United States. It does get confusing though since people from the United States are called Americans to the exclusion of everyone else in America.


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## bayviews (Mar 3, 2006)

brisavoine said:


> Apparently there are 6 metro areas in North America which have longer mileages of freeway per inhabitant than Montréal (these are Calgary, Denver, Houston, Phoenix, San Diego and Washington), but Montréal is definitely one of the North American metro areas with the longest mileage of freeway per inhabitant, above Los Angeles and Atlanta according to this source: http://bookoven.com/projects/169/chapters/1956/


Who knows, maybe Montreal's relative abundance of expressways may be a result of the large-scale infrastructure projects dating from the Expo & Olympics.


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## brisavoine (Mar 19, 2006)

^^Yeah, it was initiated at the time, then completed in the next 30 years.


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## LEAFS FANATIC (Dec 13, 2004)

Suburbs, no matter in what city, are boring and depressing. Period.


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## brisavoine (Mar 19, 2006)

^^Suburbs is where the majority of people in western countries live, so I find it interesting to explore them. They are the place where today's city life takes place, whether we like it or not.


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