Place Jacques Cartier is where summer comes alive in Vieux Montreal (Old Montreal). This popular plaza is located across the street from the Hotel de Ville (City Hall) and is made up of two paved streets around a central promenade. Place Jacques Cartier is the place to go when weather shows signs of warmth. Montreal tourist attractions can be found here, to be sure, but the Place is also extremely popular with locals.
Place Jacques Cartier has all of the Montreal Canada attractions that the city is known for: outdoor cafes, street performers, jugglers, mimes, face painters, caricaturists, horse-drawn carriages, vendors--- much unchanged over the past century. The Place Jacques Cartier is located near the Viex Port (Old Port) and affords some beautiful views. The Victorian street lamps and flower market add to the charm of the area. In the cafes spilling out onto the streets, tourists sit beside locals, sipping their coffees and Sangrias. The restaurants and cafes are bustling from morning until night, creating a cheerful atmosphere. The buildings in the area from hotels, stores, and landmarks all blend together in Old World style. The Place De La Dauversiere, across from City Hall is a beautiful public garden restored in 1997. It’s no wonder Place Jacques Cartier is one of the most popular Montreal tourist attractions. The Montreal Canada attractions of Old Montreal can easily be reached from Place Jacques Cartier, making it a popular starting---or ending---point to the day.
Summertime is not the only time with Place Jacques Cartier is full of festivities and Montreal tourist attractions. During the Christmas season, the streets are alight with shining trees. During any season the restaurants are open on the central street of Jacques Cartier, as well as the surrounding streets of Vieux Port, especially on Rue Saint-Paul. Jardin Nelson is a very popular restaurant on Place Jacques Cartier during the summer high season. Like this restaurant, many others offer the traditional terrace dining, a la Paris, France.
On Rue de la Commune, near Place Jacques-Cartiers, an original piece of the old fort wall can be seen in Auberge du Vieux Port. On the upper end of the Place is The Nelson Column, one of the most controversial Montreal Canada attractions. This monument dates back to 1808 and was put in place by English merchants in memory of Admiral Horatio Nelson. Many Montreal folk feel that the monument represents British imperialism.
Place Jacques Cartier was named after by the French explorer by the same name who has been given the credit of being one of the major discoverers of Canada.
