Good Travel Knows the Season: Around Montreal, Canada (October)

Finally, finally, Canada's most beautiful season has arrived. However, the truly beautiful period for maple leaves only lasts about half a month. The specific timing is determined by three factors: latitude, altitude, and weather. For Montreal, the best time to view autumn leaves is approximately from early to mid-October each year.

Large-scale color change of maple leaves requires very specific climate conditions. In a lucky year with abundant sunshine during the day and a sharp drop in temperature at night, the maple leaves will suddenly turn red overnight. The colors of the forests also change gradually from north to south and from high to low elevations. Usually, the best viewing period for northern mountainous areas and southern plains and river valleys can be a week or even longer apart. In response, the Quebec Tourism Board releases an autumn leaf viewing map (Carte interactive des couleurs automnales) every year starting in mid-September, guiding visitors to the best places at the best times. Therefore, if you are pursuing the most beautiful maple leaf journey, it's best to plan your route in advance by referring to the map.

Recommending maple viewing locations is actually a very tricky thing, because there are so many beautiful sceneries. Basically, any park with mountains and water will be very beautiful at this time, such as the previously introduced Mauricie National Park, Mont-Orford Provincial Park, Oka Provincial Park, etc. In addition, strolling through the streets of towns and cities often brings the feeling of a new view at every step. Often, an unknown street or alley, when you find the right angle, can produce a postcard-worthy scene.

Choosing the best among the best, I have selected the most classic ones in my mind: two roads, two mountains, and one city, and I will introduce them to you in the order of when the maple leaves turn red.

==St. Lawrence River Road (Route du fleuve)==

Most Chinese tourists traveling to Eastern Canada turn back after reaching Quebec City. In fact, the Charlevoix region, known as 'Canada's premier resort area', together with the whale-watching destination Tadoussac to its north and the Arctic fjord Saguenay Fjords, forms a line of spectacular natural scenery that is a popular tourist destination among Quebec locals. However, because it is too far from Montreal and difficult to include in a short trip, I have never mentioned it before. I will write a separate article to introduce it later.

The 'St. Lawrence River Road' located in the Charlevoix region is one of the 15 characteristic roads in Quebec. For autumn leaf viewing, you can extend this route to the entire Route 138: drive from Canyon Sainte-Anne, passing through five of Quebec's 40 most beautiful towns in the region: Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive, Saint-Irénée, Pointe-au-Pic and Cap à l'Aigle in La Malbaie (the host of the G7 summit), and finally to Port-au-Persil.

On one side is the magnificent azure St. Lawrence River, and on the other side are rolling hills in red and yellow, rugged capes, and gentle river bends. Traveling along this 150-kilometer route and enjoying the breathtaking scenery along the way will definitely become a classic and unforgettable travel experience.

==Mont-Tremblant (Mont-Tremblant)==

If you ask Montreal Chinese about the best place for maple viewing, the top answer is always Mont-Tremblant.

Located a one-and-a-half-hour drive northwest of Montreal, Mont-Tremblant has been given a more beautiful translation by Chinese—'Cuihu Shanzhuang' (Green Lake Villa). Besides being the best ski resort in Eastern Canada in winter, its magnificent autumn scenery is also widely renowned.

The Mont-Tremblant scenic area is nestled between mountains and water. The tranquil Tremblant Lake and the beautiful resort composed of various European-style buildings are located at the foot of the mountain, backed by the colorful mountain scenery stretching across the slopes. You can admire it from below or take a cable car to the top to look down from above. At that time, the colorful roofs of the resort, set against the red mountains and blue waters, are a truly delightful sight.

==Quebec City (Ville de Québec)==

If you have watched the Korean drama 'Goblin', you will surely fall in love with this romantic ancient city. As the main tourist attraction of Quebec, the three-hundred-year-old Old Quebec (Vieux-Québec), combined with the red and yellow hues of the twilight autumn colors, appears even more elegant and graceful. It fully embodies its unique aristocratic temperament and artistic atmosphere.

If I must recommend the best season to visit Quebec City, it is undoubtedly the golden autumn. I will write a separate article to introduce the detailed guide to Old Quebec, so I won't take up space here.

==Mount Royal (Mont-Royal)==

For those who don't like traveling long distances, Mount Royal, located in the very center of Montreal, can satisfy all your expectations of Canadian autumn scenery.

Although its altitude is not high, and is even jokingly called a 'little mound' by local Chinese, its unique geographical location is its advantage.

Climbing to the Mount Royal lookout, you can enjoy a 180-degree panoramic view of the entire city under autumn colors. In addition, Beaver Lake (Lac aux Castors), as calm as a mirror, reflects the red leaves, green grass, and blue sky in a dreamlike way, which is also very beautiful and not to be missed.

==Thousand Islands Parkway==

Having traveled between Toronto and Montreal hundreds of times for work, the one thing I always look forward to is the maple scenery along this beautiful road.

Thousand Islands is one of Canada's three natural wonders and a must-pass on the classic Eastern Canada tour route. It is located in Ontario, right in the middle between Montreal and Toronto. Although called 1000 Islands, the St. Lawrence River in this area actually has nearly two thousand islands belonging to both the United States and Canada. In addition to the natural scenery, most of the islands are privately owned and have unique private mansions and even castles.

The best way to visit Thousand Islands is by boat. Depending on whether you want to visit Boldt Castle (which requires a US visa), boat tours range from 1 to 3 hours.

In the golden autumn, if you happen to be traveling between Toronto and Montreal, even if you don't plan to take a boat tour of Thousand Islands, I strongly recommend you exit the highway halfway and take this 40-kilometer scenic drive.

The characteristic of Thousand Islands Parkway is that there is a separate bike path along the entire route, separated by a green belt. The roadsides are densely forested, and in autumn, they spread out like two colorful ribbons. Occasional gaps on the river side reveal a beautiful moment of a golden island reflected in the water, making you want to turn back and pass by again slowly. However, a trip with a hint of regret leaves the most room for imagination, doesn't it? Perhaps that's exactly why I am so obsessed with this road.

Besides maple viewing, another keyword for October in Montreal is 'festival'.

Two of the most important holidays of the year, Thanksgiving (Action de Gr?ce) and Halloween (Halloween), are concentrated this month.

Unlike the more familiar American Thanksgiving, Canadian Thanksgiving is on the second Monday of October each year, to celebrate the harvest and give thanks for the blessings received during the year. The main celebration of the Thanksgiving long weekend is to gather with the whole family for a Thanksgiving dinner. The main course is also turkey and pumpkin pie.

In contrast, the atmosphere of Halloween is much more lively.

Every year before Halloween, the Place des Festivals holds Halloween carnival events. The most eye-catching among them is the 'Zombie March' (Marche des Zombies). Bloody zombies in various classic costumes move towards you with heavy steps. Are you ready for this unique and heavy-duty experience?

At that time, many places will launch a variety of pumpkin or zombie-themed exhibitions or activities. One representative example is the famous historical village 'Upper Canada Village', a one-and-a-half-hour drive from Montreal, which holds the large-scale Pumpkinferno lantern festival every year.

Like our Three Gorges Dam project, the St. Lawrence Seaway project at that time also submerged some villages. To protect historical relics, the government moved an entire 1860s village building by building to its current location, creating 'Upper Canada Village'. Now it has become a tourist attraction. Staff dressed in medieval period costumes authentically recreate the life and work scenes of that era in the village.

Every year from late September to late October, the village is filled with all kinds of lifelike pumpkin lanterns made entirely of pumpkin-shaped components. When the lights come on at night, the quaint village radiates a unique vitality amidst the spectacular lantern scenery.

Finally, like other North American cities, Montrealers also love to decorate their front yards before Halloween.

The area in Westmount closer to the western foothills of Mount Royal is a residential area concentrated with Montreal's top wealthy. Mansions line the area. Every year before Halloween, before Christmas, and when flowers are in full bloom in spring, riding a bike around here allows you to experience the most authentic local culture.

In summary, early October is the best time for maple viewing. Whether by driving, climbing high to look far, or strolling through the city, choose a way to encapsulate this beauty in your mind. Also, don't miss the 'unique' excitement of Halloween.

(A painstaking work by 'Lü Shi Zhen', please indicate the source when reprinting. Thank you for your respect!)

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