Special Tours

The following special tours have been developed for the IMS2012 Conference.   Register NOW for the following Tours!

CITY TOUR: MONTREAL MIXES TRENDINESS & TRADITION

• Professional English Speaking Guide
• Deluxe motorcoach
• Admission to the Notre-Dame Basilica
• Bottle of water
• All taxes

FLAVORS AND AROMAS OF OLD MONTREAL

Wednesday, 20 June 2012  •  9:00am to 12:00pm  •  $50.00 CAD per person

This rate includes the following:

• Professional English Speaking Guide
• Tastings in 3 different boutiques
• Bottle of water
• All taxes 

This gastronomic walk will make you discover the culinary, cultural and historical charms of the oldest district of Montreal. The group will first transfer from the hotel by walk to Old Montreal accompanied by a professional guide. 

Hosted in old warehouses and showrooms of the 19^th era, some food boutiques open their doors to make you taste their delicacies. Through small and narrow cobblestone streets, the guide explains the influence of the Natives and the nuns on our food habits, and how the venue of the World Expo in 1967 brought exotic food on our tables. That and much more, accompanied by a professional foodie guide who will feed you with historical and gastronomic comments all along.

The tour will include stops in 3 different boutiques. You will have the chance to taste local products including macaroon, duck paté and foie gras on baguette, and gelato sweeten with maple syrup.  Return to the hotel by foot.

OLD MONTREAL WALK AND THE MUSEUM OF ARCHEOLOGY

Wednesday, 20 June 2012  •  9:00am to 12:00pm  •  $45.00 CAD per person

This rate includes the following:

• Professional Guide
• Admission Fees
• Bottle of water
• All taxes 

You will first transfer to Old Montreal by foot with a professional guide. In this historic quarter, you will stroll through a maze of narrow cobblestone lanes and old buildings, providing a perfect opportunity to discover the history and charm of Old Montréal. En route you will see Place d’Armes, Jacques Cartier Square and Montréal City Hall. 

One of the highlights of this tour is the visit of the museum of Archeology also called Pointe - à - Callières. The museum  is  recognized as a national historical and archaeological site, leading visitors through centuries of history. The Museum opened in 1992, the result of over 10 years of digs. It showcases major archaeological discoveries made on this site starting in the 1980s.

The visit will start with the multimedia show, Yours Truly, Montréal. It  presents the history of Montréal in 18 spellbinding minutes. The City speaks to us and tells us its story over time: the birth of Mount Royal, the arrival of the Amerindians, the founding of Montréal, French and British regimes, the modern era and the development of networks.

The Where Montréal Was Born permanent exhibition takes visitors to the heart of an authentic archaeological site: Montréal’s birthplace. The unusual underground route covering six centuries of history, from the times when Natives camped here to the present day, is an emotion-packed look at the very essence of a city born over 360 years ago.

Your tour starts in the remains of the Royal Insurance Building (1861-1951), which housed Montréal’s Customs office from 1871 to 1917. Along the way, you’ll cross through an imposing vaulted stone tunnel, where the Little Saint-Pierre River once flowed, and see how it was converted into a collector sewer from 1832-1838.

You will return to the hotel by foot with your guide or, if you prefer, stay in Old Montreal on your own.

THE RICHELIEU VALLEY: THE GOURMET REGION 

Thursday, 21 June 2012  •  10:00am to 2:00pm  •  $105.00 CAD per person

This rate includes the following:

• Bus Transportation
• Professional Guide
• Cedar Wine Tastings
• 3 Course Lunch including beer tasting
• Bottle of water
• All taxes 
• Lunch Gratuities

The Richelieu Valley, colonized by the French, was the heart of the seigniorial system and is noteworthy for the panoramic scenery it offers. The Valley enjoys a perfect climate for the market gardening. The area of the Bas-Richelieu is also tinged with history, especially along the Chemin des Patriotes,  which reveals the history if these people who fought for the French-Canadian rights.

The Richelieu Valley, also called the Apple Region offers panoramic scenery coupled with an ideal climate for the gardening of market produce. The Monteregians hills are surrounded by huge orchards and apple industries. You will also discover the tasty regional products like apples and apple by-products, as well as delicious wines. During the tour you will visit a cider mill “ La Cidrerie Jodoin” and taste their products derived from apples, as an ice sparkling cider or ice cider .

A delicious meal will follow in the village of Chambly at the restaurant Fourquet Fourchette on the banks of the Richelieu River before heading back to Montreal. 

A DAY IN QUEBEC CITY AND MONTMORENCY FALLS

Friday, 22 June 2012  •  8:00am to 9:00pm  •  $105.00 CAD per person

This rate includes the following:

• Transportation
• Specialized tour guide in Quebec City
• Bottle of water
• All taxes 

Classified as an international heritage site in 1985 by UNESCO, the city of Québec, capital of the Province of Québec, is the only remaining entirely fortified city in North America. Founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, Québec was the first permanent European settlement in New France.  A natural citadel, the site dominates the St. Lawrence.  Renowned for its European flavor, the city offers a rich architecture

Before entering Quebec City, you will first have a look at the 274ft Montmorency Falls. Then, lunch on your own in Old Québec City. After lunch, tour of the city with a specialized guide where you will see the Plains of Abraham, Notre-Dame Church, Place Royale, the National Assembly, the Citadelle and the famous Château Frontenac.  See if you can resist the ambiance of Québec City! 

Free time in petit Champlain before heading back to Montreal.