Over the years, the city
has seen the forging of a special spirit of openness
and acceptance between the general public and
the city's gay community.
Montréal, Québec, is one of
the oldest cities in the New World, as well as
one the most cosmopolitan. Visitors often describe
it as having the best of North American modernity
and friendliness as well as the architectural
beauty and sophistication of Europe. The largest
French-speaking city in the world after Paris,
and Canada's second-biggest metropolis, the vast
majority of its citizens speak both English and
French, and often other languages. Montréal's
3.5 million inhabitants live around the base of
a mountain forest in cozy neighbourhoods, rich
with artists and famous for winding, outdoor staircases.
Montréal is a magnet for gay
and lesbian travellers. Its fun-loving, open and
charming denizens have made the city an irresistible
party destination since the jazz days of the 1940s
and beyond. Today the huge gay and lesbian population
of Montréal live with the rest of the city - not
only in tolerance and security - but in the true
spirit of Québec joie de vivre and acceptance
that makes the city a paradise of harmony for
people of all sexual orientations, colours and
languages.
Over the years the city has
forged a special spirit of openness and acceptance
between the general public and gays and lesbians.
The result is a gay-friendly environment that
has been further nurtured by numerous government
policies. In fact, Québec is the first jurisdiction
in North America to have legally recognized same-sex
partnerships, on both federal and provincial government
levels.
As a city, Montréal is a work
of art. It is a place that attracts the most avant-guard
artists in Canada; it is always on the cutting
edge of music, theatre, dance, art, and literature.
This is the home of the Cirque du Soleil and,
of course, the Montréal Symphony Orchestra. Montrealers
live, breathe and walk art.
But most of all, we love having
fun. So come have fun with us. Find out what joie
de vivre means for you! |