There are so many
reasons to visit Montreal. The food. The culture. The
architecture. The circus… —
The circus? Well, the
circus may not top the list of reasons most people give for venturing to the beautiful
Canadian city of Montreal, but maybe it should. You see, this summer,
for the second year running, the sparkling city hosted the Montreal Completement Cirque—a
month-long, international festival of circus arts.
So why a circus
celebration, and why in Montreal? The city, it seems, has a deep-rooted
love of the whole extravaganza. Montreal is home to the Cirque du Soleil world
headquarters, and the National
Circus School (which is like the LaGuardia High School for circus performers). In fact, it was
these two entities—known together as En Piste—that initiated TOHU, a non-profit organization created in
1999 whose grand mission is to make Montreal an international center for circus arts.
TOHU features state-of-the-art,
purpose-built circus facilities on what was once one of North America’s largest urban landfills. Today, the
site is modern, green and thriving. And it has brought new economic life to Montreal’s Saint-Michel neighborhood—a diverse
and up-and-coming section of the city.
In 2010, TOHU
orchestrated the first-ever Montreal Completement Cirque, and a delightful
tradition was born. The festival drew thousands of enthusiasts from a multitude
of continents to celebrate, participate and revel in all things circus.
This year’s
festivities included more than 23 acts and events. During my weekend jaunt to Montreal, I was lucky enough to see four circus
performances which ran the entertainment gamut.
First, I experienced Le
Cirque Invisible, starring the legendary and talented Victoria Chaplin
(daughter of Charlie Chaplin) and Jean-Baptiste Thierree. This was a charming
show, with extravagant costumes and a whimsical, vaudevillian feel. Next up,
Les 7 Doigts de la Main circus troop’s new show: Le Cabaret 2011. With a
nightclub as its backdrop, this performance was the ideal blend of sultry jazz
and thrilling acrobatics. Then, it was on to the highlight of my circus
weekend, Cirque du Soleil’s newest: Totem, a brilliant, mesmerizing big-top
experience. Finally, I was front row and (nearly) center, for the Tom Tom Crew—Australia’s electrifying, explosive collision of
hip-hop music and circus sensibilities.
Of course, in between
performances there is always the beauty of Montreal to soak up and enjoy. Just north of Plattsburgh, NY, Montreal is a brief 47-minute flight from
Laguardia airport. I traveled for this weekend without my kids, but had this
been a family adventure, they’d barely have enough time to open up their snack
bags before landing. At just over 300 miles from NYC, Montreal is even a drivable destination.
Once there, it’s easy
to feel like you’ve arrived in Europe. The city is clean, the architecture is
old-world and detailed, and the French language is spoken throughout. I enjoyed
fabulous restaurants, including the beautiful Boris Bistro, where you can dine al
fresco behind an antiquated, warehouse facade, and the delicious O’Thym, where market-fresh food is served
elegantly amid nine-foot mirrored walls and copper-plated ceilings.
I would feel
comfortable returning to the LHotel
with the husband and kids in tow. Housed in an old bank building, this boutique
spot is located in the heart of old Montreal, and is an easy walk to historic
sights…and the occasional circus.
For more information
on the Montreal Completement Cirque, visit montrealcompletementcirque.com.
To learn more about Montreal as vacation destination, visit tourisme-montreal.org.
