In Montréal, summer means celebrating the sunshine dans les rues and dans les bars (which, for the first time since the pandemic started, are allowed to be open until 3 am again).
I’m not much of a bar person even when there’s not a plague on, but I do enjoy the creative and colorful restaurant terrasses and city-sponsored spaces that pop up all over town in summer. Several streets are blocked off for the season and furnished with street furniture and decor. Some are even equipped with power and wifi so you can work en plein air.
When you look closely at these spaces, none of this stuff is fancy or expensive, but it has been carefully engineered to delight the eye, slow the pace, and encourage hanging out, relaxing, and enjoying.
