We are spending about 2.5 days in Canada later this week on our way to New Hampshire. I've got everything mapped out driving wise and where to stay, but if we have just a Saturday afternoon until Sunday at about 1pm (about 24 hours), what should we be sure to see/do?

I know that we plan on checking out the "Old Port" area and will be staying in that proximity as well.

It will be my wife, 17 year old daughter (who wants to take in all of the "french") and I.

Thoughts?

Montreal is a very diverse city (every corner is different than the other).
If you want to see some "french exotic" aspects without going too far, you might want to go to the corner of "Saint-Denis" and "Ontario" (short taxi ride from old port) and move around. Lots of pubs, live shows, restaurants of all kinds and although French at 70%, all bilingual.

In the old port, Saint-Paul street is beautiful and offers things for every taste.

Downtown, you can go underground. Montreal has the largest series of underground malls on the planet. You literally spend an entire day moving around shops and restaurants. Yes, we do need places to hide during winter!

If you have anything more specific, let me know.

so where do you get the best putine?

Poutineville or Frites Alors.

It's a heart-clogging, sphincter-spasming good time.

Thanks for the tips. We were going to get poutine near Niagara Falls tomorrow, but maybe we will wait for Montreal.

Made it to Sarnia, ON tonight just after midnight. Pretty quick through the border. My wife was driving and was super nervous, but I told her just to answer the questions and we would be fine. Guess what? We were!

Best poutine in Montreal is at the Greene Spot near Atwater subway station.

Hmmm...I will have to check out Greenspot on my next trip. My go to for poutine has always been La Banquise, usually after a night of beer drinking!

Andrew, Éric,

I will check both places and let you know how they rate compare to the best one I have tested so far. It is in Granby, the place is called Cantine Chez Ben la Bédaine. It won the best poutine contest in 2011. It is my reference . . .

Ben la Bédaine

I actually loved the one at Chez Charlie in your own Sherbrooke while I was at U de S.

Éric,

I don't think ever having one there. For a few years it was my breakfast place (almost daily)with several friends; we had a terrific time - great memories !

How many Charlie were in operation back then ? Nowadays we are down to a single one located near the Court building almost downtown ?

For their poutine, were they using regular shaped fries or the sliced type ?