Life, the city | In vacation mode in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue

Our journalist wanders around Greater Montreal to talk about people, events and places that make the heart of their neighbourhood beat.

To feel like you’re on vacation on the island of Montreal, it’s so good to head all the way west to the waterfront in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue.

The small riverside town of 5,000 people with a resort atmosphere is nestled where the Ottawa River meets the St. Lawrence River, between Lake Saint-Louis and Lake Deux Montagnes. You can plan a cruise, visit the Saturday public market, or simply stroll along the boardwalk and discover the pretty shops that line rue Sainte-Anne.

Here is an itinerary with some suggestions:

The lock

When we arrive at the Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue Canal National Historic Site, three boats are waiting for the water to rise in the lock before continuing their journey from Lac Saint-Louis to Lac des Deux Montagnes. It takes about thirty minutes, so Benoît Lamarche takes the opportunity to get some fresh air on the artificial grass terrace of his pontoon. He and his wife, Guylaine Robitaille, have been on board for two weeks. They left Gatineau for Beauharnois and are on their way back.

It’s a successful test for their boat that Benoît Lamarche built himself during the winter. “We have a shower, a bathroom and a fridge,” he says proudly. “Even a BBQ and solar panels.”

Not to mention a lever hoist which allows Guylaine – who has difficulty moving – to get into the boat and get out on a chair.

At the End of the Isle

Along the promenade that runs along the water, popular with cyclists, is Rue Sainte-Anne, which is reminiscent of a small beach village in the state of Maine.

At 10 a.m. on a Thursday morning, there are already several customers at the restaurant Au Bout de L’Isle: at Lidia and Oscar’s.

“We serve breakfast, lunch and ice cream,” says co-owner Lidia Quezada. The lawyer trained in her native Peru, she and her husband bought the business from the previous owners in 2014 after working there for two years. The couple appreciates the community spirit of Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue. “It’s like a village,” says Oscar Panez. “It’s the charm of the countryside, while being connected to the metropolis.”

Darling Bakery

Since last October, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue has had its own artisanal bakery, where breads and pastries are baked on site – and where we ate the best olive and rosemary focaccia of our lives! “When we opened, people were lining up. There hadn’t been a bakery in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue for 35 years,” says Dorothée Sonigo as Michael Kachani puts sourdough loaves in the oven. The couple sold the gluten-free product company Tutti Gourmet and are happy to have a local business open year-round for locals and not necessarily tourists. But people come from far and wide to taste their products, and we understood why after just one bite.

The Place des Eaux Vives

The City of Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue purchased the land that was occupied by the restaurant called Marco Bar and Grill, destroyed by fire in 2019, to transform it into a public square. After a vote by the population, the green space was named Place des Eaux Vives. “We wanted to restore access to water,” explains Gabriel Vézina, recreation coordinator for the City of Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, where he has worked for 10 years after starting out as a day camp counselor.

The young man was also a bartender at Cunninghams Pub and was working the night a fire ravaged the Marco Bar and Grill. He praises the “village” spirit and sunsets of Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, but he emphasizes that the city is working hard to become a year-round destination. “It’s rare to find places on the Island of Montreal where we have public access to the water like ours,” he says, before pointing out that this is where Quebec Premier François Legault grew up.

The general store G. D’Aoust & Cie

G. D’Aoust & Cie will celebrate its 125th^e anniversary next year. It was a general store when it opened in 1900, then became a large clothing, decoration and kitchenware store. During our visit, the store manager, Gwendolyn Zupans, explained that the D’Aoust family, lacking a successor after three generations, sold the business that is part of the history of Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue three years ago. The new owner is businessman Paul Nassar. They sell (on site and online) products from great brands, whether it’s Pilgrim jewelry, Pixie Mood bags, Dock & Bay towels and the famous Gurgle Pot carafes in the shape of fish.

Singh’s Arcade

Two years ago, a McGill University engineering student opened an arcade. Gursagar Singh dreamed of a place with a retro, nostalgic decor frequented by young (and not so young!) people who put down their smartphones to play a video game from the good old days like Pac-Man And Street Fighter, while drinking a milkshake Lucky Charms cereal or Oreo cookies. The owner, who frequently invites artists, has plans full of ideas. He would like to expand the premises to open a clothing store vintage and a café. It must be said that there are a lot of students in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue with John Abbott College and the Macdonald campus of McGill University.

Lalonde Park

Every Saturday night until September, free shows are presented at Lalonde Park at 5 p.m. Lovesoniq, Apocalyptik, Tatum Quinn and Tebo Trio are among the artists on the bill during the summer. You can also enjoy a sandwich or salad from Café TWIGS in the shade.

Annie’s on the Lake

For many people stopping in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, it is a great classic to enjoy the terrace of Annie’s restaurant at sunset. The pub, which has been welcoming customers for nearly 40 years, occupies the building of a former hotel built in 1855. You can eat a full meal or just have a drink while watching the boats heading towards the lock.

The Blessed One

For a restaurant with a more refined menu, we opt for the Bienheureux and its privately imported wine list. Among the dishes of the moment, we can mention the beef entrecôte with chimichurri and organic asparagus or the sea bream fillet served with rapini pesto. You can also drink wine from the Souffle de vie vineyard, the only one located on the island of Montreal, in Senneville, very close to Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, north of Highway 40.