This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
After the endless month of January, make way for February and its desires for romance! Outside and inside, we warm up with ideas that taste good like hot chocolate after a day in the great outdoors.
city lights
In the Quartier des Spectacles, the unmissable Luminothérapie welcomes new interactive installations for its 12and edition, in addition to its classics. Until February 27, the creation Reeds of 1ToMn, for example, invites visitors to color its stems by tapping their feet on sensor buttons. A synchronized soundtrack completes the sensory experience.
Every evening at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., music, voices, lights and video projections propel us into the festive atmosphere of a dance floor for five minutes. Created by David Drury, Bruno Rafie and Benoît Piccolini, dancing heart recalls the major events that bring rain and shine to the neighborhood.
We also take advantage of a passage in the sector to stroll in Between the rowsa work composed of thousands of flexible stems inspired by wheat fields waving in the wind, and to cross Iceberga musical corridor that evokes the sounds of these ice monuments.
Will you resist the urge to create sound and light by taking a seat on one of the large scales ofImpulse ?
Spotlight on Laval
Enthusiasts of magical universes will also appreciate the new Starred terrace in the Place Centrale of Centropolis. Until March 20, eight restaurants, including La Belle & La Bœuf and Les Enfants terribles, take turns to offer their creations in equipped and heated bubbles. The relationship with Illumi is not fortuitous: the terrace was born of a partnership with the luminous path presented by Cavalia. “Illumi has installed at the Centropolis The polar world, which has already been part of the course and was very popular,” explains Marie-Josée Bougie of Tourisme Laval. The three cocoons can accommodate up to six people. Musical compilations concocted by the Diapason festival make it possible to create the desired atmosphere thanks to our mobile devices.
Note that Illumi, an experience to be enjoyed on foot or by car, offers extras until March 13.
Do you want to sleep with me?
A tour of the hotels of the metropolis? This is an idea to consider for couples who want to extend the lovers’ party and explore different neighborhoods like tourists. For inspiration, visit the “Offers” section of the Tourisme Montréal website, which lists packages at the best price. A night with brunch at the Gault hotel, a getaway at the Chez Swann hotel or a gourmet getaway at the Ritz-Carlton.
A rally to discover Old Montreal
Every Saturday until March 5, and every day from February 28 to March 4, Guidatour invites Montrealers to take part in a one-hour rally to get to know the historic district better. Free, the activity can be done without reservation, alone, in pairs or in groups, between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. from Place Royale and ends at Place Jacques-Cartier. Bilingual animators will be on site at the start and end of the circuit.
Forest bathing on Mount Royal
We talk more and more about shinrin yoku, a practice born in Japan. These therapeutic forest baths are particularly recommended to reduce anxiety. The relaxing effect is attributed to molecules called phytoncides, released in particular by pine, birch, maple and oak. Doctors in Western Canada and Ontario enrolled in the PaRx program, launched in British Columbia in 2020, are prescribing Parks Canada Discovery passes to their patients who suffer from depression and anxiety disorders.
In Quebec, there are several places where it is possible to live the experience of shinrin yoku accompanied by a certified guide. This will notably be the case on Mount Royal in March. The walk in a small group over a distance of approximately two kilometers encourages contemplation, creativity and sensory exploration.
Three dates are on the schedule: Saturday March 12, Thursday March 17 and Sunday March 20, each time, from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. The activity is reserved for people aged 16 and over. Price: $30.