Carcassonne – part fortress, part fairy tale Julie Kalan December 1, 2011 5668 Framed by a clear, blue sky and bathed in the glowing mid-morning sun, the fortified town of Carcassonne evokes a scene from the pages of a pop-up storybook. The town itself lies hidden behind two concentric st...
A unique “Outback” love story from Burlington, Vermont The Montrealer November 9, 2011 5772 *Please note: the Outback Steakhouse in Burlington Vermont has closed BURLINGTON, Vt - Montrealers will recall that a few years ago the wonderful Outback Steakhouse chain came to Montreal’s West I...
The Heavenly Heights of Mont Saint Michel Julie Kalan November 5, 2011 10874 At the foot of the abbey, this peaceful lane follows the contours of the mount. Credit: Julie Kalan “Mont Saint Michel is to France what the Great Pyramid is to Egypt.” - Victor Hugo, January 1884 Rising a...
The Outer Banks of North Carolina The Montrealer November 3, 2011 6140 Six ways to enjoy this popular, year-round vacation destination Ancient ship logs suggest it was 16th century Spanish explorers who first set foot on the Outer Banks, a 200-mile-long string of slender barrier i...
Scottsdale, Arizona – in the Valley of the Sun The Montrealer October 25, 2011 5337 As 18th century poet Robbie Burns insightfully wrote, “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” The famous quote came true for me in January when my “well laid plan” was a golf trip to Scottsdale to ...
Historic mountain town of Stowe fun to visit year round The Montrealer October 13, 2011 6521 STOWE, Vt - Only Stowe, Vermont combines a classic 200-year-old village with Mt. Mansfield, Vermont's highest peak. This unique juxtaposition imbues Stowe with a character reminiscent of great European mountain...
Smugglers’ Notch Resort is paradise in Vermont The Montrealer September 9, 2011 5349 SMUGGLER’S NOTCH - It was 10 years ago that my family and I last visited the spectacular Smuggler’s Notch Resort (www.smuggs.com) in Vermont. We returned this summer and found that like a fine wine, this pla...
Grape Gifts of France – Exploring Saint Émilion and Cognac Julie Kalan September 4, 2011 7493 Hang a map of France on the wall, close your eyes and throw a dart – you are bound to hit one of the country’s world-renowned winemaking regions. A Glass of Red In the Aquitaine region of south western Fran...
Barcelona – a multi-faceted vacation city The Montrealer September 3, 2011 4314 The former capitol of the Spanish region of Catalonia, Barcelona is famous for its history, architecture, human scale and perhaps surprisingly – it beaches Barcelona is a favoured port of embarkation for Medit...
Prince Edward Island – a place fit for royalty The Montrealer August 15, 2011 5846 Fond of the Anne of Green Gables series, The Duchess of Cambridge was enthusiastic about visiting Prince Edward Island which served as the novels’ setting I sometimes wonder how Prince Edward Island might have...
