In the Village there are eating places aplenty. La Strega du Village (the Village Witch) is a cosy Italian eatery offering reasonably priced food on Sardinia-sized plates, while nearby Donatella's manages to square the circle of affordable food and posh nosh. If you fancy an after-hours bowl of French onion soup, the bright and friendly Resto du Village is open 24/7.

If it's caffeine you're craving, Second Cup is your first stop. This Central Perk-style coffee shop in the heart of the Village has big windows, comfortable easy chairs and an overwhelmingly gay clientele. The coffee's good, the cheesecake's great, and the beefcake is pretty tasty, too.

Once you've had your fill, you can hop back on the metro at the rainbow-bedecked Beaudry station in the middle of the Village and take yourself off for some park life.

The Parc Olympique was the site of the 1976 Olympics, but when the Games opened the venue was only partially complete. The leaning tower intended as the mollusc-like stadium's crowning glory was just a stump. Happily, the completed tower is now open to visitors, and a cable car trip to the top is a highlight of any visit to Montreal.
The viewing gallery offers fine vistas of the city and its port. Further in the distance is Montreal's distinctively-shaped Casino. Not only a gambler's paradise, this stylish centre has bars, restaurants and stage shows, promising an enjoyable experience for all.

Back on the Olympic Tower, the eastern viewing gallery overlooks Montreal's glorious botanical gardens, including the biggest Chinese garden anywhere outside Asia. The gardens are open all year round, but if you're lucky enough to be here in the autumn, don't miss the magical Chinese lantern show, when the night is alight with hundreds of colourful dragon boats, human figures, birds and animals.

Whatever time of year you visit, you're sure to be seduced by this engaging city. Affordable and fun, safe and stylish, Montreal prides itself as being one of the most gay-friendly cities on the planet. No matter how fluent your French, you'll leave Montreal knowing the real meaning of joie de vivre.