The Montreal Jazz Festival in full swing and I have just seen magnificent artists! In my list I did want to miss: David Sanborn, an outstanding alto saxophonist, Sonny Rollins a tenor saxophonist who met throughout his carrier artists as Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis … and finally Manu Katche a talented drummer.

The three have their own style so I would not say this was better than the other. To do again next year! Now, it is all free program for another week!

David Sanborn

Sonny Rollins

Manu Katché

Coco Montoya

Grace Kelly

Aronas

Today we explored Montérégie located on Montreal south side to drive on the vineyards road.

Straight after Montreal, we discovered Quebec countryside and we were really happy. We drove towards Rougemont to visit our first vineyards: De Lavoie. In opposite the habits the tasting is not free. Why not, it’s maybe like this here. We can taste 4 different sweet white wine, soft red wine, tranquil cider (not sparkling), ice cider and sort of porto. The Ice cider (cidre de glace) was out favorite.

We followed our trip for a pic-nic on the banks of the Richelieu river which is really rich as the house can show it.

For returning to Montreal, we choose to drive to Mont St Hilaire. I think we’ll go back in the reserve during the winter with snowshoes as it looks wonderful ! Following the direction to a chocolate factory we ended in an artisanal cider: CRYO. These ciders are not sold in the SAQ as the cidermakers rather sell it here, in the markets and to some restaurant interested by the unique flavour.

Here is an eventful day we open the doors to other destinations in Quebec!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• ►

Tonight we went to the bottom of Jacques Cartier bridge to see the fireworks shot from la Ronde for the International Feux Loto. The countrie of this evening was poland! A beautiful light, beautiful. We will do that again next week.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

123►

That’s it Montreal Jazz Festival has started for yesterday and will last until the 6th july on Place des arts. The calender is high quality either free and non-free. My schedule is already done and my ears will love it !

Big Band, Jazz, Blues, New Orleans music… WoW !

Here is the festival in pictures.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

12►

Today Quebec is all blue and white to celebrate St. Jean Baptiste. Why? Here’s a little story from the website of the national quebec day.

There have been 150 years, June 24, 1984, Ludger and that 60 leaders of the time endowed the French Canadians a national holiday, June 24, a national operator, St. John the Baptist, and a national society, the Societe Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Montreal.

To mark this anniversary, the Quebec government has entrusted the National Movement of Quebec (MNQ), the mandate to organize the National Day “…. because it has expertise, having assumed for over 140 years. (René Lévesque, Prime Minister, March 1984)

Today, to commemorate this event, we invite you to browse the exhibition of posters from the last 25 National Holiday of Quebec.

Signing of the first Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Quebec and the National Movement of Quebecers, April 7, 1984.

In Montreal, you can’t miss the parade of the giants of the National Day and the concert at Parc Maisonneuve! Everywhere else in Quebec the party will be there!