Address Book: What Souvenirs Can I Find in Le Vieux?

A while ago, we published an article dedicated to branded products from your favorite businesses in le Vieux. With a wide range of mugs, recipe books, and all manner of other goodies, these businesses aren’t skimping on a thing! But now vacation time is here, and le Vieux itself is becoming a top vacation destination. And everyone loves grabbing a souvenir to remind them of the fun they had, no matter how long or short the trip. So, let’s explore this idea further in this address book: here are some shops where you can find some of the best souvenirs!

Something Cutesy

If you’re around Place Jacques-Cartier, pass by Boutique Bonjour Montréal. All of their products – stationery, body care products, snacks, and jewelry – all go together perfectly. At this proud Montrealer-owned boutique, they carry numerous Montreal postcards that are made in-store, as well as their bigger cousin poster versions made by Anja Jane. We also broke down and got their net shopping bag (very on brand), and we still have our eye on that reusable water bottle…

A few blocks down the street on Saint-Paul, there’s the well-known Magasin Général du Vieux-Montréal . It’s impossible to come out of this place empty-handed. Everything for sale is meticulously hand-picked and displayed on beautiful vintage furniture. They’ve got great home décor, colourful dishware, and accessories. And don’t miss the stairs that will take you down to their second floor! We were astonished by their impressive selection of earrings, and particularly by their floral collection, subtle enough to wear all summer long.

Along the riverside, Accent du Monde at the Old Port has released their very summery “Kilim” collection of bags and purses. These pieces are recycled from traditional Persian rugs. Exotic and upcycled? We love it! Need something a little bigger? No problem, their paniers à pompons should get your full attention!

A Lot in Store!

Mon Shak au Québec has jewelry and accessories, clothes to fit our youngest fans, and creations made from recycled glass. Paintings, photography, and printed clothing from artists of several different styles are highlighted here! We fell in love with the tenderness of Sonia Bandulet’s silver jewelry, all handmade, right here in Montreal; we want them all! Additionally, this lovely store houses La Cours des Arts – also accessible from Saint-Amable Street – an unmissable source for local souvenirs for almost 60 years.

A few steps from there lies L’Empreinte Coopérative, a place replete with articles of artisanal quality. They have gathered more than one hundred extraordinarily creative artists and designers from Quebec – a strong point of pride. Each product is original, unique, and contemporary, including posters, ceramics, baby toys, and even clothing. If you’re looking to help our local artists, you can’t miss out on this place! The featured artist for the month of August, Diego Pulitano, is a multidisciplinary artist, with experiencing in crafting jewelry, metal engraving, leather work, and even stone work.

When you’re talking about le Vieux, it’s impossible not to mention Bonsecours Market. Recently reopened, this is one of those great shops to (re)discover when you’re on the hunt for some great finds. Works of art, works of fashion, and fine gourmet food can be found under the magnificently-wrought roof of this old architectural wonder, including: unique creations from Signatures Québécoises, original designer jewelry at chez Jules Perrier, and culinary finery at la Sucrerie des Gourmands. We so can’t wait to return! And – get yourself ready for La Grande Braderie d’Automne, to take place online very soon; even more events to come in August!

For the curious and cultured!

You’ve surely set foot in the Pointe-à-Callière archeological and historical museum already, but have you been by the museum store just across from its main entrance? Here, they have a wide variety of home décor, jewelry, local products related to their expositions, and more! You might not think it, but this place is a veritable treasure trove of cool finds!

L’Affichiste is currently open by appointment only, but their online shop is freely accessible and perfect for when you want to buy a huge poster, but don’t want to worry about carrying it out of the store. For those home decoration/vintage fanatics, this is a sure win for you. Whether you drop by here with a specific goal, or you’re just looking for some inspiration, you’ll definitely come away with a favourite thing! When you look at their retro film posters or their newspapers from the day you were born, you can’t help but feel a little pang of nostalgia in your heart when thinking of the long history behind all of this artwork.

Aside from its recommended summer reading, Bertrand Bookstore is a goldmine for local works: novels, travel guides, and guides of all other kinds (Montréal l’hiver is a classic that we love rereading in any season). Their team will welcome and guide you to what you’re looking for. And if you find that your arms are full, or you can’t just limit yourself to just one, grab yourself one of their huge tote bags!

A bunch of restaurants in le Vieux are divulging their secrets! In this article, we’ve discussed some recipe books from your favorite restaurants, which are perfect for recreating your favorite meals in the comfort of your own home. A great gift for yourself or others, these beautiful works can be found in either the restaurants themselves, or in any bookstore. And this brings us straight to the heart of the foody scene we have in Old Montreal. Let’s explore some gifts meant for the palate…

Something Snacky

Living in Québec and not eating maple syrup is pretty much impossible. The celebrated brand Délices Érable et Cie, offers a very big selection of maple, cranberry, and honey-based products Of course, we’ve got a little crush on the discovery trio, and there’s nothing quite like it to uncover the complexity, richness, and worthiness of our maple syrup. We love the gourmand experience in the contemporary ambience of terroir, and most of all, we took some great recipe ideas from their website, like their blueberry maple pudding, or their deconstructed brunch

Le Petit Dep is well known for its pretty green and flowery storefront. The one on Saint-Sulpice holds a superb selection of great, (and most importantly) tasty stuff. Artistic bars of chocolate from the Marlone Company, Allo Simonne spreads, Les Minettes crackers, Kobloth orange wines… Great local brands for some brand new flavours! Also, the boutique has a small stationery section, including greeting cards, posters, and even some great books about Montreal to discover!

Accueil Bonneau makes honey each year, which is a great way for this centuries-old organization to show off the scope of the work it does, and to underline a specific local, urban savoir-faire in apiculture. You can find Bonneau honey in several different places in the neighbourhood, notably at the Marguerite Bourgeois Historical Site store, as well as on the Acceuil Bonneau website for $10.

Something Festive

If you’re the type that loves the joyous call of the winter season, even in the depths of summer, don’t miss out on this totally immersive Christmas experience at Noël Éternel on Notre-Dame Street. It feels like walking through a dream: the playlist that everyone knows (and can’t get out of their head), nutcrackers, Russian matryoshka dolls, airbrushed or hand-painted ornaments… the magic starts the moment you step in. It’s so beautiful, we can fully understand why they never want to put away the decorations, when Christmas is just going to come back again!

Something Sporty

Fanabox is the ideal place for those of you out there who are really missing hockey during this summer season, or race fans who would normally be waiting impatiently for the Montreal Grand Prix. To weather this seasonal stay, take a shopping trip to this store that is an homage to F1 on Saint-Paul Street, open Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. They have a huge selection of caps, some Expos merch for a bit of nostalgia, as well as some Impact stuff and articles from some of your favorite teams.

A Bit of Everything

At boutique Alibaba you will find keychains, mugs, and snow globes. Then, a few steps away, its neighbouring boutique, Souvenirs Caribou, has a whole bunch of items that you can’t find in the other store. Want to play the tourist new to Montreal? This is the place to do it!

© Photo Credit 1 : Accent du Monde

© Photo Credit 2 : L'Affichiste