The Bonsecours Market is hard to miss, whether you are walking around Montréal’s historic center or looking at the skyline from the harbor. A silver dome caps the long building, which dates from 1844 and was modeled on Dublin’s Customs House. It looks more like a stately civic building than a market, and in fact it was Montréal’s city hall for a while, as well as the seat of Canada‘s parliament for one session. After serving as the central market of the city for nearly a century, it closed in 1963 and was largely abandoned until 1992, when it reopened as the home of a visitors’ center for Montréal’s 350th anniversary. Today it houses a dozen or so boutiques featuring works by local designers, as well as a few restaurants that make for good pit stops on a day of sightseeing.
Bonsecours Market in summer, Old Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Perry Mastrovito/age fotostock
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Shop at the Oldest Market in Montreal
How many people can say they’ve shopped in a 150 year old graded building on this side of the pond? Marché Bonsecours is acknowledged as one of Canada‘s ten finest heritage buildings, it’s also the home of the Québec Crafts Council. Which can only mean one thing: an amazing crafts market, perfect for gift-shopping -- for yourself or for your loved ones. 15 boutiques of local-made items, from jewelry to decor items to fashion accessories. Even the indoor café offers locally-made products! The market is located on rue Saint-Paul, therefore very easy to get to and well worth a visit. Just make sure to bring along your credit card.
