What to do on a winter's day in Montreal's Plateau
Take a walk.
You get a real sense of what the Plateau is all about by putting your sneakers to the ground. Or in this case, the ice. Start at St-Catherine and St-Laurent, making your way north. You'll encounter boutiques, restaurants, schools, parks, bakeries, butchers, book shops, banks, drugstores, vegetable vendors, peep shows, jewelry stores. Turn right on Rachel and pass St-Denis on your way to Parc Lafontaine. A winter afternoon in this huge Plateau parc can be a meditative experience and many a photographer has attempted to capture the subtle light that filters through the trees.
Have a sandwich at Schwartz's.
Here's a secret: the notorious line outside of the most famous Deli in Canada experiences a brief lull from around 3pm to 5 or so. On a cold winter's day, even the most well-prepared will appreciate being shuffled immediately into the warmth of the über-sandwich maker of Montreal. Those more familiar with Schwartz's will recall that a line which winds it way up St-Laurent is part of the standard fare when eating here. On a sunny weekend afternoon (yes, even in winter), the line can stretch for two blocks!
Schwartz's Delicatessen, 3859 St-Laurent Boulevard, Montreal
See a flick.
Both of Montreal's most popular repertory cinemas are located in the heart of the Plateau. Excentris plays art-house and foreign movies, generally in French with (or without) English subtitles. Located at 3536 St-Laurent, just north of Sherbrooke, Excentris is housed in a futuristic and angular space that makes the movie seem almost a parting gift! Cinema du Parc is the English language version located in the warmth of the La Cite (prounounced "citay̶ 
shopping centre. The complex also has a Metro supermarket, a post office, a few restaurants and cafes, a drugstore and an SAQ (and more).
Sip a latte and people watch
Take the subway to the Mont-Royal metro station and take a look at all the urban bustle: businessmen, skateboarders, dog walkers, joggers, shoppers, trendsetters, fashionistas, and a lot more all make their way up and down the pavements of this oh-so hip avenue. Soak it up, sit at a big picture window at one of the many coffee houses and cafes along Mont-Royal Avenue and see how people live in the heart of a truly international city.
