Marie-Hélène & Mark

Last week I attended the wedding of some friends in Montréal. The church ceremony and the reception were inspiring. On the day Mark and Marie-Hélène made everything seem so effortless. It all came together with grace, beauty and a sense of genuine affection between the two of them and all the guests. I was privileged to have had the chance to capture some moments from the special day :-)

Hope you enjoy the slideshow

Serving Suggestions: Watch fullscreen with speakers switched on.

Destination X to Montreal?

A friend of mine is coming to Canada and wants to go on a scenic drive that ultimately gets him to Montreal (from where he'll be flying back to London, UK). I managed to come up with a few options, but would love to hear from anyone who might be able to add to the list - suggestions welcomed!

Guidelines:

• Drive should be scenic
• Drive can start anywhere in Canada though should be less than 24hrs of driving
• Drive must conclude in Montreal
• Would be during the Summer months

Option 1: Gaspe to Montreal
I've done this once, and I thought parts of the trip were breathtaking. Especially when you're driving along the North Coast of Gaspe on Hwy 132. The Gulf of St. Lawrence is totally exposed and the waves come crashing in! It's like scenes you normally only see in movies; The lone car driving along a winding highway right next to the ocean - beautiful! You also get to drive along the St Lawrence through Quebec City and on to Montreal. Lots of opportunities to stop and soak up local culture.

Air Canada operates flights from Montreal to Gaspe. Alternatively you can drive there and back. I don't think there are direct flights from UK to Gaspe.

Option 2: New Brunswick to Montreal
Not sure how scenic the entire length of the route is, but I'd imagine it's pretty good. There's a long stretch driving along the St Lawrence through Quebec CIty and onto Montreal. Have done that stretch several times and there are lots of interesting places to stop at see:

• La Malbaie
• Tadoussac

Option 3: Vancouver to Calgary and on to Montreal (The Cheating Option)
I had to bend the rules a little for this one. I've done the Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler several times. The views of the Mountains are spectacular as you wind your way towards Whistler. I figure you could fly into Vancouver, drive to Whistler and then drive back through Vancouver and on to Calgary taking in various sights as you go. You could then fly from Calgary to Montreal.

Please leave a comment if you have other suggestions / details to add!