The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: December first, with money-wise tips in Montreal.

The world's second largest French-speaking city is situated along the St. Lawrence River in the Canadian Province of Quebec. Although its climate is Canadian, Montreal's ambiance is often compared to Paris. Yet, unlike that city on the Seine, Montreal remains an affordable place. It's often said to be a city where bohemians can afford to live like bourgeois, and travelers can live like kings.

Montreal has great culinary traditions. It's easy to find a complete Paris-caliber meal for what hors d'oeuvres might cost in the city of lights. What you'd pay for peeling wallpaper on the Left Bank affords an airy, antique-filled room in a lovely, small midtown Montreal hotel. Inexpensive entertainment is another Montreal tradition, with considerable culture available year round for free or next to nothing. Spring, summer and fall, Montreal's wide boulevards and bustling squares are hubs for shopping and street performers. Refurbished Old Montreal is a charming maze of narrow lanes along the river. Montreal's churches are among its most spectacular sites, especially the Basilica Notre Dame. Islands in the St. Lawrence River and the Olympic Park offer other attractions.

Even winter doesn't slow things down. Many visitors don skates or cross country skis to enjoy the city's free ice rinks and parks. You don't even have to go outside. Downtown Montreal is 19 miles of underground pedestrian walkways which link the city center together. Getting around is easy anytime on Montreal's superb subway system. Favorable exchange rates and air connections make Montreal even easier for American travelers to enjoy.

Contact Tourisme Quebec, 800-363-7777 or www.bonjourquebec.com

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