Marché Bonsecours

Lonely Planet review

Opened in 1847, this sprawling neoclassical building has been everything from a farmers market to a concert theatre to a brief stint as city hall 1852-1878. It is also where the government of United Canada retreated to, so as to continue the legislative session after the parliament buildings nearby were burned down by an angry anglo mob in 1849.

The marché was reopened in 1992 as a gallery for shops selling arts and crafts, leather goods and garments. Though spectacular outside, renovations have left the inside with all the character and warmth of an airport terminal. Don't let sterile atmosphere discourage you however. Shops stock everything from Inuit art and locally made jewelry to luxurious made-in-Canada beaver coats and some of Québec's finest designers have their creations in the Diffusion Griff '3000 boutique. An exhibition hall was added upstairs in 1998 for displays on history and culture. Restaurants line the facade on rue St-Paul.