58, rue Notre-Dame St. Est (East)

Mr. George-Etienne Cartier was a lawyer involved in the first definition of the Civil Code of Canada. Passionately involved in politics, he had to exile temporarily in Vermont to escape tense moments.

It turns out that Mr. Cartier actually lived in Old Montreal and his house (built in 1837) is now a museum (one of Canada’s National Historical Sites) revealing what it was like in his time.  I had no expectations on our visit and we were surprised to learn about his role for Montreal and Canada which also highlights the context of the time, his family, their activities and social life of the times.

You can see the rooms, the dining room, the blue and the red living rooms with some original furniture (including the silver platter) all of which retells us the rich side and style of the time.

The guided visit was great. While you can also visit on your own, I think the guide brought the visit to another level. There is an imposing monument at the foot of the Mont-Royal of George-Etienne Cartier.

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