Spectator Sports

Montréalers are as devoted to ice hockey as other Canadians are, with plenty of enthusiasm left over for U.S.-style football, soccer, and the other distinctive national sport, curling. (They liked baseball too, but not enough: In 2005, the Montréal Expos, plagued by poor attendance, left for Washington, D.C., where the team became the Nationals.) The biggest single event on the Montréal sports calendar is its version of the Indy 500, the Grand Prix car race that roars into town for 3 days every summer.

Auto Racing

For 3 days -- in 2007, it was June 8, 9, and 10 -- Montréal's entire focus is on the Grand Prix, the FIA's only stop in Canada. Over 110,000 people pour each day onto the island of Ile Notre-Dame, where a permanent track is installed (the rest of the year the circuit is used by cyclists and walkers) and watch race cars make 70 laps at up to 318km (198 miles) an hour. In the rest of city, particularly rue Crescent in downtown, Formula 1 cars are on display, streets shut down, and revelers party deep into the night. Hotel prices typically double and most require 3-night stays. Three-day Grand Prix tickets cost C$90 to C$495 (US$78-US$431/£39-£213). Details and tickets sales are at tel. 514/350-0000 and www.grandprix.ca.

Football

You might not expect U.S.-style professional football in Canada, but the Montréal Alouettes (French for "larks") claim, somewhat dubiously, that "Montréal is synonymous with football." No matter; the team does enjoy considerable success, frequently appearing in the Grey Cup, the Canadian Football League's version of the U.S. Super Bowl. The Als play at McGill University's Percival-Molson Memorial Stadium on a schedule that runs from June into November. Tickets start at C$22 (US$19/£9.45); more details can be found at tel. 514/871-2255 and www.montrealalouettes.com.

Golf

In September 2007, the Royal Montréal Golf Club welcomed the PGA's Presidents Cup Tournament to the city for the first time. Check the PGA Tour schedule at www.pgatour.com and www.rmgc.org for future PGA events.

Hockey

The beloved Montréal Canadiens play downtown at the Centre Bell arena. The team has won 23 Stanley Cup championships since 1918, but hasn't enjoyed much success in recent years. The season runs from October to April, with playoffs continuing into June. Tickets are usually priced from C$22 to C$192 (US$19-US$167/£9.45-£83). Check www.canadiens.com for schedules and ticketing or call tel. 514/790-1245.

Horse Racing

Popularly known as Blue Bonnets Racetrack, the Hippodrome de Montréal (tel. 514/739-2741; www.hdem.com) celebrated its 100th birthday in 2007. It's the host facility for international harness-racing events, including the Coupe des Elevers (Breeders Cup). Parimutuel betting and free admission makes for a satisfying evening or Sunday afternoon outing. The Hippodrome is located in the northwest of the city at 7440 bd. Décarie (corner of rue Jean-Talon); take the Métro to Namur, then take a shuttle bus.

The Second Greatest Canadian Pastime? Name That Sport!

"With Ontario leading 6-4 in the 10th end, Manitoba skip Jennifer Jones prepared for her last shot. Manitoba had three rocks in the house, but Ontario had shot rock and had two guards sitting near one another, high atop the house, toward Jones; another guard sat just outside the rings. Jones was left with one option: She hit and rolled off the lone Ontario stone outside the rings to remove Ontario's shot rock near the button."

So was the verbatim report in The Globe & Mail of the Canadian women's championship game in February 2005. Manitoba won, 8 to 6. The sport: curling.