オールドモントリオールウォーキングツアーの植民地の秘密

I recently visited Old Montreal and the Old Port with a guided tour by Donovan from HauntedMontreal.com, and it was one of the most interesting tours I have ever taken. What I liked the most was the way Donovan talked about the history of the Indigenous peoples. He explained what happened to them in the 1600s and later, including the residential schools, the different Indigenous nations, and how their lands and rights were taken away. He does not hide these difficult parts of history and helps people understand what really happened. Donovan is also an amazing storyteller. He makes you feel like you are actually there watching the events happen. For example, when he described the execution of a man who murdered his wife, he told the story with so much detail that I could imagine the whole scene as if I were an eyewitness. I strongly recommend any tour or event guided by Donovan. The service from Haunted Montreal is excellent, the stories are fascinating, and the experience is unforgettable. L habib Cheggour

Slave markets in Old Montreal, the burning of Marie-Joseph Angelique, the Sulpicians' obscene wealth and their authority and control over the population, the Genocide Monument. These are all aspects of Old Montreal Sophie-Claude Miller draws our attention to. I had seen and been to all of the sites that we covered and had begun to look at some of them more critically, but not nearly to the extend that Sophie-Claude explained them. She unveiled what is truly going on the Genocide Monument, pointed out the site of a former well right at the Sulpicians' gate, where everyone had to get their water from, the site of the burning of Marie-Joseph Angelique with no mentions of her at all, but with a plaque commemorating Margerite d'Youville. A tour worth your while with a guide issued from the Cree First Nation.

Experiencing Old Montréal through the lens of First Nations Indigenous guide Sophie-Claude Miller was truly eye opening. From the very beginning, she shared her knowledge with honesty, depth, and compassion, offering a perspective that is rarely highlighted in traditional history tours. She answered every question I had with openness and warmth, creating an environment where curiosity and respectful conversation were genuinely welcomed. Her storytelling brought the history of Montréal and the realities of colonial times to life in a thoughtful and meaningful way. I highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding of Montréal’s past and learning about the lasting impact of colonialism from an authentic Indigenous perspective

I recently took the Colonial Secrets of Old Montréal tour with Donovan King and Sophie Claude Miller, and I can honestly say it was one of the most impactful experiences I’ve had in the city. Both Donovan and Sophie are compelling, thoughtful guides who complement each other extremely well. Their storytelling is engaging, nuanced, and clearly grounded in thorough research. What sets this tour apart is that it brings forward histories and perspectives that are too often overlooked or absent from mainstream narratives. As we moved through Old Montréal, they guided us to various sites—plaques, monuments, and public spaces—that take on entirely new meaning through their lens. They reveal how these markers can reflect histories of Indigenous erasure, colonial violence, and oppression—stories that are rarely told so directly or honestly. This is not a conventional sightseeing tour. It’s a critical history experience that challenges mainstream narratives about the city’s foundations and invites a deeper rethinking of Montréal’s public space. If you’re looking for something deeper than the usual historical tour—something thought-provoking and enriching—I highly recommend this experience.

The tour with Donovan King and Sophie Claude Miller offers a powerful alternative reading of Montréal’s foundations, one that unsettles familiar narratives and brings to the surface the often-silenced histories of colonial exploitation. Moving through Old Montréal, they guide you not only across places, but across layers of meaning embedded in plaques, monuments, and public spaces—many of which standard tours either overlook or present uncritically. What makes this experience particularly remarkable is the complementarity between the two guides. Donovan King, as a historian, brings a sharp, critical lens to the city’s official narratives, while Sophie Claude Miller, drawing on her Cree perspective, grounds the tour in lived experience and embodied knowledge. Together, they offer a form of storytelling that is both intellectually rigorous and deeply affective. At sites such as Place d’Armes, familiar monuments take on entirely new meanings, revealing how public history is constructed and whose voices it privileges or erases . This is not simply a historical tour—it is an invitation to rethink the city itself. I highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in a more critical, layered and meaningful engagement with Montréal’s past and present.

We took a walking tour of Old Montreal with Donovan King and Sophie Claude Miller – called Colonial Secrets of Old Montreal - and it was one of the most memorable experiences of our visit. From the beginning, it was clear this was not a standard tour. At places like Place d’Armes, they offered a powerful and eye-opening perspective that challenges the usual narratives of exploration and conquest, placing the experiences of First Nations peoples at the center. This made the tour not only informative, but genuinely thought-provoking. Donovan and Sophie are highly knowledgeable and engaging, and their storytelling brings the city’s history to life in a provoking and compelling way. We left with a much deeper understanding of Montreal and how history can be viewed from different perspectives. Highly recommended—an unforgettable experience.

We have attended every tour by Haunted Montreal. If you love history, love Montreal, you will appreciate a guided tour with Donovan & Sophie. Our tour guides were very professional and friendly! You can tell they have done a lot of research to provide information that is not easily accessible and explanations about the statues that will leave you with a different perspective. Well worth your time for anyone visiting or just want to learn more about the city of Montreal. Thanks for a great afternoon!

The visit was amazing! Sophie-Claude explains everything with passion and sensitivity, helping us better understand the realities that are often overlooked — from slavery to the erasure of Indigenous peoples. She even made us taste her banana house, a native bread, a real moment of sharing! I recommend this tour to anyone who wants to discover the back of the decor and the true history of Old Montreal. I’m definitely going back with relatives this spring!

Every Montrealer and visiting tourist alike should experience this tour. Huge thanks to the guides for sharing their knowledge. I will be recommending this often.

Challenging, engaging, enthralling. A model walking tour of Old Montreal that visits its main attractions while reimagining and reinterpreting them from the perspectives of Indigenous Peoples, African slaves, and those subjugated by colonial violence. A tour that brings history to life.