Jean-Talon Market

Jean-Talon opened in 1933 on the site of a lacrosse field and is among the largest open-air public markets in North America, with the central aisles open to the weather under a roof and permanent shops around the perimeter. Quebec producers sell directly through the season: strawberries and asparagus in early summer, corn and tomatoes at the peak, then squash, apples and the ice cider and maple products that mark autumn. In winter the outdoor stalls shrink and the enclosed shops carry it. The surrounding Little Italy holds cafes, a church and the espresso culture that Italian immigration brought from the 1900s.

What you actually see

• The open aisles - Quebec growers selling directly in season.
• The seasonal rhythm - strawberries, corn, squash and apples in turn.
• The perimeter shops - cheesemongers, butchers and spice merchants year-round.
• Little Italy - the surrounding district of cafes and Italian food shops.

When to go

May to October for the full open market; August and September have the widest selection. Winter reduces to the enclosed shops. Saturday mornings are busiest and liveliest.

Honest expectations

The open market is much reduced from November to April. Weekend crowds make the aisles slow. Prices are higher than supermarket, which is the trade for direct-from-grower.

Nearby

The Botanical Garden lies east; Mont Royal is southwest.