To get a strong sense of being in France without taking the long flight across the pond, Americans need only to head up to Montréal, Canada, whose cobblestoned streets, chic cafes, and trendy galleries will make any Francophile swoon. MSNBC.com has a helpful "quick hit" story with a few ideas on how to make the most of a visit to this French-Canadian paradise. Start big with a trip to the Musee des Beaux Arts, the grandest art museum in the city, with works by Rembrandt, El Greco, and Breughel. Canada's oldest art museum (it dates back to 1860) remains one of the cultural centerpieces of the nation, with an extensive collection of art pertaining to its history. Properly educated in Montréal's past, take a stroll through Vieux Montréal (the old city) to get a glimpse of what it was really like to live there in the 19th, 18th, and even 17th centuries. The city's oldest building is a seminary called Vieux Séminaire de St-Sulpice, having been built in 1657, and it is located by the majestic La basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal. If your legs are still up for it, take a hike up Mont Royal, which affords spectacular views of the city. Naturally, all this physical activity will require some sustenence, so drop by Boris Bistro for a pork-and-beef pie known as tourtiere (made with caribou and duck) or veal blanquette with dill sauce. Guests at the stylish W Montréal have memories waiting to be made all around them in Montréal.

[image via MSNBC.com]