If there is one thing the French can do well is cook and certainly the French excel in baking. After yelping around for a good place to pick up a pastry and a coffee, I found Maison Christian Faure. With the credentials of this place, I had pretty high expectations.
We walked in shortly after they had opened and the poor girl was running the place by herself. She was trying to prep for the day, lay out the pastries, and serve a number of guests already seated. Besides the bumpy start, the pastries here could be smelt a few blocks away, and they looked even more beautiful. I ordered an almond croissant and it was.....easily one of the best almond croissants I've had. Their madeline cookie that came with our coffee was equally delicious.
All the baking is done on premises (upstairs) and this is also a baking school. If you're visiting Old Montreal, you NEED to come here and try some of their baked goods. The only regret I had was not ordering more items, next time, there's always next time.