Moving from BC with 3 kids and no downtown commute - looking for school & neighbourhood advice (sales)

[Breebop]

Hi all, my husband and I are planning to move to Montreal from Vancouver. I have done a lot of reading in the relocation threads but all advice assumes a regular commute into the city. My husband will be working out of a home office, and flying frequently to visit customers (he is a sales exec).

Our wish list:
- 60m or less drive to airport
- great public schools (open to either immersion or French schools - kids are 8, 6 & 2 and the older two are currently in an early French Immersion program)
- large house with yard: we want 4 bedrooms plus a home office and a suite for my father-in-law (who is moving with us)
- warm community with grassroots events & activities for families (community festivals, kids programs, parks, recreation, local arts/culture)
- Green, treed streets
- house price under $550k (prefer closer to $400k)
- nightlife is not important, and we are happy with a handful of favourite non-chain cafes and eateries we can return too
- it would be nice to be somewhere we can find people with similar interests (home brewing, canning, sewing, cooking) and where the neighbours are other friendly families
- prefer "small town/village" to "suburban" feel

Communities that sound promising based on Internet research are Hudson/St Lazare, Vaudreuil, West Island (specifically Pt. Claire and Beaconsfield) and north of the Island heading towards the Laurentides (Mirabel/Blainville?). Suggestions wanted!

As for the language: I speak fluent (though not perfect) French (tested this recently in Quebec City!), kids can speak passably well and understand most of what is said, husband's French is terrible but he tries really hard and wants to learn. Father-in-law is Anglophone and hard of hearing, would be likely to seek out an English arts/boating community.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

[jambo101]

If you want a no commute to downtown you'll have to live close to the area ,i'd recommend NDG and Willingdon or Royal Vale schools.
Those areas you list Hudson/St Lazare, Vaudreuil, West Island (specifically Pt. Claire and Beaconsfield) and north of the Island heading towards the Laurentides (Mirabel/Blainville?). are on the periphery of Montreal and while they would fulfill your needs for housing they would also require a daily rush hour grind of close to an hour.

[Breebop]

Thanks - perhaps I wasn't clear: neither of us have a need to commute to town daily. My husband will have to drive to the airport a 1-2 times per month, but otherwise we will both work from home.

[jambo101]

In that case Hudson/St Lazare area would give you a more pastoral setting as all other areas are wall to wall bungalow type communities.
About a 45 minute drive to the airport if out side rush hours.
I have no knowledge of the schools in that region

[DawnMTL]

I like the idea of the West Island for you, both in terms of a short commute to the airport as well as for good schools. The only area that I'm very familiar with, though, is Dollard des Ormeaux -- it's lovely. I spent a lot of my formative years there and still have friends in the area.

[aliss2]

I think Hudson would be a good option.

[Breebop]

Thank you everyone! Appreciate the advice - neighbourhoods aren't always what they seem based on their profile online! I will add DDO into my list of potential spots.