“Montreal is actually less French than other places in Quebec.”
By experience, yes. All my American cousins who visit there have the same experience as you because they KNOW American dollars are at stake and being snobby isn’t helpful. When I got my green card in Montreal (all canadians travel to that one embassy to process it which is stupid as Vancouver and the major cities have it’s own US Embassy), all the guys in my group told me it’s more non French in Montreal.
I have liked the Montreal area a lot.
They have two old time fantastic bagelrys.