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    Diving into the Montreal Bathhouse Bain Colonial

    On the agenda: Rest, relaxation, and casual encounters, all on Soviet-era carpet—if the chemistry’s right.

    ByDaisy Le Corre @ URBANIA

    November 12, 2024 · 7 min read

    Diving into the Montreal bathhouse Bain Colonial

    The Main is reader-supported. Subscriptions are what keep us independent. Five dollars a month — the restaurants, the guides, the weekly bulletin, and what to do each weekend.

    Support us today.

    This story originally appeared in URBANIA, an online magazine based in Quebec focused on pop culture and society.

    “You know Bain Colonial? A friend was telling me about it last night. It’s kind of a sauna/social club in the Plateau for queer intellectuals to chat and meet up with people of all ages, but it’s also more than that…”

    My boss has a knack for teasing. That one line was enough to pique my interest. There was just one catch: I’m not a gay man, so I couldn’t set foot in the oldest gay bathhouse in the city. Too bad. 

    Fortunately, I knew someone who could get wet and undressed on my behalf—and his boyfriend would join too.

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