Montréal Places

Montréal Places
Downtown
Rue Ste-Catherine—and the métro line that runs under it—is the main cord that binds together the disparate, sprawling neighborhoods that comprise Montréal's downtown, or centre-ville, just north and west of Old Montréal. It's a long, boisterous, sometimes seedy, and sometimes elegant street that runs from rue Claremont in Westmount to rue d'Iberville in the east end.

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Hochelaga-Maisonneuve
There's more to see and do in the neighborhood of Hochelaga-Maisonneuve than visit the Stade Olympique, which played host to the 1976 Summer Olympics, and the leaning tower that supports the stadium's roof and dominates the skyline. It's one of best spots to go if you're craving green space, plus it has one of Montréal's best markets.

The Islands
The two islands just east of the city in the St. Lawrence River—Île Ste-Hélène, formed by nature, and Île Notre-Dame, created with the stone rubble excavated from the construction of Montréal's métro—are Montréal's indoor-outdoor playground, Parc Jean Drapeau.


ont-Royal and Environs
In geological terms, Mont-Royal is a mere bump of basaltlike rock worn down by several ice ages to a mere 760 feet. But in the affections of Montrealers it's a Matterhorn. Without a trace of irony, they call it simply la Montagne or "the Mountain," and it's easy to see why it's so well loved.


Old Montréal (Vieux-Montréal)
A walk through the cobbled streets of Old Montréal is a lot more than a privileged stroll through history; it's also an encounter with a very lively present—especially in summer, when the restaurants and bistros spill out onto the sidewalks; jugglers, musicians, and magicians jockey for performance space on the public squares and along the riverfront, and things get turned up a notch at the Old Port, which has become one of the city's hottest spots for nightlife.


The Plateau and Environs
Plateau Mont-Royal—or simply the Plateau as it's more commonly called these days—is still home to a vibrant Portuguese community, but much of the housing originally built for factory workers has been bought and renovated by professionals, artists, performers, and academics eager to find a place to live close to all the action. The Plateau is always bustling, even in the dead of winter, but on sunny summer weekends it's packed with Montrealers who come here to shop, dine, and watch each other.