Schmap Montreal Neighborhood Guide

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Montreal - Neighborhood Guide
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Montreal Home
Schmap Montreal guide and map

Bienvenue à Montréal! Now that's hospitality with a distinctly French flavor—and what could be more appropriate for the second largest French-speaking metropolis in the world? But French is only one of 35 or so languages you'll hear on the streets of this international island city of close to two million inhabitants (more than 3.3 million if you include the suburban neighborhoods).

Demographics show that Montreal's residents come from 80 countries, forming an urban mosaic of vibrant ethnic communities and neighborhoods safe to walk in day or night. Visitors will detect a distinct British influence in parts of the city, inherent in the culture since the days when English merchants controlled the city's trade. All in all, it's easy to see why "cosmopolitan" is the adjective most used in describing Montreal.

"Joie de Vivre"

Characteristically, there's the famous "joie de vivre"—the ineffable combination of spirit and ambience Montrealers exude without even trying. You'll see it in the summertime cappuccino-sippers cramming sidewalk cafés; in the long queues outside Schwartz's, home to the city's best smoked meat; and in the lovers holding hands on Mount Royal, the city's parkland mountain rising 264 meters. The same spirit can even be felt on an outdoor skating rink in the dead of winter, in the tuxedoed crowd listening raptly to the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (Orchestre symphonique de Montréal), or when hockey fanatics at the Bell Centre scream and pump their fists in unison with every Montreal Canadiens' goal.

What makes Montreal one of the world's truly great cities? It starts with its location. The island sits at the confluence of three rivers: the mighty St. Lawrence, the Rivière des Prairies and the Ottawa. Montrealers talk of their streets as going north-south and east-west, but the island itself is askew, tilted to the northeast.

The Main

Splitting the city in half, both physically and psychologically, is St-Laurent Boulevard—The Main, as it is affectionately known. It is here that waves of immigrants first settled upon their arrival in the New World. Reminders of the past still abound in family-run Polish delis tucked in beside upscale restaurants and in dollar stores located next door to swank billiards emporiums. This is ground zero for the city's addresses (streets number east and west from St-Laurent) and, historically, this was the demarcation line between English and French Montreal, with the French predominating to the east and the English to the west.

These days, the dividing line is no longer completely rigid, but there are still distinct English and French areas. You'll find the English restaurant and bar scene concentrated on Bishop and Crescent Streets; the French on St-Denis Street and areas east in the Latin Quarter (Quartier Latin) and Gay Village. The traditional French residential areas are tightly packed districts that stretch all the way to the Olympic Park (Parc Olympique) and Hochelaga-Maisonneuve; English becomes more noticeable as you move west, culminating in the affluent suburb of Westmount.

Old Montreal

At the southern end of St-Laurent Boulevard, past Chinatown, lies the historic district of Old Montreal (Vieux-Montréal), a major tourist attraction with its cobblestone streets, horse-drawn calèche rides and Old Port (Vieux-Port) activities. This is where, in 1642, the city's first European settlers staked their claim to a land they thought was theirs by divine right. You can still see the remnants of their original fortifications, and you can check out artifacts from the period at the Montreal History Centre (Centre d'histoire de Montréal) as well as the Pointe-à-Callière Museum of archaeology and history. Also found here are the oldest buildings in Montreal, with some, such as the Sainte-Sulpice Seminary (Vieux Séminaire Saint-Sulpice), dating back to the late 17th century.

Montreal Islands

Across the St-Lawrence River, the Expo 67 islands of Ste-Hélène and Notre-Dame still glitter from when Montreal hosted the World's Fair in 1967. Today the site is home to La Ronde amusement park, the Gilles Villeneuve Racetrack (Circuit Gilles Villeneuve) and Montreal's world-class Casino.

Plateau Mont-Royal

On the other end of The Main is the Plateau Mont-Royal neighborhood, unusual in that it encompasses both ethnic shops and restaurants on Parc Avenue as well as the hip Francophone crowd along St-Denis Street. This is Canada's most densely populated area, and its smaller streets, with their winding staircases and small BYOW (bring your own wine) restaurants, remain a picture of true Montreal life.

Little Italy

Just a little further north and it's "Viva l'Italia!", the original home of the first Italian immigrants and now one of the liveliest areas in the city with its espresso bars, boutiques and authentic Italian cuisine.

Underground City

No visit to Montreal is complete without a visit to the Underground City—Montreal-above-ground has been described as the tip of the urban iceberg. Beneath it lies the world's most extensive system of interconnected pedestrian and Metro (subway) networks, linking buildings, boutiques, restaurants and even residential apartments. You could spend an entire winter in this subterranean city without ever once having to face the cold or snow.

Metro

The Metro system itself has lines running east-west and north-south (albeit, askew) to just about every part of the city. While you're down there, check out the 62 architecturally unique stations, each created by a different designer.

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Chinatown

Montreal
Canada

This thriving, bustling nerve centre of Montreal's Chinese community teems with restaurants, unique craft shops, martial arts emporiums, exotic foods, herb and traditional medicine stores, Asian medical services and acupuncturists. Designed with pedestrian traffic in mind, the narrow streets are constantly packed with visitors and those who work in the area. Dozens of restaurants dole out weekend dim sum brunches and late-night victuals. At the entrance to the district are large arches, replicas of Imperial gates.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Downtown

Montreal
Canada
This district was once the wealthiest neighbourhood in Canada. It is estimated that the few hundred families in the district held an astonishing 70 percent of the entire country's wealth! Massive homes such as Ravenscrag-a 60-room mansion on des Pins Avenue West-were typical. You can still catch glimpses of this grandeur, where upscale apartment buildings, boutiques, restaurants, art galleries and museums have replaced many former residences, especially north of Sherbrooke.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Downtown East

Montreal
Canada
Another significant cluster of mid-range hotels centres around Sherbrooke Street just east of McGill University. The Quality Hotel, for example, just off Sherbrooke Street on Avenue du Parc, offers good value and is a five-minute walk from Place des Arts and the Metro station. Other popular mid-to-high range hotels on the eastern fringe of downtown include the Delta Montreal and the Sheraton Four Points Montreal.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Downtown West

Montreal
Canada
The eastern and western fringes of the downtown core reveal their own range of accommodations, from budget to high-end. The luxurious Le Meridien Versailles at Sherbrooke Street is a good example of a popular smaller hotel for out-of-towners. It is situated a stone's throw away from the west-end Guy Metro station, as is the more mid-range Hôtel du Fort.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Little Italy

Montreal
Canada
Just a little further north and it's <33410,"Viva l'Italia!">, the original home of the first Italian immigrants and now one of the liveliest areas in the city with its espresso bars, boutiques and authentic Italian cuisine.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Mile-End

Montreal
Canada
Mile-End is the most ethnically diverse section of the Plateau. Many Outremont residents travel to this district to shop and relax.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Old Montreal

Montreal
Canada
At the southern end of <31622,St-Laurent Boulevard>, past <30106,Chinatown>, lies the historic district of <29587,Old Montreal> (Vieux-Montréal), a major tourist attraction with its cobblestone streets, horse-drawn calèche rides and <31052,Old Port> (Vieux-Port) activities. This is where, in 1642, the city's first European settlers staked their claim to a land they thought was theirs by divine right. You can still see the remnants of their original fortifications, and you can check out artifacts from the period at the <24458,Montreal History Centre> (Centre d'histoire de Montréal) as well as the <25754,Pointe-à-Callière Museum> of archaeology and history. Also found here are the oldest buildings in Montreal, with some, such as the <38421,Sainte-Sulpice Seminary> (Vieux Séminaire Saint-Sulpice), dating back to the late 17th century.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Plateau Mont-Royal

Montreal
Canada
On the other end of The Main is the <31619,Plateau Mont-Royal> neighborhood, unusual in that it encompasses both ethnic shops and restaurants on <31623,Parc Avenue> as well as the hip Francophone crowd along <47839,St-Denis Street>. This is Canada's most densely populated area, and its smaller streets, with their winding staircases and small BYOW restaurants, remain a picture of true Montreal life.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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The Village

Montreal
Canada
Located partially in the Latin Quarter, this is one of the largest gay neighbourhoods in North America. Although known mostly for its wild nightlife, the area bustles with dozens of cafes, bistros, boutiques, antique shops, restaurants and taverns. There are also beautifully renovated homes, lovely gardens and a proliferation of flowers. August is the time for the Divers Cité gay pride parade, which, together with the huge Black and Blue party in October, attracts nearly half a million participants.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Other Schmapplets in this city related to "Montreal - Neighborhood Guide"
Montreal
Montreal - Historical Background
Montreal - Where to Stay
Montreal - Dining & Drinking
Montreal - Art & Entertainment
Other nearby cities:
Ottawa (167 miles)
Boston (395 miles)
Toronto (508 miles)
Buffalo (511 miles)
Niagara Falls (520 miles)
New York (535 miles)
Philadelphia (626 miles)
Baltimore (733 miles)
Washington DC (788 miles)
Detroit (841 miles)

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