Central shopping
In the heart of downtown's Quartier des spectacles, Complexe Desjardins is a go-to spot for picking up whatever you may need on the go. Its 110 shops and restaurants range from fashion boutiques to shoe stores, cafés to steakhouses, plus a pharmacy, a grocery store and the complex's namesake bank.
But what truly sets Complexe Desjardins apart? The wide open La Grande-Place square at its centre, boasting 24-metre-high ceilings and a fountain that often features colourful multimedia shows. An eco-friendly lighting canopy, trees and other greenery create a woodsy, open-air ambience indoors. Seating, smart lockers, free wi-fi, seasonal sales and pop-up markets, and other events transform the complex into a year-round gathering place.
Events for all
With a prime location on Sainte-Catherine Street West across from major arts and culture hub Place des Arts, it's no surprise that Complexe Desjardins hosts hundreds of events and art exhibitions year-round. Enjoy lunchtime concerts during music festival Les Francos de Montréal in mid-June. Jazz ensembles and more musicians keep toes tapping during the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal in late June. In July, don’t miss awe-inspiring indoor circus acts by acrobats and jugglers during MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE and laugh it up at free comedy shows at Just For Laughs Festival. In mid-August, Complexe Desjardins hosts events for Montréal Pride and the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal presents classical music concerts during the OSM Classical Spree.
If you're in Montréal for the winter holidays, step into a sparkling Magic Kingdom, complete with glittering trees and decorations, a mini train, pictures with Santa, and antics from his elves. Watch the fountain light up and seem to dance to music, and listen to choirs and chamber orchestras as they perform classic Christmas and holiday tunes.
Underground access to two metro stations (Place-des-Arts and Place d'Armes) and passageways into Place des Arts and the Montréal Convention Centre (Palais des congrès) make Complexe Desjardins especially convenient for visitors on foot, while underground parking means you can park right on site – no matter what the season.
Pools, patios and coworking
Music fills the Complexe Desjardins terraces and restaurants at lunchtime during music festivals, while the Restaurant Bivouac features a large outdoor patio at the DoubleTree by Hilton Montreal – go for a drink or a meal overlooking Place des Festivals. Among the many hotel pools in Montréal, the hotel’s indoor pool, awash in natural light, feels like a resort-like escape in the midst of downtown.
If you’re looking for a place to work before you relax, head to Complex Desjardins’ specially designed workspaces, Les Espaces temps: three different spaces, Équinoxe, Zénith and Éclipse, provide a twist on the traditional office layout. And if you're staying at the Double Tree or trying to situate yourself downtown at night, just look to the city skyline: the Desjardins towers light up entirely in green by nightfall.
