City sights from Mount Royal and Outremont
Head up the gentle slope of Mount Royal to see views of Montréal from the mountain's lookouts. Right in the middle of town, the park is a year-round hub of both natural beauty and cultural activities. At the mountain's base, the elegant streets of Outremont await with chic shopping, dining and gob-smacking houses on view.
The hills are alive
Locals call it “the Mountain,” and Mount Royal is both Montréal’s namesake and spiritual, natural heart. Hike past countless surprise lookouts en route to the city’s iconic illuminated cross and catch glimpses of Montréal from some of its best angles. The slopes are home to the behemoth Saint Joseph’s Oratory and two of the city’s universities. The students are regular explorers of the park’s back trails and historical graveyards. In winter, the mountain’s skating ponds and sledding hills stay packed with warm-hearted adventurers.
Down below, the streets of Outremont buzz with shoppers and strollers. Avenue Laurier offers upscale fashion and bistros, while Bernard Street is lined with stately dream homes and cafés. Busy Du Parc Avenue runs alongside the neighbourhood, marked by charming influences from the city’s Greek and Jewish communities. Parc Jeanne-Mance rests at the foot of the Mount, beloved by sport enthusiasts, lounging lovers, and site of the weekly tam-tam concerts whose rhythms ricochet through the surrounding trees.
Mount Royal and Outremont musts
There’s no Montréal without Mount Royal, and no visit to the city is complete without checking these musts off your bucket list. (You also deserve a reward après-ski/hike, and Outremont’s got you covered for some memorable Montréal pampering).
- Soak up the view over downtown and across the St. Lawrence River from the Mount Royal Chalet.
- Watch the cross twinkle from up close.
- Break your personal speed records sledding down the snowy slopes.
- Bask in awe at the mammoth Saint Joseph's Oratory.
- Enjoy fine dining and unique shopping in Outremont.