Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve

For one high-octane weekend in June, Montréal’s Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve racecourse roars to life with the Formula One Grand Prix du Canada. Just a short metro ride from downtown, the 4.361-kilometre (2.5 miles) speedway is a favourite among drivers, but also among cyclists, joggers, walkers and in-line skaters who test their speeds along the multipurpose track when the F1 isn’t in town. 

Surrounded by verdant foliage sprinkled with public artwork, this idyllic setting on Île Notre-Dame offers a pleasant place to watch a race, to train or to simply go for a stroll and admire the stunning view of the Montréal skyline across the river.

Named for Québec F1 driving legend Gilles Villeneuve, the challenging track reflects his driving style: aggressive and technical. Loaded with tight twists, hairpin turns and high-speed straights, it is an ideal venue for enthralling racing. In 1978, cars and drivers in the North American Formula Atlantic championship competed in the first official race on the circuit, just two weeks before Gilles Villeneuve drove his Ferrari to take the checkered flag in Montréal’s first-ever Formula One Grand Prix du Canada. From that point on, Gilles Villeneuve established his place among the nation’s most revered drivers.