Cities
Montréal
St. Lawrence RiverA fascinating human mosaic
Chinatown
Cheek-by-jowl with downtown Montréal, immense multicoloured archways that hearken back to Imperial China welcome you to our own little slice of Asia. Montréal’s Chinatown provides a welcome change of scene with its pedestrian mall lined with Asian businesses, restaurants and food markets. Everything works to reinforce the impression of exotic new surroundings: the perfumes of the Orient, the ornate street lights and engraved bronze paving stones that bedeck Rue de La Gauchetière, the park commemorating Sun Yat-Sen, and the pagoda-topped hotel.
The “underground city”
Montréal offers shoppers a sweet deal with its “underground city.” A 30-km (18.5-mi.) network of shopping malls and corridors connects major stores, restaurants, hotels, museums, cinemas and theatres and provides access to metro, train and bus stations. The network brings 2,000 businesses in contact with dozens of residential complexes and office buildings. Nearly 500,000 people walk these subterranean corridors each day, where they are sheltered from the inclemencies of weather.Quartier international (international district)
Rubbing elbows with Old Montréal, this new and resolutely modern urban space harbours a great many activities with distinctly international leanings. Its sculptures, fountains and public spaces highlight the stone and glass façades and create an inviting setting for a leisurely stroll. The neighbourhood extends from the imposing Palais des congrès to the ICAO headquarters and includes the Tour de la Bourse (Stock Exchange Tower), designed by the great Italian architect P. L. Nervi.The Latin Quarter
Located around the Université du Québec à Montréal, this small student quarter teems with life and action. The popular Rue Saint-Denis is chock-a-block with bars, cafés, bistros, bookstores and boutiques of all kinds. Various cinemas and theatres, along with the Bibliothèque nationale du Québec, the Cinémathèque québécoise and the National Film Board of Canada, make the area one of the city’s favourite cultural haunts.The Gay Village
The “Village,” as it is commonly known, is an urban neighbourhood that presents one of the world’s highest concentrations of stores and establishments serving the gay community. A stone’s throw from downtown, the Village extends along both sides of Rue Sainte-Catherine (the area’s main commercial artery) to the south end of Parc Lafontaine. Known for openness, liveliness and a touch of eccentricity—not to mention great restaurants—the Village helps make Montréal a truly extraordinary destination!The Plateau Mont-Royal
Favoured for its proximity to downtown, the Plateau is a human-scale neighbourhood popular for its intense cultural life, trendy restaurants and urban, friendly lifestyle. A favourite with the artistic community, the neighbourhood begins just east of Mont Royal and converges around Parc Lafontaine. Major shopping avenues alternate with quiet streets that are lined with the city’s characteristic low-rise dwellings and curving outdoor staircases.The Quartier des spectacles
This area, located at the hub of the city’s cultural action, has long welcomed numerous international festivals. It boasts some 30 entertainment venues, including the halls at Place des arts, art galleries and alternative cultural centres. The entertainment district’s list of luminary sites includes the Théâtre du Nouveau-Monde, the Monument-National, the Society for Arts and Technology, the Metropolis and Club Soda. 
