Lachine Canal National Historic Site (Parks Canada) Guide : National Parks Navigator
Parks Canada Lachine Canal: Montréal
What to visit in Montréal?
It all begins with the Old Port. This is where Ville Marie (Montreal's original name) started. Start with the waterfront buildings and Place Jacques Cartier to tour the city. If you have come by boat (everything from a cruise ship to a yacht) you can come to the center of Montréal via the St. Lawrence River or, for smaller vessels, the Lachine Canal itself a National Historic site that is some 14 kilometers long with 5 locks and 5 lock stations. The western end of the canal is on Lake St. Louis with magnificent parks and great bike paths to get there. An area not to miss is the Atwater Market with tremendous amounts of fresh produce and even a floating restaurant. There are bike rental shops as well as food trucks and snack bars nearby.The very walkable downtown is filled with museums, shops galore, pubs and fantastic restaurants. Indigenous tradition layered with French influence create a richer, more nuanced, and vibrantly presented way of life. Let your traveling spirits thrive on learning from the new. Montreal is a welcome whiplash of streaming language, arts, literature, history… all playing into the experiences awaiting. And then, the Old Port is simply spectacular. A couple of days there was only enough to tease.
Mont Royal, the city quickly falls away: hiking to visit this iconic park in the center of Montreal will open spectacular views from several trails to the impressive Chalet with Belvedere at the top. The view from the Chalet’s Kondiaronk Belvedere is outstanding. The viewpoint is named for the great Huron chief who was instrumental in forming the Great Peace of 1701 with the French. At every turn the locals are engaging and helpful. Even if your French is basic at best, and in everyday life English is spoken by most. It is not an obstacle: friendliness and interest will see every interaction through.
Booking.comWhere to eat?
Tastes enhance the memory of a place, and Montreal will certainly add a few in particular. You cannot go to Montreal without eating poutine (well, you could, but it would be very wrong!). A favorite is La Banquise! Streetside vendors sell a wide variety of crepes, that’s better fast food than any chain! Montreal abounds in restauants from the Old Port to Chinatown.
How to visit the Park?
ACCESS: Train service is available to Montréal by Via Rail Canada and https://www.amtrak.com/train-routes Amtrak. Montreal is served by Air through Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. The Trans Canada Highway (Route 40) passes through Montreal. Bus service is also availble.
Where to stay?
ACCOMODATIONS: Numerous private campgrounds are avaialble as well as hotels, inns and bed and breakfast locations.
The Park has some Camping available along the canal. Two reccomended hotels in downtown are as follows: Hotel Bonaventure and Embassy Suites. Best deal on the Metro (Montreal subway) but a distance from downtown is: Hotel Ruby Foos.
Montreal night
Cathedral: Marie Reine du Monde
Queen Victoria at McGill University
Montreal Convention Center
