Parc du Mont-Royal (Mount Royal Park)
Parc du Mont-Royal is a beautiful hilltop park offering hiking trails and spectacular views of the city
The city of Montreal derives its name from Mount Royal, the large hill that overlooks Montreal Island and the Saint Lawrence River. Spread out over the hill is Parc du Mont-Royal, the most famous of Montreal's parks. From the upper portions you can enjoy unsurpassed views of the city and its surroundings.
The mountain is technically more of a large hill with a total of three peaks ranging in height from 659-754 feet above sea level. Covering an area just shy of 500 acres, the park offers visitors a wide range of activities. From spring through autumn visitors can enjoy walking or hiking on the many paths and taking in the beautiful vistas of the Montreal Skyline and beyond. Paddle boats can be rented at the small lake. During the winter months you can still walk or hike, but you can also enjoy cross-country skiing, ice skating on Beaver Lake or tubing and tobogganing on the toboggan runs. Equipment rentals are available. For a real workout try climbing the Mount Royal Stairs, 400 wooden steps up the mountain starting from the corner of Peel Street and Pine Avenue.
The park is beautiful anytime of the year, but is particularly well known for the colourful displays of foliage throughout its mixed forests during autumn.
A prominent feature of the park is the giant 103 foot cross that sits atop the hill. Brilliant LED lighting make it especially prominent at night. The lights are normally white, but the color can be changed for special occasions. The current cross was erected in 1924, but its roots go all the way back to 1643 when the first cross was erected to fulfill a vow made by the city's founder, Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve, when praying to Virgin Mary to prevent a threatening flood.
There are a couple of popular lookouts on the hill. The largest is Belvedere Kondiaronk which was built in 1906. It sits in front of the historic Chalet du Mont-Royal, a magnificent stone building constructed as a 'make work project' during the Great Depression which served as a venue for Big Band concerts throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Today the Chalet can be reserved for major provincial, national or international events providing they do not interfere with the ability of visitors to access the park and the lookout. When the Chalet is not being used for a special event, you can visit the cafeteria for snacks and refreshments. The rustic interior features exposed wood beams and a stone fireplace. Original paintings illustrating the history of Montreal hang from the walls. The other belvedere, a bit of a lovers point, looks east toward Olympic Park.
During the summer season you can ride a free shuttle bus between Laurier Metro Station and the Belvedere Kondiaronk lookout. The 804 Shuttle operates every 30 minutes. Scroll down to the directions section below for more details.
The greenspace of Mount Royal is further extended along the western flank by two expansive cemeteries; Mont-Royal and Cote-des-Neiges and on the northeast by Parc Jeanne-Mance which has a soccer field, baseball diamonds and tennis courts. Dining in the park is available in the Pavilion located by Beaver Lake where you can choose from a cafeteria or formal dining room.
With so much to offer, Parc du Mont Royal should definitely be on your must see list and is a place where you can easily enjoy the better part of an entire day. For a completely different view don't miss the opportunity to visit one of the lookouts at night as well.
Visit Mount Royal Lookout Walkfor our step-by-step directions and a park map that will guide you from Peel Metro station, via the trails and stairs, to the bevedere lookout on top of Mont-Royal.
Nearby attractions: Oratoire St Joseph, Musee des Beaux Arts (Museum of Fine Arts) and McGill University
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: NoParc du Mont-Royal Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: 6:00 AM – 12:00 AM
- Tuesday: 6:00 AM – 12:00 AM
- Wednesday: 6:00 AM – 12:00 AM
- Thursday: 6:00 AM – 12:00 AM
- Friday: 6:00 AM – 12:00 AM
- Saturday: 6:00 AM – 12:00 AM
- Sunday: 6:00 AM – 12:00 AM
Address: 1260 Chem. Remembrance, Montréal, QC H3H 1A2, Canada
Phone: (514) 843-8240
Official Website: Parc du Mont-Royal
Parc du Mont-Royal Reviews
Rated out of 5
Montreal's Royal Park, an urban oasis, offers a wide range of amenities including well-maintained trails, playgrounds, tennis courts, and a boating lake. Access is convenient with multiple public transport options, such as buses and metro services, ensuring easy connectivity. For those driving, ample parking is available, making the park accessible for everyone.
彭威（PengWei） - a week ago
It’s a mountain in a city, FREAKING AWESOME, it’s a beautiful and huge parc, that gives you views like no other city in the world, it’s a nice climb through some stairs, but it gets awesome when you reach the kondiaronk and for an extra challenge get to the summit.
Mohammed Alam - 2 months ago
Beautiful park for the view after hiking, stroll, cross country skiing. Different paths to choose from depending on duration, difficulty and your mood. Specular view of the whole Montreal.
Ling Ho - 3 months ago
One of the best attractions of Montreal. You can view the beautiful city from the top and enjoy the breathtaking natural beauty during the walk. There is ample parking ($3.5 per 30 minutes or so) and the viewpoint is 5 minutes away. It is wheel chair/stroller accesible but you might have to push a little given the steep incline at some points. But, overall, conveniently accessible.
Trending Now - a week ago
Beautiful park with stunning views overlooking Montreal
Dave Young - in the last week
Directions
| Metro Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Line 2 - Orange | Station Mont-Royal, Station Laurier | 0 Minutes |
| Line 1 - Green | Station Peel | 9 Minutes |
How to get to Parc du Mont-Royal by Metro
By Metro and Free Shuttle Bus: From mid June until mid September STM offers free shuttle bus service between Laurier Metro Station and the Kondiaronk Belevedere lookout. The Route 804 Shuttle operates every 30 minutes with departures from Laurier Metro Station between 9 am and 12:30 pm.
By Metro and Bus: Take Metro Line 2 to Station Mont-Royal and catch bus 11-O (West) at stop 54005 on the east side of the station. The first stop in the park is by a lookout that provides some nice views to the east. There is a hiking trail that starts from the south end of the parking area located at the stop. The bus makes 2 more stops along the park before looping around at the other end close to Beaver Lake and the Pavilion which is another good place to disembark and begin exploring.
By Metro and Hiking: if you feel like a good workout, you can take Metro Line 1 to Peel Station; exit and walk (northwest) up Peel Street to the steps at the base of Mount Royal where you can climb up the 400 steps (9 minutes to the start of the climb). For a more detailed directions see Mount Royal Lookout Walk.
Map & Instant Route Finder
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Accommodations near Parc du Mont-Royal:
Photo Gallery
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View from belvedere Kondiaronk in Parc du Mont-Royal cc licensed photo by HBarrison -
Photo Credit: Phil Roeder - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: De Bretagne et d'ailleurs - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Phil Roeder - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Phil Roeder - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Phil Roeder - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Phil Roeder - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Ken Lund - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Ken Lund - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Ken Lund - cc license via Flickr
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