Lieux méconnus à Montréal — photo à remplacer avant publication.

7 lesser-known Montreal spots to discover this summer

7 lieux méconnus à découvrir à Montréal cet été

Summer

Free

7 places

The Old Port and Mount Royal are well known to everyone, tourists included. These seven spots are far less so — perfect for anyone who's already seen the classics, or who simply wants fewer crowds.

Cité du Havre and Habitat 67: a quiet peninsula

Cité du Havre is a narrow peninsula right next to the Old Port, built partly from Expo 67 excavation material. It's home to Habitat 67, the stacked-concrete-module residential complex designed by architect Moshe Safdie — a private building today, admired from the outside rather than toured.

This is the only spot on this list with no metro station nearby: it's best reached by bike along the path running from the Old Port, or by car.

The Lachine Canal: a bike path through industrial history

The Lachine Canal connects the Old Port to the Lachine neighbourhood over several kilometres, lined with former factories converted into condos and a continuous bike path. It's now a National Historic Site of Canada, quieter than the Old Port despite being right next door.

You can access it on foot or by bike from several points, including the Charlevoix or Lionel-Groulx metro stations, depending on which stretch you're aiming for.

Promenade Bellerive and the Verdun waterfront

Verdun has built several kilometres of promenade along the St. Lawrence River, with an urban beach and docks that lead right down to the water. It's a spot very popular with local residents, but still not well known to visitors from other boroughs.

The promenade itself is open at all times and free to access. Swimming access rules at the beach can vary — it's best to check on site before planning to swim.

Either the De l'Église or Verdun metro station leads to a short walk to the promenade.

Bassin Bonsecours: a quiet corner in the heart of the Old Port

Bassin Bonsecours is a small basin built into the middle of the Old Port, where you can rent paddleboats or kayaks in summer. Even in peak tourist season, this corner often stays less crowded than the main docks right next to it.

The Champ-de-Mars metro station is a few minutes' walk from the basin. Walking around it is free; boat rentals cost money.

Village au Pied-du-Courant: under the Jacques-Cartier Bridge

Under the piers of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge, a seasonal community space sets up each summer with terraces, programming, and an unusual river view from directly beneath the bridge. The exact lineup changes from season to season — it's best to check what's happening before heading over.

The area is walkable from the Village neighbourhood, with the Papineau metro station being the closest.

Atwater Market: the public market along the Lachine Canal

Atwater Market is a public market housed in a historic building topped with a clock tower, right on the Lachine Canal in Le Sud-Ouest. Less busy than Jean-Talon Market, it mostly draws cyclists stopping along the canal path.

Walking between the outdoor stalls and the indoor building is free. Despite what the name suggests, the closest metro station isn't Atwater — it's Lionel-Groulx, about a ten-minute walk away.

Île-de-la-Visitation: a nature park far from downtown

In the north end of the island of Montreal, the Île-de-la-Visitation nature park runs along the Rivière des Prairies with wooded trails and an old mill dating back to the French Regime. It's a noticeably quieter area than the downtown spots — few visitors make it this far.

The park isn't reachable by metro; getting there by car or bike is generally simpler than by public transit. Entry and the walking trails are free.