I have lived all over the island and south shore, but currently I live in Griffintown/Little Burgundy. St. Cunegonde de la Petite Bourgogne is the parish name. Montreal neighbourhoods have names from the past parish lines, federal and provincial political districts and local lore. Griffintown was built for Irish immigrants who worked on the Lachine Canal. It was destroyed by Mayor Jean Drapeau in a slum-clearing project in preparation for Expo 67. It covers the area of lower downtown from the Lachine Canal to St. Antoine, roughly from Mountain Street to Atwater.
The canal is now a wonderful place to walk, bike or have a picnic. In thepast it was a place of heavy industry and poverty. The city has done of wonderful job of remaking a disused area. We can walk to the suburb of Lachine or to the Old Port. Atwater Market is just off the canal and is a great place to pick up food.
Little Burgundy has a tough reputation. It is a hard place to grow up. It has the highest proportion of single-parent families in the city. There is quite a lot of youth gang activity but there is little or no crime against local residents. In Montreal, random violence is rare but if you are involved in criminal activity, you have a higher likelihood of being hurt. Kids are being killed in this 'hood but it is still rare.
The great thing is that Griffintown/Little Burgundy is that it is a five minute walk from Concordia, down Guy Street. It used to be called Lowertown because it is at the bottom of Mount Royal. We are close to everything: metros, buses, downtown, canal and parks.
The talk of housing development in Griffintown is frightening. We came here to find a peaceful place to live without the gentrification which has plagued other parts of the downtown area.
If you are looking for something to do with your free time between classes, I invite you to come down the hill and explore the 'hood. You'll be pleasantly surprised. Sometimes the reputation that a neighbourhood has, is undeserved.Image source: Flickr, Aerial Rendering Griffintown, 2007.
I live in Rosemont. It's a very interesting neighbourhood for several reasons. It's quiet, close to downtown, the house prices are relatively low (compared to Plateau Mont-Royal and Westmount) and it's very safe (compared to Ville-Marie or Montréal Nord). I live in a newly developed area called "Shops Angus", a former industrial area that was destroyed to build a new development. The main attraction of Rosemont is probably the "Jardin botannique", a nice park where you can walk and relax. If want to buy a relatively unexpensive condo to grow a family, it's the right neighbourhood for you!
I live on the south shore of Montreal. I've lived there my whole life. I've come close to moving to Montreal. If I ever do move to the island, I would be interested in living in St-Henri, Westmount, Plateau, or Mile End.
Living on the South Shore has its good points and its bad points.
Good points:
- bike paths
- beautiful lanscapes
- quiet
- private
bad points:
- far from everyone and everything
- car is a necessity
- boul Taschereau
- shopping centres
- lack of culture
I live in the Mile End area of Montreal.
It is an extremely interesting area to live in because of the mixture of people that live in the area; youth, families and Hasidic Jews.
It is a safe area with many incredible parks near by in Outremont.
The area is full of great restaurants:
Le Cagibi
Figaro
La Panthere Verte
Club Local
Cafes:
Olympico (Rated #1 Independent Coffee Shop in Montreal)
Social
Navarino
Arts Cafe
Bookshops:
Welsch (Second hand)
Drawn & Quarterly (Leading graphic novel store in Canada)
The area also is home to amazing vintage shops, boutiques, eco-friendly shops, etc, etc.
I live on Nun's Island and I don't think I would like to move anywhere else in Montréal. The island has something special in that it gives you a "countryside" feeling, but still reminds you that you are very close to the big city. I like its design focused on preserving as much of its environment as possible. This is what makes it so special: it's greenery, the shores, the patch of forest, the small lake, the parks.
A slight negative aspect about living on the island is that you have to cross the bridge to get downtown, which can take you quite a while when there are road works or heavy traffic on the bridge. When the two factors combine, it’s even worse. :)
Apart from that, Nun’s Island is an excellent place. I wonder what it will look like, though, in a couple of years when several more high-rises and about 10 000 people will have added to the landscape...
My sister just moved to Griffintown and I really like that area. Its beautiful old apartments and walking trail- not to mention its closeness to Atwater market makes it an ideal location. It's kind of out of the way but still so close to school and downtown- I could definitely see myself living there. I just moved to NDG, and though it's a bit farther from school I like the community feel of the area. I can take my dog to the big dog park accross the street, get fresh delicious bread at the bakery, and browse used bookstores to my heart's content.
I live in Ahuntsic and I really like it. There are many families and the people are nice.
There are many parks at a small walking distance and during summer, children can play in the small pool with all the fountains and everything. It's really fun going there with my little one. There is also l'Ile de la Visitation (10 minutes drive) with its bike paths, good restaurant and its old windmill ruins. There are a few metro stations around, so it's easy going down-town. There's the Fleury Street with its home-made food shops, fancy clothing shops and good restaurants and cafés...
The biggest downside is when you live close to the cegep and you have a car. The students take all available parking spaces, so you can never run errands during the day because you won't have anywhere to park when you come back.
Hochelaga, born and raised. Home of the Hells angels, drug dealers, thieves, hoodlums, prostitues, and all those other wonderful people.
I have to admit, I do live on the fringes of it, almost between the yupies of the Plateau and undesirables of Hochelaga. It has calmed down quite a bit, especially after th ebikers wars who literaly shot the facade off a strip club on Ontario street next to Frontenac metro.
The upside: it toughened me up. Adversity builds character!
I live in the West Island.It's far from everything, too suburban for a young lady like myself, and it's kind of boring compared to downtown life. On the upside, it's very calm, more people speak English than French (which is good for Anglophones), big shopping centers like Fairview Pointe Claire, nice parks, like the Parc Bois-de-liesse, and beautiful sceneries. There are buses that go all the way to the West Island, and AMT trains as well (20 min trip to montreal by train). The only downside is that we don't have any subways. That would be so helpful!! (West Islanders know what I'm talking about..)
I live in Cote-des-Neiges and wouldn't trade for any other neighbourhood, because it's such a convenient location. It's close enough to downtown (25 min. walk, 10 min. by bus), has all the shops you need for survival and the best thing, the beautiful cemetery, which is one my favourite places to walk, is just across the street. Mont Royal is a short distance away, so in winter, I can just put my x-country skies on and reach the MR trails from my house. CDN is also the most ethnically diverse neighbourhood in Montreal.
Can you provide more information on this? cheers
Hi,I live in the Petite Patrie, a neighborhood which is close to Jean-Talon market. My area is pretty safe and there is a lot do and see. My house is located 5 minutes away from Beaubien Metro and St-Hubert Street, a place where you can buy pretty much anything you want at very convenient prices. We also have several new food stores that sell regional specialties and excellent bread and pastries. On St.Zotique there are also many ethnic restaurants, and of course since we are near Little Italy, there are many Italian restaurants too. A little note about Italian stuff, in the vaulted ceiling of the little Church Notre Dame de la Defense on Dante's street, there is the painting of Mussolini, the duce. A very unique feature for a church, really worth seeing!
I live in Pointe St-Charles. I am 15 min walking distance from Atwater market, 5 min walking distance from Charlevoix metro and everything is nearby (downtown, old port, facilities). If I want to go downtown and have some fun, it cost me 10$ for a cab which is perfect when you are a student with no money!! On top of everything, there are two great restaurants, Capri and Magnan. Finally, I can enjoy a bike ride or a picnic on Canal Lachine. I can't ask for more!!!
Dont't tell anyone, but I live on Laurier east, on the Plateau. If you are yet to discover this area of the Plateau, you are missing out on a gem. Fully restored, this area has the charm of of the Plateau before it became overcrowded and overpriced. It's a great place to take a romantic Sunday stroll. Get off at Laurier metro and walk east. After you pass beautiful Laurier park, you'll reach the eastern strip of Laurier. There, you'll find the best of everything. Stop by Montreal Cafe for the best café au lait in town. Try the most unusual sushi combinations at Tri Express, like the Montreal Maki which incorporates shrimp, lobster, mandarin, cucumber, avocado, asparagus and caviar. If you're looking to have breakfest, why not stop at the Toasteur for some homemade cretons or at Byblos for some rose petal jam. Whether you're looking for fresh baked bread, decadent chocolate or some really fancy cheese, you won't find a better gourmet spot on the Plateau than Laurier east. Just don't tell too many people.
I live in Notre Dame de Grace, close to Loyola campus and I love it. It's a quiet area, even though my place it's located next to Wakley street which does not have a very good reputation, from what I've heard. Anyway, as someone else pointed out here, you shouldn't judge a neighbourhood only by its reputation since it might be undeserved. I've never had any problems; there was a time when I finished work around midnight and I used to walk home (maximum 10 minutes, but I was never afraid, on the contrary, I've always felt safe.
Safety is not the only thing I like about my neighbourhood. Another one is that I can find there everything I need. Two supermarkets (one of them Iranian), two pharmacies (part of the most important chains in Canada), three dollar stores, pizza stores, fruits and vegetables markets, bakeries, you can find all of them on a small portion of Sherbrooke street, between Cavendish and Décarie. And this isn't all: there are also a sports store, a piano store (and there are only a few in Montreal), dentists and ophtomologists - almost anything you could think of. I also find very interesting the ethnical diversity of NDG, very well represented in another set of stores: Russian, Polish, Japanase, Coreean.
Besides, there are a lot of parks (even a special one for dogs, if you have one), where you can take a walk, play with squirrels or just lie on the grass and enjoy the sun and the nature around. In winter, free skate rings are in place, so you don't have to go too far for some exercise. So, nobody can complain that there is nothing to do in NDG when you have some free time.
NDG is not very close to downtown, but the public transport is very good in the area, there are many options so it doesn't take you more than 30 minutes to get into downtown. As for Concordia students like me who have courses on George Washington campus, there is the shuttle from Loyola campus that takes you there in 20-25 minutes.
In the past year, when I've lived half of the time at my boyfriend's in LaSalle, I've learned to appreciate NDG even more. It's not that I don't like LaSalle, it is a nice and quiet place. I just feel isolated, with no stores around and with buses that pass only twice within an hour. Well, I hope we'll soon find a solution - either I get a car or we move in a more "animated" neighbourhood.
When I first moved to Montreal from Miami, Florida I was living in Chomedy, Laval for the first few weeks. I quickly made a change of location after realizing that Laval is a completely different city from Montreal and is quite far from all the action. My next destination was Vieux Port, which is one of the most beautiful and eccentric areas in Montreal. Before moving down there my friends warned me that in the winter it is lifeless and there is not much to do. Fortunately, they were completely wrong. The Old Port is full of life any time of the year. There is so many activities, restaurants, gyms, art galleries, amenities and just beautiful views that have been luring Montrealer's to move down to the Port in recent years.
The restaurants range from high-end Indian cuisine, Panini shops, gourmet bakeries, Italian trattorias, Greek bistros and of course the hidden yet exceptional restaurants that only locals know about. I would wake up in the morning and go for a jog and discover a new amazing place to have my coffee while looking at beautiful local art or eat an amazing giant gourmet sandwich at an industrial sized table with 10 other people I don't know. The opportunities for young business people from any type of profession to meet other associates in these restaurants are endless. Not to mention that most of these restaurants turn into hot spots that play music from all different genres and serve funky martini's that will blow your socks off!
There is always some sort of action going on in the Old Port. You can go biking or rollerblading along the canal in the summer or even take a carriage ride over to Place Jacques Cartier and sit on a terrace while enjoying a fresh drink. In the winter there are ice festivals and all kinds of action going on and people come and stand in the cold or walk around whether there is rain or snow.
Although the Old Port may seem to you like a party zone rather than a place to live, there are tons of amenities that make living there actually quite serene and comfortable. There are grocery stores in close proximity, dry cleaners, pharmacies, etc. If you know the secrets of the area, you can even go buy your vegetables and fruits from the wholesale store that sell to all the restaurants in that area! There are also great gyms and libraries close buy for your convenience. Depending on where you live in the old port it is not so noisy. The buildings are mostly renovated and updated therefore strong concrete walls.
The Old Port is pretty safe mainly because there are so many people and there is also a lot of police circulating. There are policemen on bikes, horses, in their cars, or just patrolling because of the amount of tourists that come for events like the Grand Prix. However, there is one area of the Old Port that is filled with homeless and they do harass you a little bit. You must be careful not to leave anything in your car that may even seem worth something for example a plastic bag or charger for GPS. They will break your window for the most minor thing you leave behind. At night I am always careful when walking on little streets since the old port has tons of little alleyways that lead to main streets.
Currently I do not live in the Old Port anymore but I do think that for anyone that wants to experience Old Port living should gave it a try. I think it is great for singles and it was definitely one of the most exciting times in my life. Old Port has a Montreal vibe to it that can only be experienced not so much explained.
I moved to Montreal in 2008 to continue my studies in Concordia University. I was born in Lima, Peru and when I came here I had no clue of where to move in, so I decided to live the university residences. I lived within the Loyola Campus in the Snowdon area. This was a different experience since this is a very residential area and the closest thing we had was a Second Cup in a 10 minutes walking distance. There were no grocery stores close by and no restaurants where we could enjoy a late snack.
After 4 months, I decided to live downtown to be part of a neighborhood with a broader selection of activities as well as restaurants and entertainment. I moved to Maisonneuve, in between St. Marc and Dufort. It is funny how not having a grocery stores was hard for me because I made sure to have two grocery stores within a five minute walk. This change was big! I never expected downtown to be so busy in the weekends and by busy I mean LOUD! To be quite honest, It was not the experience I hoped for. It was too loud because of young people being silly on the streets but also because of firemen sirens!!! It was unbelievable, but at least once a week there were sirens past 1PM. I Became addicted to earplugs, so after two years I decided I had to change environment.
I moved to Cote des Neiges, only 4 stops after Guy going Northbound. This was the best decision I ever made. I was still close to School, five or ten minutes depending on how often the buses pass by and I was having peace at nights with no sounds or disturbance. I now live beside the General hospital which gives me pleasant night sleeps since no firemen or ambulance sirens are permitted!
Currently, I am looking forward to moving again. I would like to try Little Italy or the Plateau to have more experience in a french neighborhood. I really like the architecture, how the houses are designed and how space has been distributed. I dream about a small apartment in little italy or Le Plateau which is fully modernized and which is surrounded by small independent coffee shops, small restaurants and a close metro stop!!!
I live in a little town called La Plaine, it was very small when I moved here in 1996 with my parents. Not many people have heard of La Plaine, it is on the North Shore beside Terrebonne and Mascouche. Everything has changed so much in the last 15 years, so many houses have been built. I live in a nice neighbourhood, it is quiet and most of our neighbours are nice. I actually just moved out of my parents’ house last week and moved into my friend’s apartment in Montreal. She needed a new roommate so I decided to help her out until she moves in with another friend in July. It is a big change for me, moving from a quit town to the big city. Thank god I have a GPS because I would spend most of my time getting lost. So far I like it, I never have to use my car, I am close to the metro station and it takes me a lot less time to get to school and to work.
I live in the NDG, villa maria. It is calm, busy and everything is near the corner. The metro, the subway, clothing store...anything you want you find it near my place!
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