Mount Royal
The mountain, its lookouts and the Sunday drumming
Mount Royal is the green hill in the middle of the island, and the park on it covers wooded trails, lookouts, Beaver Lake and a path to the cross. It also holds two big cemeteries, Saint Joseph's Oratory on the western slope and the Sunday Tam-Tams at the foot. The park marks its 150th anniversary with activities from June 2026 to May 2027.
Climb to the Mount Royal Chalet and walk out to the Kondiaronk Lookout for the main view of downtown. The chalet is open from 8:00 to 20:00 and the lookout from 6:00 to midnight. For the east side of the city, go to the Camillien-Houde Lookout instead, which is open until 23:00.
Beaver Lake has a two-floor pavilion with a café and, in summer, rowboats, and skates and snowshoes can be rented there in winter. Down at Parc Jeanne-Mance, the Tam-Tams run Sundays from noon to sundown in season, with the dance floor on the steps of the George-Étienne Cartier monument.
Getting there
Mont-Royal station on the Orange line is closest to the Tam-Tams and the east side of the park, and bus 11 climbs the mountain to the chalet area. Côte-des-Neiges station on the Blue line serves Saint Joseph's Oratory and Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery.
What to see
Saint Joseph's Oratory has a basilica, a crypt church and a museum. The museum is open 10:00 to 16:30. Mount Royal Cemetery and Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery are both on the mountain and both publish their gate hours, which shorten in autumn. At Notre-Dame-des-Neiges the grounds close at 17:00 and the mausoleums at 16:00. The Garden of the Way of the Cross at the Oratory is open from May 1 to Thanksgiving, so it has just closed for the year.
Where to eat and drink
The Café des Amis at the chalet serves snacks, coffee and sandwiches from 9:00 to 19:00. The café at the Beaver Lake Pavilion serves full meals from 10:00 to 19:00.
Good to know
The Smith House visitor centre has been closed since December 2024, so use the chalet for information. Dress for wind at the top. Stay on marked trails. Winter brings skating and snowshoeing, with rentals at the Beaver Lake Pavilion.
Nearby neighbourhoods
Outremont Bistros on Laurier, a quiet park and a theatre on Avenue Bernard 
Downtown and Quartier des spectacles Museums on Sherbrooke, festivals at Place des Arts and a city under the streets 
Mile End Two bagel bakeries, vinyl shops and a handful of venues on the Main 
Westmount Lookouts, a free conservatory and a Mies van der Rohe landmark The best of Mount Royal
Things to do in Mount Royal
What's on in Mount Royal
Local events in the next 30 days, read from the ward, park and organiser pages each one links to.
The Mountain at the Heart of Montreal: 150 Years of Mount Royal Park Exhibition
On now, until 31 Dec · Mount Royal Park
A free outdoor exhibition of archival photographs from the McCord Stewart Museum tracing 150 years of Mount Royal Park.
Free · Map · Source: Les amis de la montagne · Outdoor exhibition: The Mountain at the heart of Montreal. 150 years of history of Mount Royal park
Christmas concert of the Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal Classical and opera
Sun 13 Dec · Basilica, Saint Joseph's Oratory
A Christmas concert by the Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal, conducted by Andrew Gray, in the Oratory's basilica.
Free, voluntary contribution · 15:30 · Map · Source: Saint Joseph's Oratory · Concert de Noël traditionnel des Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal
From the blog
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