Montreal has a wonderfully preserved and refurbished Old Port (Vieux Port) and old city (Old Montreal/Vieux Montreal). The area along the water has a series of paths along the Lachine Canal/basin and the St. Lawrence River, where there are also several museums and visitor attractions. The interior streets are lined with quaint shops and restaurants. We’ve mapped a mainly waterside route, which you can use as a guideline for creating your own.
Mark Lowenstein
The route starts at the area of the major square Place Jacques-Cartier/Champs de Mars, location of City Hall. Head toward the water, and run on the 4-5 km of waterside paths between the iconic Clock Tower to the east and Rue de Seigneurs to the west. The “Basin de Horloge” area has a skating rink in winter, plus a ferris wheel and other attractions.
Add-On Options: Continue west on the Lachine Canal Path. It’s 1.2 km from Parc de Seigneurs to Rue Atwater, where you can join our Lachine Canal route headed west. You can also run on some of the quaint interior streets of Old Montreal — we particularly favor Rue St.-Paul, and Notre-Dame St. West, which will lead to the famous Notre-Dame Basilica at Place d’Armes.
Montreal has a wonderfully preserved and refurbished Old Port (Vieux Port) and old city (Old Montreal/Vieux Montreal). The area along the water has a series of paths along the Lachine Canal/basin and the St. Lawrence River, where there are also several museums and visitor attractions. The interior streets are lined with quaint shops and restaurants. We’ve mapped a mainly waterside route, which you can use as a guideline for creating your own.
Mark Lowenstein
The route starts at the area of the major square Place Jacques-Cartier/Champs de Mars, location of City Hall. Head toward the water, and run on the 4-5 km of waterside paths between the iconic Clock Tower to the east and Rue de Seigneurs to the west. The “Basin de Horloge” area has a skating rink in winter, plus a ferris wheel and other attractions.
Add-On Options: Continue west on the Lachine Canal Path. It’s 1.2 km from Parc de Seigneurs to Rue Atwater, where you can join our Lachine Canal route headed west. You can also run on some of the quaint interior streets of Old Montreal — we particularly favor Rue St.-Paul, and Notre-Dame St. West, which will lead to the famous Notre-Dame Basilica at Place d’Armes.
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Essentials
5.5 miles RT
103 feet
City Hall (Hotel de Ville) at Place Jacques Cartier
Mount Royal defines the city and this Olmsted-designed park is the iconic Montreal run. Many km of hilly trails, from the wide, 4.4 km Chemin Olmsted, to some more rugged options. Try the summit loop or the 374 Olmsted Stairs! Access from downtown, other points.
A national historic site, the Lachine Canal is a lovely linear park, following the historic canal and its series of locks. A great run is to start at the famous Atwater Market, to its terminus in Lachine.
This is a hilly but rewarding run. Climbing the stairs in front of the iconic St. Joseph's Oratory, and enjoying the residential streets and loop around the summit of Westmount -- one of Montreal's most affluent areas.
Lovely urban park with fields, statues, paths, and cafes. One can put together a good couple of miles within the parks's paths. For a longer run, the adjoining Plateau neighborhood is fun. Or do a bagel run to Fairmont Bagel!
Our favorite Montreal residential neighborhoods for running are Westmount, the Town of Mount Royal and Outremont. In the city's east end, the Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie is a classic Montreal neighborhood.
Run the sites of the 1976 Olympic Games and adjacent Maisonneuve Park for a nice 6-7 km route. The adjacent residential neighborhoods of Montreal's east end are also good for running, especially the Rosemont-La Petite-Patri neighborhood
A unique and spectacular route, running from downtown to St. Helen’s Island, site of Montreal’s historic Expo 67. The island is now a large park, with pleasant walking/running paths and lovely views of the St. Lawrence River.
Some of the most scenic running in Montreal. Gorgeous, park-like paths along the St. Lawrence River, with loops around Parc René-Lévesque and the Prom. Père-Marquette. Option to extend further west through several waterfront parks.
A 13.5 mile long path along the St. Lawrence River, from Verdun to Parc René-Lévesque in Lachine. Take in the magnificent views of Lac Saint-Louis and the spectacular Lachine rapids.
Angrignon Park has wonderful walking trails through woods and around ponds. It's nearby a metro stop. Can also combine with the paved trail along the Aqueduct Canal, and even the Lachine Rapids paths.
Wonderful running options on this island that sits between the city of Montreal and the South Shore. 10+ km of waterfront park paths on the island, a lovely path to Verdun, the Ice Control Structure path, and connections to the Champlain Bridge.
Some 25 km of multi-use paths celebrating the St. Lawrence River. Run over the Champlain Bridge on a new pedestrian path. The 'Ice Control' & Petite Voie du Fleuve bike paths run literally on the river, with great views of the water and Montreal skyline.
Lakeshore Drive goes for 25+ km along the St. Lawrence River from Lachine to Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue. Many sections have lovely water views and attractive homes. We've mapped the entire route, with recommended sections.
Some nice, large parks for running on Montreal's West Island. The centerpiece is Centennial Park, which features ~3 km of paths. 2 km east of there is Bois-de-Liesse Nature Park, which has 5+ km of wooded nature trails. Combine the two for a ~15k!
Scenic running on 10+ km of pedestrian and cycle paths in this park along the Prairies River in Montreal North. Combination of paths along the river and interior, wooded trails. The park features a historic mill, cafe, and other facilities.
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Essentials
5.5 miles RT
103 feet
City Hall (Hotel de Ville) at Place Jacques Cartier
Review or Comment on This Route/Share a Photo!
Share your feedback on this route and see that of other Great Runs users. Click on the image icon to upload a photo. And please let us know if there are notes or changes we should incorporate!