It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and Christmas is finally here! This has to be one of our favourite seasons because we love spreading cheer and love to everyone we know. And one of the best ways to get into that Christmas spirit is to walk and admire Downtown Montreal‘s amazing Christmas light displays! Downtown Montreal is a hub of culture, commerce, and tourism. It’s home to incredible boutiques, cafes, and much more! But at Christmas time, the streets are alight with a myriad of different Christmas light displays. And the best way to see it is on foot! This self-guided walking tour of Montreal’s best Christmas lights will take you through the most popular areas to take in all that holiday cheer!
Start your tour inside Montreal Central Station. This is the most convenient access point to the downtown area from anywhere in Montreal. Nearly 11 million rail passengers use the station every year, making it the second-busiest train station in Canada. The station is decorated with huge pink stars and illuminated lights during the Christmas season. As we near Christmas day, they even set up a giant Christmas tree in the centre of the station. I arrived via Central station and there was nothing more magical to welcome me to the city! What a fantastical way to start your trip.
From Central Station, make your way north to Peel Street. Peel Street runs through Montreal’s most popular shopping district. The street is lined by former mansions converted into McGill University buildings. Making it one of the most picturesque streets but made even more spectacular at Christmas. On the edge of Peel Street and Boulevard René-Lévesque is Dorchester Square. As soon as the first snow falls on Montreal, this square is transformed into a Winter Wonderland. Sparkling Christmas lights don the trees around the park and the lamp posts are given sparkling and enchanting flare.
The park is set around some of the most romantic buildings in the city, all decorated for Christmas. The imposing Sun Life Building stands on the east side of the park. Its huge columns are encircled with Christmas lights and topped with one of the largest ornament garlands in the entire city. The roof of the Sun Life Building is also illuminated with different colours throughout the year. And at Christmas time is often seen illuminated with red and green colours.
Continue walking north along Peel street until you reach Peel and Sherbrooke Street. At this intersection, hand-crafted artifacts from the local Indigenous population of Montreal were discovered. Before there ever was a ‘Montreal,’ there was Tiohtià:ke. Tiohtià:ke is the name given to the area by the indigenous Kanien’kehá:ka clan who lived here for thousands of years. An illuminated installation called ‘Lights on Peel‘ can be found here during the wintertime. The lights aim to commemorate the story of Tiohtià:ke. The installation was designed by artist Kaiento:ton and portrays three of the Rotiononhsión:ni clan’s symbolic animals: the turtle, the wolf and the bear. You can also scan the QR codes found on the poles which display the lights to get more information on First Nations’ history.
Walk west along Sherbrooke Street and then north down Rue de la Montagne towards Saint-Catherine Street. Saint-Catherine Street is the main street in the Montreal business district. It is considered the backbone of Downtown Montreal. There are nine metro stations along Sainte-Catherine that prove just how large important this part of town is. There is also an enormous Underground Pedestrian Network that is essential during those brutally cold winter days.
But during the winter, Saint-Catherine Street is a hub of Christmas activity. All the lampposts are hung with huge blue snowflake lights that brighten up the street. Not only are all the high-end shop’s windows decorated for Christmas, but the street itself is also home to some incredible installations.
Between Rue De la Montagne and Drummond is Rendez-Vous Corner. At the corner, you’ll find a huge lighted arch that is perfect for snapping those picturesque Christmas photos! Complete with bright pink Christmas trees in the background.
Just to the east along Saint-Catherine, between Drummond and Peel, you can find the great Guardians of Odyssée! The Guardians are huge inflatable nutcrackers who watch over Montrealers and visitors during the holiday season. Their smile is their greatest weapon, and legend has it that they can break the hardest of diamonds with a snap of their jaws.
At the Metcalf intersection, you will see the illuminated images of giants bears framing the street. This installation is called the ‘Legend of the Bears‘ and is based on an indigenous legend. It is said that if you see a bear in your dream, it means that good look is coming your way. So make a point of walking by to catch all the luck you can!
Further east, you can make a stop at the entrance to McGill College Avenue. The street was first laid out in 1857. But in 1983, it was greatly widened to create this now incredibly scenic roadway. The trees along either side of the avenue and the centre lane are wrapped in twinkle lights at Christmas time. Casting the most magical glow onto the road, leading up to the hillside of Mont-Royal, silhouetted just up ahead.
A great way to warm up is to stop inside the Centre Eaton de Montréal. This is one of Montreal’s largest shopping malls, with over 45,000 square metres of shops inside. At Christmas, the mall installs an enormous Christmas tree in the centre. It rises up above the three floors that surround it. The Christmas is hung with these huge digital frames displaying images of winter scenes all around Montreal.
At the corner of Saint-Catherine Street and Union, make a short detour towards the old Hotel Birks Montreal entrance. In 1840 Canadian entrepreneur, Henry Birks founded a jewelry company here in Montreal. He named it ‘Birks‘ and, in 1907, opened their magnificent flagship store in this very building. The shop spread out over 18,000 square feet and was complete with dazzling ornate architecture and modern conveniences. Eventually, the shop closed, but in 2018, the building was renovated to transform it into a high-end, historic hotel. Every year, the hotel goes all out for Christmas with lavish decorations pouring off the entrance into their hotel. This fantastical awning makes for an amazing photo spot underneath all that lush greenery and shining Christmas baubles.
Back on Saint-Catherine Street, you can find Phillips Square. Phillips Square was named for Thomas Phillips, a building contractor and city councillor. Phillips died in 1842 and the land he once owned was donated to the city to create a public square in his honour. In the centre of the square stands a large statue of Thomas Phillips himself. The trees around the statue are all lit up with Christmas lights. And when the park has a layer of freshly fallen snow upon it, it is truly a spectacular scene.
A short walk east brings you to the Place des Festivals. Place des Festivals is a large public space created inside the Quartier des Spectacles. Quartier des Spectacles is Montreal’s arts and entertainment district. Montreal is home to over 100 different festivals and public events! As more and more people began to visit Montreal for these wonderful events, there became more need to build areas to host these outdoor events.
The Place des Festivals features a water fountain with 235 in-ground jets, four light towers, two glass-encased restaurants, a grassy slope and granite walkways. But during the winter, the square is transformed into a winter wonderland. Complete with Christmas trees lighting up the Great Montreal Christmas Market.
Also found inside the Quartier des Spectacles is Luminotherapie. Luminotherapie is now celebrating its 12th year, lighting up the Quartier des Spectacles during the winter season. This event features interactive art installations that are focused on illuminations. Places des Festivals is home to two amazing installations.
In the centre of the square, you’ll find ‘Echoes‘ by Mathias Gmachl. Echoes feature a giant metallic whale light with a rainbow of colours from inside. The colours inside the whale symbolize the planet’s flora and fauna. The whale makes gentle, melodic noises from afar. But if you get too close, it will make a loud noise to warn you that you are getting too close. A message about the invasive ways people are invading the natural world.
Towards Maisonneuve Boulevard, you can find ‘Impluse,’ a series of oversized seesaws. Each one glows and makes ambiant sounds. You can hop on and the more they move, the more intensive the noises will get.
Next door to the Place des Festivals is the Place des Arts. Place des Arts is a major performing arts centre and the largest cultural and artistic complex in Canada. The centre of the plaza plays home to the ‘Iceburg‘ installation. Iceberg consists of a series of illuminated metal arches. When you walk through you’ll notice that each of them makes a particular sound. Sounds mimic the noise icebergs make when they crack as water seeps into their crevasses. The sounds echoing around you.
Also located inside the Places des Arts is ‘Les Jardins d’Hiver.’ This little treasure takes visitors on a magical walk through a Christmas garden trail. It leads guests through a maze of Christmas trees featuring cozy little cottages displaying enchanting dioramas.
Parterre du Quartier des spectacles on the orner of Rue Saint-Urbain and Rue de Montigny features a wonderful installation called ‘Entre les Rangs‘ by Kanva. The huge scene represents a field of wheat. The illuminated installation is made up of thousands of flexible stems topped with these little white reflectors. Each one responds to the nearby activity, which creates constantly shifting animation as if the wheat is blowing in the wind from different directions. It is the most peaceful and mesmerizing installation and the perfect place to end our tour.
I hope you enjoyed this magical walking tour of Downtown Montreal’s most incredible Christmas lights. They truly light up the city and cast an enchanting glow over the snow-covered streets! If you enjoyed this tour, check out our guide of Montreal’s Old Town Christmas Lights. Let me know the comments where your favourite Christmas light display can be found in your hometown!
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