Place Jacques-Cartier, Montreal

Jacques Cartier Square (Place Jacques-Cartier) serves as the gateway to Montreal's Old Port. Nestled in the heart of Old Montreal, this lively square is framed by the waterfront and the iconic City Hall. Cobblestone-paved and brimming with life, the square offers a delightful ambiance with its outdoor terraces, charming bistros, and seasonal fruit stalls. It buzzes with the presence of skilled artisans, musicians, and an array of creative individuals. Painters, photographers, and jewelers can be found in abundance along the narrow, picturesque alleyways that branch off from Saint-Paul Street, which extends from the square.

In close proximity to Jacques Cartier Square, on Commune Street (Rue de la Commune), visitors can catch a glimpse of an original section of the fortified city wall within the basement restaurant of the Old Port Inn (Auberge du Vieux-Port). A notable landmark within the square, Nelson's Column, Montreal's oldest public monument, was erected in 1809. Although the original statue was removed in 1997 for preservation, it was replaced with a replica. The square itself underwent a renaming in 1847 to honor Jacques Cartier, the renowned explorer who claimed Canada for France in 1535.

During the spring and especially the summer season, when the vibrant blooms flourish and vehicles are restricted, Jardin Nelson offers a garden restaurant experience on Jacques Cartier Square. Additionally, other charming courtyard restaurants, adorned with ivy, provide patrons with a taste of classical Parisian-style "terraces" where they can savor a refreshing drink or dine al fresco. Indulging in a glass of sangria at an outdoor table, while observing the stylish locals and bustling tourists passing by, is an unmatched experience.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Montreal. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Place Jacques-Cartier
Sight Location: Montreal, Canada (See walking tours in Montreal)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Montreal Introduction Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Montreal, Canada

Create Your Own Walk in Montreal

Creating your own self-guided walk in Montreal is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Historical Churches Walking Tour

The religious fervor that inspired French settlers in the mid-17th century to build a 鈥淐hristian commonwealth鈥� on North American soil gave rise to a number of churches, chapels, and cathedrals. Each sacred edifice in Montreal's ecclesiastical panorama 鈥� notably, in its religion- and architecture-infused oldest area, Vieux-Montr茅al 鈥� is a testament to the divine craftsmanship and... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.2 Km or 2.6 Miles

Montreal Introduction Walking Tour

The second-most populous city in Canada, Montreal is an old, yet at the same time, modern metropolis, flagship of Canada's Qu茅bec province. Sitting on an island in the Saint Lawrence River, with Mount Royal at its center, the city owes its name to this triple-peaked hill (Mont Royal in modern French, although in 16th-century French the forms r茅al and royal were used interchangeably).

The... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles

Historical Buildings Walking Tour

Whenever you gaze upon the historical buildings of Montreal, you are reminded that the true measure of a city's greatness lies in its ability to preserve its past while embracing its future. Old Montreal 鈥� home to four centuries of architecture shaped by French sophistication and English practicality 鈥� is a place all its own.

Here, modern buildings coexist with some of the oldest and... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.8 Km or 2.4 Miles

Old Montreal Walking Tour

Old Montreal (Vieux-Montr茅al) is a historic neighborhood southeast of the downtown area, home to many architectural monuments of the New France era. Founded by French settlers in 1642 as Fort Ville-Marie, the settlement gave its name to the city borough of which it is now part.

Most of Montreal's earliest architecture, characterized by uniquely French influence, including grey stone... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles

The RMS Titanic Walking Tour

Built as the ship of dreams, the RMS Titanic went down in history as the one that carried 鈥渂oth the hopes and the tragedies of a generation.鈥� The luxury cruiser sank on her maiden voyage across the Atlantic in the early hours of April 15, 1912, and today is largely remembered throughout the world, in part, due to the blockbuster movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

Although Montreal's... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip

Montreal Souvenirs: 15 Trip Mementos to Bring Home

The outpost of Frenchness in North America (and the world's 2nd largest francophone city after Paris), Montreal is the meeting point of the New and Old World styles, the collision of the French, English and Aboriginal cultures. The historical and ethnic uniqueness of the city is seen throughout...

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