Montreal - Mont Royal

Mont Royal is a 500 acre public park attached to the North side of the downtown core. It was laid out by Frederick Law Olsted who also designed Central Park in New York. Its terrain includes a large 'bump' - a 760 feet hill, or mountain as it's actually referred to in Montreal.

At the peak of the hill stands a large illuminated cross which I wasn't able to photograph as it was undergoing renovations. However, while the park was only established in 1876, the first cross was placed on this peak in 1643 by Paul Chomedey du Maisonneuve and a cross has stood there ever since.

While the park offers the usual summer outdoor activities in the winter it becomes a destination for cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, ice skating and so on.

Almost at the peak of Mont Royal, on the South side overlooking downtown is the Chalet which was built in 1906

This is the view South from the Chalet looking over the downtown core.

While walking in the park I spotted this bird sat up in a tree. I have decided it was probably (and open to correction on this....) a Coopers Hawk. I didn't get a good look at the tail though which seems to be one of the main differences between the species of hawk.

Then the view North West from the Park

St Josephs Oratory

Looking North East from the park

Views to the East from the park

Again looking East with Rue Mont Royal being the main street and the dome is the Stade Olympique which was built for the 1976 Olympics

Looking South East. The brown tower block is the Air Transat headquarters

Sculptures in the park. The mast in the background is the CBC transmitter

Lac aux Castors (Beaver Lake). This has paddle boats in the summer and is an ice rink in the winter.



There were lots and lots of Japanese Sumac trees throughout the Montreal-Quebec City corridor.

More nice early fall colours in Mont Royal