Friends of Saint-Laurent BoulevardWalking tour led by Bernard Vallée, in French
Tour offered in French only. Please consult the Jane’s Walks web site for details and to register.
One of the Jane’s Walks 2019, coordinated by the Montréal Urban Ecology Centre
Sunday 5 May 2019, 1:30 to 4 pm
Starting point: 2–22 Building, 2 Sainte-Catherine Street East
Registration required on the Jane’s Walks web site
Sunday 5 June – a full-day exploration of Montreal’s main street, from the Old Port to Jean-Talon Market, with Bernard Vallée, Catherine Browne, and Justin Bur
In collaboration with MontrealExplorations
Walking tour led by Justin Bur as part of Jane’s Walks 2016
Between the former city limits of Montreal and the church of Mile End, Saint-Laurent has always been the main road. The road was also the axis along which urbanization began, creating the villages of Saint-Jean-Baptiste and Saint-Louis-du-Mile End. Renamed Saint-Laurent Boulevard in 1905, the street remains an important axis of Montreal’s renowned diversity and creativity. This two-hour walk will point out traces of the past and the dynamism of the present, commenting on the architecture, history, cultures, and heritage of a short segment of a great street. Please note that the tour will be given in French, though English questions and discussion are welcome.
Other Jane’s Walks of interest:
Saint-Enfant-Jésus was the first Catholic parish along Saint-Laurent Boulevard, outside the old city. The church was inaugurated on Christmas Day, 1858 – in the fields on the side of a country road. It later became the institutional centre of the village of Saint-Louis-du-Mile-End, at the end of the 19th century. Over the course of decades, the parish was subdivided to create many new parishes in Outremont, on the Plateau, and in Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie. The church obtained its current appearance at the turn of the 20th century with the addition of a new façade and an enlargement by the architect Joseph Venne.
Kevin Cohalan of the Société d’histoire du Plateau-Mont-Royal will guide us around the church and speak about the return of the great angel statues which surmount the façade, created by sculptor Olindo Gratton. The angels were restored to their places in June 2015, after almost 40 years spent elsewhere. After the church visit, a short illustrated presentation by Justin Bur, president of the Friends of Saint-Laurent Boulevard, will discuss the church in the context of the development of the boulevard.
The presentation will be followed by the annual general meeting of the Friends of Saint-Laurent Boulevard.
Sunday 17 May – a full-day exploration of Montreal’s main street, from the Old Port to Jean-Talon Market, with Bernard Vallée, Catherine Browne, Susan Bronson, and Justin Bur
In collaboration with MontrealExplorations
The walking tour season has finally arrived! As usual, it starts with the 7th edition of Jane’s Walks coordinated by the Montreal Urban Ecology Centre. There’s a vast choice, more than 80 walks offered free of charge on 1, 2 and 3 May 2015 by citizens, city councillors or community groups. This annual event is organized in memory of author and urban activist Jane Jacobs.
Join us on Sunday morning, 3 May, to explore 10 Moments on the Main and environs in Little Italy.
Part of Jane’s Walks, a walking tour led by Bernard Vallée (in French)
In collaboration with MontréalExplorations
This neighbourhood was created at the beginning of the 2oth century, on the edge of Montreal’s urban territory. It housed a working-class population attracted by the industrial zone around the Canadian Pacific Railway, traversed by a tram line that served the nearby Irish lacrosse stadium. Among the initial French-Canadian population, newly-arrived Italian families moved in to benefit from reasonably priced land and the possibility of gardening on unbuilt patches of land. Soon an Italian parish, patriotic associations and local shops would imprint Italian colours and flavours on the area. Today, most of the citizens of Italian origin have left the neighbourhood. The 10 moments of the walking tour will give a taste of today’s Little Italy and let you discover a rich heritage of institutional, religious and cultural buildings.
Details on the Jane’s Walk web site. Note that the tour will be offered in French only, though questions and comments may be made in English or French.
The tour is full on both days. Thank you for the huge display of interest!
An innovative tour to learn about the history of cinema on Saint-Laurent Boulevard, now back for a second year!
Saint-Laurent Boulevard is an iconic street in Montreal, well-known as the point of arrival for successive waves of immigrants and as the bridge between Montreal’s two principal linguistic communities. But did you know that it also plays a role in the history of cinema? The first film screening in North America took place on Saint-Laurent Boulevard in 1896.
Numerous places on the Main between Sherbrooke Street and Mont-Royal Avenue have been significant for the film industry, such as the Cinema Parallèle, Excentris and the old Cinema Élysée, now demolished.
Come along on this tour led by Québécois filmmaker Luc Bourdon, and be one of the few to see behind the scenes at the Cinema l’Amour, or to learn more about the history of Excentris…
Don’t miss the opportunity!
Walking tour – Saturday, October 11 or Saturday, October 18, 2014 – 10 am – 12 am
Reservation required: web form or 514-286-0334
Meeting point: Cinéma l’Amour, 4015 Saint-Laurent Boulevard
Cost: voluntary contribution – suggested $10
An activity offered by the Friends of Saint-Laurent Boulevard, organised with the participation of the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma.
The 18th Journées de la culture is proud to introduce you to the Saint-Laurent Boulevard once again.
Particularly thanks to the murals painted during the 2nd edition of the Mural Festival, the Main continues to change, beautify and modernize – all while keeping an iconic and historical past that is not found anywhere else in Montreal.
It will therefore be the Amis du Boulevard and LNDMRK who will take care of making you discover historical sites and murals on the Saint-Laurent Boulevard and its surroundings. The tour will be led by Miguel Simão Andrade (Saturday) or Justin Bur (Sunday) for the historical part, and by Sarah Girard for the murals.
The Journées de la culture on the Saint-Laurent Boulevard will take place on Saturday and Sunday, September 27th and 28th, from 11am to 1pm.
We’ll be walking for the activity and the meeting point will be at Parc du Portugal.
In case of rain, the event will unfortunately be cancelled. But it never rains two days in a row in Montreal… everyone knows that! So it’ll all work itself out!
Registration is this way.
For more information, contact us at 514-286-0334 or at info@sdbsl.ca.
Sunday 25 May – a full-day exploration of Montreal’s main street, from the Old Port to Jean-Talon Market, with Bernard Vallée, Catherine Browne, Susan Bronson, Luc Bourdon, and other guides with a passion for history
In collaboration with MontrealExplorations
The walking tour season has finally arrived! As usual, it starts with the 6th edition of Jane’s Walks coordinated by the Montreal Urban Ecology Centre. There’s a vast choice, 103 walks offered free of charge on 2, 3 and 4 May 2014 by citizens, city councillors or community groups. This annual event is organized in memory of author and urban activist Jane Jacobs.
Tour led by Dory Reimer
Discover the Jewish area and see the typical triplexes of the area, the beautiful view of the mountain, the family history of Bagg Street, the Bagg Street synagogue and the buildings of the businesses of yore and of today, the historical Bain Schubert, the Parc Devonshire, the Hotel-Dieu Hospital and of course a stop if you wish at the mythical Schwartz Smoked Meat.
Starting point: Corner of Bagg and Saint-Urbain Streets
In French: Saturday 3 May 2014, from 1 pm to 2:30 pm
Free, registration required at ecologieurbaine.net
Tour led by Miguel Simão Andrade
Walking tour of the Main from the point of view of Montréal’s Portuguese community that has had its roots here for sixty years.
In French: Sunday 4 May 2014, from 10 am to 11:30 am
Starting point: Corner of Saint-Laurent Blvd. and Roy Street
Free, registration required at ecologieurbaine.net
Another suggestion of a walk on Saint-Laurent Boulevard (in French):