Resident's Guide: a walking tour of Lachine Canal
While the St-Lawrence river gets the most attention when it comes to Montreal’s waterways, there are plenty of other aqueous delights in Montreal worth exploring. The name Lachine comes from the French word for China. Apparently, there was a wish to find a short route from New France to the western sea and China. The canal is 14.5 kilometers long between the Old Port in Montréal to Lake Saint-Louis. Plans for a canal were drafted as early as in the 17th century, it took over 130 years before it was ready. Initially, the canal was important mainly for transportation as it bypassed the Lachine rapids. However, with technological developments, the industrial area moved from what is now Downtown Montréal to the canal banks. At the same time, new working-class neighborhoods emerged nearby, including the one in St-Henri. It’s an almost unbeatable way to explore Montreal, and with a good pair of shoes and sustaining snacks along the way, it can easily be managed in a half-day. Here, we take you on a walking tour of the Lachine Canal – including where to stop, what to see, and what to eat and drink.

In 2009, the Lachine Canal path was ranked the third most beautiful urban circuit in the world by Time magazine.
Lachine Canal
1. Old Port Silo No.5
Begin your journey in the old port silo 5, a charming spot in Old Montreal. A proposed plan to redevelop waterfront areas of Montreal's Old Port would breathe new life into the rusting steel and concrete hulk known as Silo No. 5. The abandoned grain silo — parts of which date to the early 1900s — dominates the western sector of the port known as Pointe-du-Moulin.

Abandoned since 1994, Silo no. 5 has made many people dream. Starting around 2000, here are some of the projects that did not materialize since the beginning:

To move the Art Contemporain Museum to the site, to build a giant aquarium by LeMoyne Lapointe Magne, an observatory by BRAQ and In situ, a forest on the roof by architect Dan Hanganu, a discovery path by Boutros + Pratte, a lighthouse tower by the architects firm Saucier + Perrote, to install a data center by vert.com, to built a tourism quarter by buisnessman Benoit Berthiaume and the reknown architect Pierre Thibault, and to build a vertical farm by Stephan Ouaknine, Inerjys CEO.

At the end, only real estate developers will succeed, it will probably become another Griffintown.
2. Cité du Multimédia
Old Port leads to Cité du Multimédia, via rue Queen or rue Prince. The neighborhood is the result of a vast real-estate project launched by the Quebec government in the late 1990s which redeveloped abandoned nineteenth century industrial buildings into a business cluster for information technology companies. Along the way, you will see Fonderie Darling, built in 1918, the building had been abandoned for about ten years when Quartier éphémère, a visual arts organization without a permanent place, set in motion its transformation to make it its main place of activity and at the same time infuse the district, in decline since its deindustrialization, a new cultural vocation. Hungry, 


​Islington leads to Dalston, via Hoxton, Haggerston and De Beauvoir. Along the way, you’ll see the back of Gainsborough Studios (now converted into apartments) as you stroll, which is where Alfred Hitchcock learnt his trade.

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It was relatively unscathed during the Second World War so retains many of its grand Georgian buildings, the backs of which are visible from the canal. Pick up a coffee at La Bête Au Pain before crossing to the entrance of Lachine Canal entrance at corner of Peel and Smith street. Visit the bustling Church Street Market, which runs from the Edgware Road to the fringes of Marylebone, taking in everything from fruit and veg stalls to leather goods suppliers along the way – make sure to stop off at Alfie’s Antique Market to peruse the goods of over 40 traders over four floors.


1. Little VeniceBegin your journey in Little Venice, a charming spot in Maida Vale. It was relatively unscathed during the Second World War so retains many of its grand Georgian buildings, the backs of which are visible from the canal. Pick up a coffee at the Waterside Café barge before popping up to street level for a look at the bucolic Rembrandt Gardens, bursting with tulips and hyacinths. Visit the bustling Church Street Market, which runs from the Edgware Road to the fringes of Marylebone, taking in everything from fruit and veg stalls to leather goods suppliers along the way – make sure to stop off at Alfie’s Antique Market to peruse the goods of over 40 traders over four floors.
Follow the canal to the recently done-up Paddington Basin, and be sure to look at the Rolling Bridge en route; designed by Thomas Heatherwick, its clever design unfurls to allow pedestrians to cross the water. There are plenty of barge restaurants such as Darcie & May Green (designed by pop artist Peter Blake) as well as alfresco drinking spots, including the popular – if not exactly intimate – Pergola Paddington. You could even nip into Paddington Station, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1854 – but don’t get on any trains, as your canal expedition is just beginning.
3. Griffintown
What residents love about Griffintown. The proximity to the Lachine Canal is a winning feature of this lively neighbourhood, not to mention the fact that it feels like a village but is located within a 15-minute metro ride to downtown. The new builds all make the most of the view onto the Canal and the very pleasant walk-and-bikeway on its shores.
Our next stop is Griffintown, which has become something of a must-visit in recent years thanks to the redevelopment of Prével Lowney Chocolate Factory. Striking contemporary apartments housed in old factories rise above the canal, while impressive glass buildings encircle the miniature Gasholders Park. There is an abundance of shops, including the Tom Dixon flagship store, M.H.L by Margaret Howell and A.P.C, and an almost overwhelming variety of restaurants – Lina Stores, Barrafina, Hoppers, Dishoom and Café Bao, to name a few. Steps lead from the canal to Granary Square, where you can sit and enjoy a sandwich from Sons & Daughters.
 
This section of the canal is also home to Words on the Water, a floating bookshop in a restored 1920s Dutch barge. Have a browse and stroll along the water to Grade A-listed King’s Place, a music and visual arts venue. It overlooks Battlebridge Basin, which is home to the London Canal Museum, should you wish to undertake a deep dive – so to speak – into its watery history. Central Saint Martin’s is nearby, as is an Everyman Cinema.
In response to the city council’s aspiration to encourage ‘city living’, the extension and refurbishment of st. patrick house seeks to accommodate new city dwellers in what will soon become a revitalised quarter, adjacent as it is to the future railway station redevelopment within cork city. the refurbishment of the existing building accommodates both new commercial and living environments, while a new two storey addition on top of the existing local landmark red brick building creates more living spaces and provides for extensive landscaped rooftop amenity and aspect. architecturally, the contemporary nature of the additional built form responds positively to the spirit of what already exists – the old embracing the new, creating an updated skyline in this area of the city.
The Montreal downtown suburb.
It all started in 2005 when Prével delivered the first condos in Griffintown, transforming the 1905 Lowney chocolate factory and adjacent textile plant in 2004, the “beginning of a successful run” according to Jonathan Sigler, co-president of Prével.
From a gritty blue-collar community to one of the city’s hippest neighbourhoods, Griffintown has risen from the ashes to become a playground for urban explorers, foodies, artists, outdoor enthusiasts and even families. This up-and-coming neighbourhood buzzes with a mix of art galleries, design boutiques, high-rise condominiums, repurposed industrial spaces and foodie destinations without forgetting where it came from.

Officially founded in 1823, it took shape as a residential neighbourhood – once the stomping ground of predominantly Irish immigrants – surrounding the factories along the Lachine Canal. Fire and economic crisis razed the area, forcing the residents to leave. The remains of Griffintown’s industrial heritage live on today, with many original foundries and warehouses converted for residential or commercial use.

Named after Mary Griffin, who illegally took hold of the land in 1799 and then mapped out the streets herself, the district has a unique edge that brings together old and new, resulting in a dynamic vibe that looks to the future
Popular with epicureans and the happy hour crowd, Griffintown boasts restaurants galore. Its antique and art district is renowned the world over, plus the Lachine Canal offers ample opportunity to pedal or stroll along a beautiful, heritage waterway.
4. La Petite-Bourgogne
Montreal is teeming with steeples and spires, though Mass attendance in Quebec has dwindled. Many churches have found new life as community spaces and restaurants, including the desanctified St. Joseph’s Church, built in 1861, in the Petite-Bourgogne neighborhood. If the facade impresses you, wait until you walk around to Candide, in the former rectory. Sit at the bar and the industrious, mostly young kitchen staff will happily explain the prix-fixe-only menu, which changes monthly. Fresh, Quebec-produced ingredients shine in dishes like a kohlrabi, bean and yogurt salad, a riot of crisp and creamy textures. The presentation is as fun as it is delicious: For one dessert choice, Le Frère Chasseur cheese, shaved thin on a rotary curler, arrives looking like buttery flower petals
5. Saint-Henri
The market has been in operation since 1933, and its Art Deco-style architecture places it among the most beautiful buildings in the city. Open year-round, Atwater Market is celebrated for its many butcher shops and cheesemongers, its horticultural producers in the spring, and its market gardeners, who set up their stands around the building as soon as summer begins
6. Pointe Saint-Charles
7. Nordelec
Nordelec
​Nordelec Penthouse condo project is located in the south-west neighbor from Old Montreal, Griffintown, Downtown. Steps from Lachine Canal & Atwater Market. Nordelec project is a realization of the international real estate developer: Elad. Offered exclusively by McGill real estate agency, real estate broker specialist & leading new condo in Montreal.
These spectacular penthouses, New York flavored, are aerial townhouse on three levels, perched atop Nordelec: a centenary and exceptional architectural quality building.
Penthouse Nordelec a exceptional residence , a real estate ecstasy. Beautiful common areas with rooftop pool, terraces, gym and many services in the commercial zones. A smart and luxurious investment.