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Walking tours (Ste-Helene and Notre-Dame Islands)
I will quickly list a walking tour and a bike or rollerblade tour (I'll complete them as soon as possible) :
- Walking tour of Ile Ste-Hélène : if you have strong legs,start from the Papineau metro station then walk north-eastto the Jacques-Cartier bridge (if the western sidewalk isclosed on the bridge, just go under the bridge to the otherside). Walk on the bridge (watch out for the cyclists comingfrom behind you, the sidewalks are narrow) and get to the"white towers", they are stairs that go down to the island.Don't mind the stench, the stairs are the largest publicbathrooms in Montreal, and oddly enough there aren't anytoilets... It's also a good place to get phone numbers fromthe walls. Follow the signs to the Ile Ste-Hélène,you'll end up near the bridge's off ramp. From there goto your right (north), you'll see the old fort and DavidM. Stewart museum. You can then go south-west to the firstpath, you should see a pond with a small bridge crossingit, then go up the path to the tower. From the tower, continueon the path west to the parking lot then south to the metrostation, the pool and then the Biosphere.
You can also start from the metro station in reverse (theBiosphere, the pool, the tower, the pond then the old fort).
- Bicycle or rollerbladingtour of Ile Notre-Dame : start from the western part ofthe old port in old Montreal (near the corner of de la Communeand McGill streets), you should see a bike path going westalong the start of the Lachine canal and the locks, followthe directions to the Cité du Havre. You'll go underneathone small bridge in the old port and a larger one just beforethe intersection. At the intersection, turn left (south)you'll cross under the bridge again to Pierre-Dupuy ave.then go left (east), you'll have no choice anyway. You'llpass by Moishe Safdie's Habitat 67 building, evey "cube"is an separate appartment. Then you'll cross the de la Concordebridge and its large bike and rollerblade path (stop therefor a while, it's one of the best view of old Montreal anddowntown). By the way, you'll find public bathrooms anda drinking fountain underneath the end of the bridge onIle Notre-Dame. Once on Ile Notre-Dame, you can ride aroundthe island or go straight to the Gille-Villeneuve formula1 racing track. Don't forget to take a look at the Floralies'gardens near the Casino (by the way, if you are wearinga jogging suit or sports gear, they won't let you in theCasino). If you are too tired to ride or rollerblade back,just go a little further east on Ile Notre-Dame to the othersmaller bridge that crosses over to Ile Ste-Hélène,the metro station is near that bridge.
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