The leaves are changing color, the wind is crisp, and this morning, for the first time this year, we thought about the gloves we should have packed in our bag.
And since it still feels a bit like back-to-school season and we don’t have much time to go for a walk in the woods and watch the trees turn red, we’re going to take a stroll through one of Montreal’s beautiful parks this fall.
With a coffee in hand, on a date, between meetings, or playing hooky on a sunny day, we’re going to take a stroll through one of our favorite parks.
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THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PARKS IN MONTREAL TO WATCH THE LEAVES CHANGE COLOR
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LA FONTAINE PARK
Parc La Fontaine is the largest park in the Plateau Mont-Royal borough, and it’s one of three developed natural parks in Montreal (along with Île Sainte-Hélène and Parc du Mont-Royal).
There’s a pond—with croaking frogs—and several paths, lined with tall trees that turn bright orange in the fall, and spots where you can spread out your picnic blanket to sip your pumpkin spice latte.
Where? La Fontaine Park, at 3819 Calixa-Lavallée Avenue, open 7 days a week from 6 a.m. to midnight
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MONT-ROYAL
This year marks the 150th anniversary of Mount Royal. Not the mountain itself, but Mount Royal as it stands today—with its trails, the staircase that really works your thighs, the chalet, Beaver Lake for ice skating in the winter, and the lookout at the top with the most beautiful view of the city and the mountains beyond. All of this was designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted.
It’s a real “mountain” hike, under thousand-year-old trees and just well-maintained enough that you won’t get lost. We’ll go in sneakers or boots, with a bottle of water and a snack—the line at the Belvédère Kondiaronk café is always too long.
Where? Mount Royal Park
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BOTANICAL GARDEN
The Montreal Botanical Garden is the best place to see the leaves change color. We’ll stroll through the various themed gardens—the alpine garden, the Japanese garden, the First Nations garden…
We’ll go on a date there, with a good camera and a guide to exotic plants in our pocket. It’s the only park on our list that charges an admission fee, but for a day under the fall sun, it’s a beautiful stroll.
Where? BotanicalGarden—take the Green Line on the metro to the Pie-IX stop
How much? $25.50
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WESTMOUNT GREENHOUSES
On the edge of Westmount Park, in one of Montreal’s most upscale neighborhoods, there’s a beautiful English-style library with wood paneling and the scent of old pages and floor wax—and a Sherlock Holmes club that meets there once a month.
And, right next to the library, there’s a somewhat hidden greenhouse, like those in English gardens, that smells of large red leaves warmed by the sun and exotic flowers.
Where? Serres Westmount, at 4624 Sherbrooke Street West
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