We’ve all heard of—or visited as children—the Valcartier Ice Hotel, built every year out of ice and where you can even spend the night. The snow and ice structure looks like something straight out of a Disney movie, and it’s a little slice of Quebec winter magic that almost makes us forget the wind and the cold.
This year, Montreal will have its own ice castle—with icy tunnels, inner courtyards that sparkle in the sun, and spires and arches carved from fresh ice.
“ICE CASTLES,” which has been building these ice castles every winter since 2010, has chosen Parc Jean-Drapeau for its 2026–2027 winter castle.
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AN ICE CASTLE AT JEAN-DRAPEAU PARK THIS WINTER
The ICE CASTLES ice castle won’t just be for show; it will also be a structure where you can wander, play, and get lost. Boots, gloves, and tuques are recommended, of course.
There will be tall walls of ice glistening in the sun, tunnels, icy caverns, slides, and arches under which to kiss. And in the evening, the ice castle will be illuminated from within by (cold) LEDs, giving it an even more Disney-like feel.
It’s somewhere between a Star Wars set and a princess castle, and we can’t wait to find out more about the construction dates. Obviously, it’s going to have to be really cold, so we’re thinking January.
It’s for kids and adults alike, and for anyone who wants to wander through an ice cave but warm up nearby when they return. It’s like being in the high mountains—but just a few metro stops away. And afterward, we’ll go for a hot chocolate.
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PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Where? Espace 67, Parc Jean-Drapeau / Île Sainte-Hélène
When? Winter 2027
What? Tickets aren’t available yet, but you can sign up for the waitlist here
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