Under the moon and stars, in the cool, slightly humid air of a Quebec summer evening, with the scent of popcorn, spruce, and gasoline, the drive-in movie theater is one of our favorite traditions of the warm season.
Just a short 45-minute drive from downtown Montreal, you can turn off your smartphones, buy your significant other a large Diet Coke to impress them, and head to the drive-in—just like in the movies.
The Saint-Hilaire Drive-In
Mont-Saint-Hilaire is a small town a 45-minute drive from Montreal, on the South Shore. You can get there by train on Exo Line 13, which departs from Gare Centrale (near the Bonaventure metro station).
The town’s drive-in theater opened in 1972 and was one of the first to open in Quebec. To this day, it’s the only classic drive-in theater on Montreal’s South Shore.
Once you’re there, it’s easy to imagine the atmosphere of the 1970s, smell the gas and buttered popcorn, and hear the laughter, sighs, and screams of horror as you watch the selection of movies on the big screen.
The movies are shown, just like in the old days, two at a time, one on each screen…
A nostalgic setting, modern lineup
This summer, the Saint-Hilaire Drive-In will be showing Christopher Nolan’s *Odyssey* (2026), as well as the new *Spider-Man* and the *Minions* movie (those little yellow guys with big round eyes and a language based entirely on the word “banana”). For the little ones, there’s the Paw Patrol movie (firefighter dogs—quite fitting for this year’s theme).
And anyway, under the stars with a plate of nachos on your lap, any movie is a good one.
The lineup is always a bit “to be announced,” but we go to the drive-in mostly for the atmosphere—to use the pickup truck’s blanket as a makeshift couch, to enjoy sparklers, and to snuggle up together during the scariest and most romantic scenes of *Spider-Man: Brand New Day* (2026). Kind of like the good old days, kind of like what we’ve seen in the movies.
Practical Information
Where? Saint-Hilaire Drive-In, at 800 Chemin du Ciné-Parc, Mont-Saint-Hilaire
When? Every summer evening, starting at sunset
How much? Wednesday through Monday: $12.50 per person or $30 per car; free for children 10 and under. On Tuesdays: $8 per person or $30 per car; free for children 10 and under.
