Montreal E-Bike Sightseeing Tour

Plateau Mont-Royal, murals and hidden alleyways

The tour starts on Prince Arthur Street East, a pedestrian street in the Plateau Mont-Royal, one of the most colourful neighbourhoods in Canada. Its rows of brick houses with exterior iron staircases, painted doors and small balconies are a true symbol of Montreal. Large murals cover many walls, especially along Saint-Laurent Boulevard, and new works are added every summer.

On an e-bike you can explore the quiet back lanes as well as the main streets. Montreal's green alleys, where residents have planted gardens and flowers between the houses, are among the city's best-kept secrets, and your guide knows where to find them. This part of the Montreal e-bike tour is all about local life: cafés, bakeries, small shops and the relaxed rhythm of a neighbourhood loved by artists and families.

Mount Royal

Mount Royal is the hill that gave Montreal its name and the city's great green park. Riding up on a normal bicycle is hard work, but with electric assistance you glide up the winding paths through maple and oak forest to the summit. At the top, the Kondiaronk Belvedere offers the classic panorama of the downtown skyline with the St Lawrence River beyond, one of the best viewpoints in Montreal.

Your guide tells the story of the mountain, the cross on its summit and the park created in the late 19th century. On Sundays in summer the tour passes the famous tam-tams at the foot of the mountain, a spontaneous gathering of drummers, dancers and families that has taken place for decades. The best time to visit Mount Royal is from late spring to autumn, when the trees are green or glowing with autumn colour.

Jean-Talon Market and Little Italy

Jean-Talon Market opened in 1933 in Little Italy and is one of the largest open-air markets in North America. Farmers from across Quebec sell fresh fruit, vegetables, cheese, maple syrup, flowers and baked goods, and the stalls change with the seasons, from strawberries in June to pumpkins and apples in autumn. It is a favourite place for locals to shop and a feast for the eyes.

On the morning tour you stop here to stroll the market and discover local specialties at the food shops around it. Many visitors want to try Montreal's famous bagels, hand-rolled, boiled in honey water and baked in wood-fired ovens, and the route passes the area where they are made. Food is not included in the price, but your guide points out the best places to buy a snack during the stop.

Afternoon route: Old Montreal, the Lachine Canal and the river

The afternoon tour at 14:00 shows a different side of the city. It rides through downtown Montreal and into Old Montreal, with its cobbled streets, grey stone buildings and the Notre-Dame Basilica, the historic heart of the city founded in 1642. From there it follows the Old Port and the Lachine Canal, an early 19th-century canal whose towpath is now one of the most popular cycle paths in the city.

The route then crosses to Île Sainte-Hélène in Parc Jean-Drapeau, the island park created for the 1967 World's Fair, passing the island race circuit and the banks of the St Lawrence River with views back to the skyline. It is the best choice if you want to see the main city sights in one afternoon, while the morning tour focuses on neighbourhoods, markets and the mountain.