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Is the Latin Quarter in Montreal safe? A local’s perspective

But is the Latin Quarter in Montreal safe? Generally yes, it’s a safe neighborhood to be in, but the neighborhood’s boundaries touch Place Émilie-Gamlin, a notorious drug and homeless hotspot in the city of Montréal. As a local, you get used to being in the park if you live near there—I used to live two blocks from the park—but as a tourist, it can be scary.

The Latin Quarter in Montreal is a small section of blocks in downtown Montreal near Université de Québec à Montréal, Montreal’s gay village, and Berri-UQAM Metro. The Quartier Latin, as it’s known by us locals, is bounded by Berri street, Sherbrooke Street, Avenue de l’Hotel de Ville, Rue Sanguinet, and Rue Sainte-Catherine Est. It’s a teeny tiny neighborhood.

This post will tell you everything you need to know about Montreal’s Latin Quarter to help you make an informed decision about whether it’s a part of the city you want to frequent.

A safe residential street in Montreal's Quarter Latin

A safe residential street in Montreal’s Latin Quarter. Your biggest danger is the poor infrastructure that creates potholes and road cracks! Photo by Tiff Ng

Is the Latin Quarter in Montreal safe?

In general, yes, the Quartier Latin is safe. Park Émilie-Gamlin, which sits on one side at Rue Berri, isn’t a place I’d go with children. But if you avoid the park and pay close attention as you exit Berri-UQAM metro, you’ll be just fine. Within the park itself, most of the homeless people and drug users keep to themselves.

The majority of the Latin Quarter is relatively safe. I visit friends who live in the area regularly as a solo, disabled female with canes and I never feel unsafe leaving a friend’s house to take the metro at night.

One thing to be aware of is that because the Latin Quarter is so close to UQAM, a French university that attracts students from around Québec and the broader Francophonie, it’s a predominantly French neighborhood.

You don’t need to speak French in Montreal as a tourist, but in this neighborhood, you may encounter more unilingual Francophones or resistance to speaking to you in English. If ease of communication is important to you, I wouldn’t stay in the Quartier Latin.

To put it in perspective, as a local, I have no problem spending time in the Quartier Latin, but if I’m walking with family or friends down the street in that district, I’ll switch to French.

Where to Stay in the Quartier Latin of Montreal

Quartier Latin's Palais de Congres has the best and safest parking in the district.

Montreal’s Palais de Congrès is one of the safest places to park your car in the Latin Quarter of Montreal. Photo: Scott Webb 

Parking in Montreal’s Quartier Latin

Paid Overnight Parking in the Quartier Latin

The best paid overnight parking in Montreal in the area will be at Palais des Congrès. The parking is free for the first 10 minutes and the daily rate is $25. Going back to the question of is the Latin Quarter in Montreal safe, this is the safest option if you’re concerned about your car.

If you’re visiting Montreal in the winter with your car, this is a great option as we have a lot of snow storms. You can easily be stuck 10 minutes cleaning off your car. If the car freezes overnight, you must put on your window defroster for another 5-10 minutes. So I highly recommend the indoor parking.

Street parking in Montreal’s Latin Quarter

During the spring, summer, and autumn, there is plenty of metered parking. You have to be careful as the city has weird regulations in some areas around when you can use street parking so make sure to check the signs. The Parky.AI app can help you figure out what the street signs are saying as Montreal has super confusing signs.

The city of Montreal even has a mobile payment app now so you don’t have to keep rushing back to the street. If you’re not parked immediately next to your destination, I recommend photographing the nearest intersection street sign.

Place Emilie Gamelin

Summer in the Quartier Latin. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Things to do in Montreal’s Latin Quarter

If you’re looking for lots of touristy things to do, you won’t find a ton of them in this quarter. In my opinion, Ville Marie or Mile End will be the best neighborhoods for tourists because they’re close to most tourist attractions and centrally located so it’s easy to get around. I have a few other Montreal neighborhood recommendations for English-speaking tourists in this post.

Tourist attractions in Montreal’s Latin Quarter

Palais de Congrès

The Palais de Congrès is the largest convention center in Montreal. Almost every day, there’s a different convention happening in the multi-floor center. The Palais also has some of the finest glasswork in the province of Québec. Glasswork is a fairly common feature here in Montreal, and this is by far the most stunning.

Cinémathèque Québécoise

The Cinémathèque Québécoise is a film lovers’ dream. They showcase independent and world cinema films as well as staple classics in both French and English. For instance, they’re screening The Big Lebowski soon, and it’s a film that you’ll see on the lineup from time to time. If you want to see some films that you’d be hard-pressed to find elsewhere, it’s a must-visit.

They also have regular exhibitions if you like museum-y type things and a robust collection of films.

Arcade MTL

Arcade MTL is a place I still frequent regularly when I’m in the city. It’s a fun arcade with a good mix of classic comfort games and modern staples. You can’t miss the Pacman ghost art when you’re approaching it on the street. It’s a wonderful arcade and a great place to bring the kids.

La Grande Bibliothèque

The big library is an architectural marvel that also has exhibitions about Quebec’s history and culture on the regular. Admission to the library is free, but it’s still a library so you’ll have to be quiet. Researchers come from all over the world to work here on Quebec and Canada-related topics.

Théatre Saint-Denis

A staple of Montreal, this theatre, the Saint-Denis Theatre is part event space, part theatre, part social nightlife hang. The theatre hosts a variety of shows throughout the year from musical productions to music artists, to celtic dancers. Tickets will usually run from $50-80 options with some VIP upgrades available.

UQAM Centre de Design

The Centre de Design showcases student and professional exhibitions dedicated to design. The 2023 season was dedicated to textile work and showcasing anti-war art from Ukraine. UQAM is known for its strong design program, so you’ll be treated to some of the most cutting-edge exhibitions of design if you take a visit.

Nightlife in Quartier Latin

There is never a shortage of things to do, and the Quartier Latin of Montreal is a relatively safe place to party. Just make sure if you’re a female to cover your drink with your hand and not to leave it unattended and if you can travel with a friend, fantastic. But those are general safety guidelines.

There are a wide variety of nightclubs and bars. I don’t drink or party anymore because I’m in my 30s and I’m tired haha but I do have some favorites from when I was regularly partying in that district:

  • Stereo — If you really want that clubbing experience, this will be the best place to find it.
  • Point Bar — Another great nightclub
  • Pub L’Ile Noire — If you like scotch, they have great scotch samplings
  • Le Psy Bar — Wine & cheese bar for when you’re feeling fancy
  • La Distillerie no.1 — Local distillery with some great brews
  • Bistro à Jojo — A neighborhood stable loved by locals
  • Le Saint-Bock — An artisanal pub and microbrewery

There are many fantastic and safe places to eat in the Latin Quarter of Montreal

There are lots of great and safe eateries in the Latin Quarter of Montreal. Photo by Adrienn.

Best places to eat in the Latin Quarter in Montreal

The Latin Quarter of Montreal has some of the best food options outside of Parc Avenue. It’s a culinarily diverse area, so if you’re looking for a certain type of food, it’ll be available either within the Quartier or nearby. This is a list of some of my favorite places as a Montreal local.

  • Saint-Houblon — a quaint gastropub with great burgers
  • Menthe et couscous — some of the best North African food in the city
  • Casa Galicia — Spanish-style paella, seafood, and tapas
  • Arriba Burrito — A must-visit if you’re a burrito person
  • Pizzeria Dei Compari — A cute Italian pizzeria with great vibes and friendly staff

  • Ô Mont-Crêperie – Savory and suite crêpe options

It’s safe to eat in the Latin Quarter of Montreal although it doesn’t have the most child-friendly options. You’ll be looking at mostly fast-food for them. I would also avoid making a dinner reservation later than 8pm to avoid crossing with the bar-hopping crowd.

Is Montreal Quartier Latin walkable?

Generally, yes, the Quartier Latin will be walkable. It’s about four city blocks by four city blocks in size, so it’s maybe 15 minutes to get from one end to the other maximum. You can easily get from your hotel to a dinner reservation quickly and it’s a quick walk from any bar or club back to your hotel.

As I’m disabled and i walk with two canes, I generally have to take a break to get from one part to the other. It’s a fairly flat walk, although you will have to contend with Montreal’s poor infrastructure as some of the sidewalks are not the most even and it’s very possible you’ll find yourself with a pothole or some kind of diversion.

Rideshares and Taxis in Montreal’s Quartier Latin

Because there are a lot of bars and nightlife establishments in the Latin Quarter of Montreal, it’s very easy to get a Montreal taxi or rideshare within a few minutes. You’re basically guaranteed to find a cab walking down the street, and your rideshare shouldn’t be more than 4 or 5 minutes away tops.

 

 

 

 

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