Old Montreal concentrates 400 years of history into a few blocks of cobblestone streets. Most visitors see the surface — the stone facades, Notre-Dame Basilica, the Old Port. But beneath that first layer is a stranger, denser and more fascinating city. Here are 5 stories our guides share on our guided bike tours — stories you won’t find in any travel guide.
Source : Tourisme Montréal, Bilan 2024
1. The street beneath the street
Beneath the current street level of Old Montreal lie the foundations of the 17th-century colonial city — merchant warehouses, fortifications, vanished quays. Rue de la Commune, for example, runs along what was once the actual riverbank before centuries of landfill pushed the water south. What you’re cycling is five generations of city, layered on top of each other.
2. The working port visitors never reach
At the far western end of the Old Port, Grain Silo No. 5 — 206 reinforced concrete silos, 66 metres tall, built between 1903 and 1959 — dominates the riverfront. In operation until 1994, it represents an era when Montreal was the world’s leading grain shipping port. From the Alexandra Quay viewpoint just beyond, you get a river perspective that exists in no postcard of the city.
3. Buildings that survived the great fires
Old Montreal was devastated by two major fires in the 19th century — 1852 and 1861 — which destroyed dozens of city blocks. That’s why most current buildings date from the second half of the 1800s. But a few rare survivors from before 1850 remain. Our guides know exactly where they are and how to read their facades for evidence of those rebuilding years.
4. The ghost trace of the fortifications
Montreal was surrounded by 4.5 km of military fortifications from the 17th century until they were demolished starting in 1804 to allow the city to expand. Their trace is still readable in the current street grid — the slight jogs in certain streets, the change of block orientation, the foundations of some buildings that rest on the original stones. Our guides ride you along this invisible boundary.
5. The underground passages beneath Old Montreal
Less known than downtown’s underground network, Old Montreal has its own subterranean connections — historical tunnels beneath City Hall, colonial passages between certain buildings, the vaulted spaces under Bonsecours Quay. Most are closed to the public, but our guides show you the access points and tell the stories of smuggling, refuge and escape tied to these passages during 19th-century turbulences.
Experience these stories by bike
These stories require context, mobility, and a guide who learned them by living in the city. That’s exactly what you get on our guided bike tours. The Hidden Gems Tour and the Other Side of Montreal Tour both cover Old Montreal and its secrets through a local’s eyes. Groups of max 10. Rated 4.8/5 on TripAdvisor.