Ville-Marie, Montreal

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Ville-Marie is a central borough (arrondissement) of Montreal, Quebec. It is named after Fort Ville-Marie, the early French settlement that grew into the city. The borough covers much of downtown Montreal and Old Montreal, and also includes parts of Mount Royal Park, Saint Helen’s Island, and Île Notre-Dame.

The borough spans about 16.5 square kilometers and is home to around 105,000 residents (2021).

What you’ll find there: Ville-Marie holds downtown Montreal, Old Montreal and the Old Port, plus key districts like Chinatown, the Gay Village, the Latin Quarter, and the Quartier des Spectacles. It contains three major universities—McGill, Concordia, and UQAM—and many offices and cultural venues.

Landmarks and culture: You’ll see Notre-Dame Basilica, Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral, St. Patrick’s Basilica, Place des Arts, the Grande Bibliothèque, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and the Quartier des Spectacles. The area also features the Montreal Science Centre, Pointe-à-Callière Museum, and the Bell Centre (home of the Montreal Canadiens). Parks include Mount Royal Park, Dorchester Square, Place du Canada, and Parc Jean-Drapeau on Île Notre-Dame. The Old Port is a key attraction as well.

Sports and events: The borough hosts venues such as Percival Molson Stadium and the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Île Notre-Dame, which hosts the Canadian Grand Prix.

Hospitals and services: The CHUM megahospital is located here, along with Montreal General Hospital and Hôpital Notre-Dame. Ville-Marie also contains many of Montreal’s central business and transportation hubs.

Transportation: Ville-Marie is served by several Montreal Metro lines (Orange, Green, Yellow). Major train and bus hubs include Central Station, Lucien-L’Allier, and the Downtown Terminus. Highways such as Autoroute Bonaventure and the Ville-Marie Autoroute run through the area. Bridges connect to the South Shore (Victoria and Jacques-Cartier Bridges), and the Pont de la Concorde links to Parc Jean-Drapeau.