Saint Catherine Street (rue Sainte-Catherine) is the heart and soul of downtown Montreal. Spanning more than 15 kilometers (9 miles) from East to West, Saint Catherine Street is the commercial artery of Montreal. Loved by Montreal locals and tourists alike, this street contains everything from name-brand stores, boutiques and restaurants. There are 9 Metro stations that run parallel to this street and it crosses many of Montreal’s popular neighbourhoods.
Attractions on Ste-Catherine Street
Beginning Westward in the Westmount neighbourhood, Montreal’s most important commercial street runs through many of Montreal’s main hotspots and attractions and ends on rue Notre-Dame Large segment’s of Montreal’s world-famous underground city, also runs parallel to Saint Catherine Street.
Commerce and Shopping on Ste-Catherine Street
Saint Catherine Street is the largest commercial artery in all of Canada. You’ll find more than 1,200 merchants on this street alone. Some of Montreal’s biggest stores and malls are located on Saint Catherine Street. For example, La Baie, Ogilvy, Simons, the Eaton Center, Complexe Les Ailes, Place Montréal Trust, Les Cours Mont-Royal are only some of the popular malls and stores that are located on rue Ste-Catherine. Saint Catherine Street also features many access points to Montreal’s Underground City.
Festivals and Events on Ste-Catherine Street
Montreal’s Place Des Arts and Montreal’s Quartier des Spectacles are both located on Ste-Catherine Street. The Place des Arts is an important cultural center that features 5 concert halls as well as the Museum of Contemporary Art (Musée d’Art Contemporain). The Quartier des Spectacles is where many of Montreal’s top shows and international events are held. During the summer, this portion of Saint Catherine Street becomes a pedestrian-only street where many of Montreal’s world-famous festivals are held. Some of the festivals that hold events on rue Ste-Catherine include the International Jazz Festival and the Just For Laughs Festival.
Educational Institutions on Saint Catherine Street
On the Eastern end of Saint Catherine Street, at the intersection of rue Saint-Denis is the campus of UQAM (l’Université du Québec à Montréal), which happens to be Montreal’s largest French University. On the Western end of Saint Catherine Street, at the intersections of Guy Street and Bishop Street are some of Concordia University’s downtown campuses. Other institutional institutions located on, or near Saint Catherine Street include Dawson College, LaSalle College and McGill University.
The Gay Village on Ste-Catherine Street
Montreal’s Gay Village is mainly concentrated around Ste-Catherine Street. Access to The Village is available through Beaudry Métro station. The parts of Montreal’s Gay Village located on rue Ste-Catherine feature many buildings containing the rainbow flag.
Images of Saint Catherine Street
Saint Catherine Street near Place Montreal Trust (wikimedia)
Saint Catherine Street near Place Montreal Trust (wikimedia)
