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saint lawrence river

7 of Montreal's best off-the-beaten-path bike routes

If you're ready to ditch the traffic, Montreal has secluded bike paths where the only jams are in your headphones. It’s just you, your bike, and the open road — no red lights, no rush hour, just riding. And with Bixi bikes ready all year, you have access to these peaceful routes whenever the urge strikes.

Here are seven spots where you can pedal away from pavement-pounding crowds:

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Montreal water taxis are relaunching this month — Here's where you can catch one

The Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM) is steering Montrealers away from traffic jams this month and onto the scenic St. Lawrence River with the launch of the 2024 river shuttle season. The water taxis serve as a full-fledged commuter service, designed to make city travel smoother and more enjoyable.

With ongoing construction clogging critical points like the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine tunnel, the re-introduction of the shuttles is a timely option for daily travellers looking for a break from the gridlock.

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beaches near montreal

This Beach Near Montreal Has Often Bright Blue Water & Fantastic Sunset Views (PHOTOS)

Good beaches near Montreal are a hard find. You're often left to choose between the brown waters of the Saint Lawrence River or some pungent, stagnant lake with dead bugs floating at the surface. There are some hidden gems, however. The beach at parc Jules-Léger in Saint-Anicet might be one.

The park occupies a small point that juts out into the Saint Lawrence. The beach itself is no more than an approximately 10-metre long water access point alongside a small pier. But the one-hour-15-minute trek from Montreal to this humble public dock has a big payoff: sweeping westward views of the river and clear water that occasionally takes on a bright blue or emerald hue.

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A Woman Was Rescued In Montreal After Accidentally Falling Into The Saint Lawrence River

On January 15 at 7:15 p.m., Urgences-Santé Québec rescued a 19-year-old woman after she accidentally fell into the Saint Lawrence River in Montreal's Old Port. She was able to call emergency services herself.

The Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal intervened for her rescue and Urgences-Santé Québec sent advanced care paramedics, primary care paramedics and the Groupe d'intervention médicale tactique (GIMT), an Urgences-Santé spokesperson told MTL Blog.

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montreal police

Montreal Police Say A Missing Teen Girl Was Found Dead Near The Saint Lawrence River

Montreal police found the body of a 17-year-old girl by the water on the LaSalle side of the Mercier Bridge on Tuesday afternoon. A 911 call around 12:30 p.m. reported what appeared to be an unconscious youth. Officers located the teen around 2:45 p.m. and it took paramedics some time to reach the body. Her death was later confirmed.

"We believe she slipped and injured herself, which led to her death," said SPVM spokesperson Raphael Bergeron.

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The Body Of A Whale Was Seen Floating In The Saint Lawrence River

It may be a sad end for one of the whales that visited Montreal earlier this month, but maybe not. The carcass of a minke whale was spotted by a fisherman in the waters of the Sainte Lawrence River near Contrecoeur, in the Monteregie, just under an hour north of Montreal.

Earlier this month, a couple of the aquatic mammals were seen swimming near Île-Sainte-Hélène, a rare sight for one, let alone two whales to be seen that far from the sea.

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New Montreal Area River Taxis Are Coming This Summer To Get You Off-Island

Montreal's regional transit authority is expanding its summer river shuttle service after testing the waters with last year's single-stop pilot project. Starting in June, you'll be able to catch a water taxi in Montreal's Old Port and coast to more destinations, including Île Sainte-Hélène, Longueuil, Boucherville, and Pointe-aux-Trembles. Routes between Bellerive and Charron Island, and Boucherville and Bellerive will also be available.

Walking or biking to off-island destinations can be taxing, so the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM) is hoping you'll take a water taxi instead. But the

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There's Another Whale In Montreal — Everything You Need To Know

There's a new whale in town, Montreal. Experts confirmed the mammal's arrival on May 9. It's the first documented sighting of a minke whale so far upriver, according to the Groupe de recherche et d'éducation sur les mammifères marins (GREMM), but the second time in two years a whale has made its way to the city.

In 2020, a female humpback whale met a tragic end after spending days near Montreal's Old Port and Parc Jean-Drapeau.

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montreal map

This Incredible Montreal Map Was Drawn With A Single Line

The Montreal map can be disorienting for even the best navigators. First, of course, the orientation of our streets so that they're parallel to the Saint Lawrence River means that Montreal's north is more like west and its west is more like south (so Montréal-Ouest is actually directly south of Montréal-Nord, which itself is farther south than Montréal-Est).

Then there's the geography itself: The urban area sits on an archipelago of oddly shaped islands stitched haphazardly together in a web of bridges and tunnels.

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montreal map

Do You Really Live In Montreal? This Map Shows All The Confusing Definitions Of 'Montreal'

City of Montreal. Island of Montreal. Agglomeration of Montreal. Montreal metropolitan community. All called Montreal. Not all the same thing.

A diagram and map of Montreal by local researcher Raymundo Cassani illustrate all the official definitions that divide the urban area.

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These Quebec Cabins Suspended 10 m In The Air Offer Magical Views Of The St Lawrence

After nearly two years of work on the construction, these new Quebec cabins suspended 10 metres in the air at Repère Boréal are finally open for visitors, providing the most spectacular views!

This site in Quebec's Charlevoix region is a four-hour drive from Montreal, but undoubtedly worth the mini road trip.

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rem montreal

New Montreal REM de l'Est Renderings Show What The Light-Rail Network Could Look Like

New renderings of the proposed Montreal REM de l'Est aim to quell residents' concerns that the light-rail network would become an eyesore and nuisance in the dense neighbourhoods of downtown and East End Montreal.

The renderings emphasize a narrower footprint for the aerial structures, various-shaped pillars and a rounded deck that's meant to resemble the hull of a ship on the Saint Lawrence River.

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