Review of Montreal’s big parks – Lafontaine Park

With all this talk of Jean-Yves's adventures and outdoor professionals, I was beginning to get a little too envious. I had to get out and do something. So what I decided was to visit and critique one of Montreal’s major parks.

The idea came to me just recently. I was out having a picnic, bottle of rosé, baguette and double-crème cheese in hand. Not to mention that I was in good company. Experts would already agree on that being the perfect recipe for enjoying life. But there was more… we had Lafontaine Park as a backdrop. It was the wonderful setting for a beautiful day.

Lafontaine Park has an area of 36 hectares with a varied landscape. Whether it be a pond surrounded by hills perfect for sunbathing, or pétanque courts, or a fenced-in picnic area perfect for family outings, Lafontaine has a lot to offer. The park itself is criss-crossed by several trails making it ideal for long walks.

It’s a very popular place where one can find all types of urban wildlife. On the day I was there, in addition to all the urbanites taking advantage of the beautiful weather, there were acrobats sharpening their skills and a group of performing musicians. It was a great soundtrack to compliment the day. They were really good and attracting more and more people to them. As people gathered, it made for a beautiful atmosphere.

Aside from the park’s natural charms, it has another asset: location. It is easy to access no matter how you try to get there: it’s near the Mont-Royal and Sherbrooke metro stations, as well as being accessible by several bus lines, and two intersecting bike paths (Rachel and the Route Verte). There are also several parking lots on the grounds for those arriving by car.

If Paris talks about 'subway, work and sleep', the Parc Lafontaine is subway, bike and car. If you don’t find that funny, go ask a Parisian about daily life. You probably still won’t find it funny, but at least you’ll understand that it sounds a lot better in French.

Join me next time when I visit Maisonneuve Park.

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