Chinatown

Montreal's Chinatown, a historic Chinese district

The Montreal audio-guided tour takes you into Chinatown, the city's Chinese district. A magnificent painted wall and a large arch mark its northern entrance, in the Ville-Marie borough, north of Old Montreal.

Immigrants who came from the 1860s

Montreal's Chinatown dates back to the 1860s, when Chinese immigrants came to Canada to work in the mines and on the railways. The district is flanked at its four corners by large Chinese arches, called paifang, which traditionally mark the entrance of cities. They symbolise the welcome and the identity of the community.

What there is to see

You wander among restaurants, grocery shops, stores and colourful stalls, in a lively atmosphere. The paifang arches, the painted wall and the Mandarin signs create a complete change of scene in the heart of Montreal. It is the natural gathering place of the Chinese community and a district valued for its cuisine and its atmosphere.

Practical information

Montreal's Chinatown is north of Old Montreal, in the Ville-Marie borough, around the partly pedestrian Rue De la Gauchetière. The district can be walked freely at all hours; the shops and restaurants keep their own hours.

How long has Montreal's Chinatown existed?

It dates back to the 1860s, when Chinese immigrants came to Canada to work in the mines and on the railways.

What are the paifang arches?

Paifang are large Chinese arches that traditionally mark the entrance of cities. Four of them frame Montreal's Chinatown.