This is the preferred neighbourhood of the French who immigrate to Montreal, and it’s easy to understand why. A bohemian ambiance, specialty food shops, independent boutiques, small cafes and restaurants, the Plateau and Mile-End cultivate the art of European living.

The inhabitants do everything on foot, taste cuisine from the four corners of the world, let their children play in the green lanes, have a sense of community, and meet all kinds of people: teachers, graphic designers, young entrepreneurs, architects, brewers, bike repairers, bagel tourists, and vegan parents.

With its narrow tree-lined streets invaded by squirrels, its plexes typical of Montreal: red brick façades and exterior wrought iron stairs, its beautiful parks including Mount Royal (the one and only!), and its small-town style shop-lined streets (Little Laurier, Little Cartier), it’s hard not to fall in love with the quaint charm of the Plateau.

Mile-end meanwhile has revisited its industrial past and assumed its trendy side: organic canteens, barbers, coworking spaces, and artists lofts are springing up like mushrooms!

My day in the Plateau & Mile-End: work at the cafe, stop by the bakery, take a bike ride to the park…

• Density of 12,000 inhabitants/km²: enough to give the neighbourhood a lively feel while maintaining a warm community.
• Bike lanes and public transport for quick access to downtown.
• A plethora of cafes! Many welcome the self-employed who want to spend the day there.
• A shop for every taste: bakeries, butchers, delicatessens, fruit stores, fish markets, organic grocers, etc.
• Restaurants with cuisine from all over the world: food occupies a special place in the Plateau!

My home in the Plateau & Mile-End: a bit expensive for a dark apartment with creaky floorboards

• 73% renters: nothing lower than $1000, expect $1500-$1800 for two bedrooms, $2000 or more for 3 bedrooms with a yard (rare).
• 83% of buildings have less than 5 floors: Plexes, small buildings with 2 to 5 apartments, the legacy of the working class past of the district reigns supreme in the architecture here.
• 64% of buildings were constructed before 1960, with majority dating from 1900 to 1920! Even though you can find more and more renovated apartments and new condos, slanted floors, old wood mouldings, and original bathrooms and kitchens remain the norm.
• 0 parking… Just forget the idea of having a car in the Plateau!

My neighbours in the Plateau & Mile-End: expatriate French, urban families, freelancers, artists, barbers and the bearded.

• 57% of the population has a university education. A lot of people in the creative professions, a lot work for themselves.
• 60% of inhabitants earn less than $50,000 per year. Work less to earn less but live better: the motto of the Plateau?
• 32% of the population are immigrants, mostly Europeans, with the French in the lead.
• 67% of the inhabitants are francophone.
• 31% of families are couples with children.

My children in the Plateau & Mile-End: large parks and good francophone schools, all that’s needed for a happy life!

• 7 francophone schools including the coveted Laurier, De Lanaudière, and Paul Bruchési.
• 1 anglophone school.
• 2 alternative schools.
• 1 private catholic school.
• Parks, playgrounds, children’s pools, sports facilities and recreation centres are numerous!