Le Réso, Montréal's underground city: the complete guide

The Underground City of Montreal is a pedestrian network under the city of Montreal. It extends over 32 km of tunnels and is used by around 183 million people every year. This network was built to enable Montrealers to get around without having to face the extreme temperatures and bad weather of the Canadian winter. It now contains 12% of the city's shops and connects universities, residential buildings, offices and more.

Don't be fooled into thinking you're in a dark, damp cave. Montreal's underground passages are like big shopping centres. They are gigantic and give an impression of grandeur. They have high ceilings and are very well lit. Montreal's underground pedestrian network is officially known as the RÉSO, and this type of network is quite common in Canada, with Vancouver and Toronto having their own.

The underground city is a project that was conceived at the same time as the Montreal metro. In the 1950s, the mayor of Montreal, Jean Drapeau, decided to modernise the city.

This underground pedestrian network is the largest and most complex underground network in the world. The Underground City Observatory tells the story of its historical development.

Every metro station is your gateway to Montreal's underground city. So can certain buildings, such as the Mondial shopping centre, Central Station, the Eaton Centre and Place des Arts.

There are plenty of restaurants and bars in Montreal's underground. We've chosen our three favourites:

Byo Bar Japonais: this elegant restaurant serves noodles, sushi and sake in a trendy, contemporary atmosphere at 711 Côte de la Place d'Armes (opening hours: 11.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily).

Bivouac: Bivouac is a luxury establishment serving refined dishes. Address: 1255 Rue Jeanne-Mance (opening hours: 11.45 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. daily).

Impac Taco: Impac Taco is a casual Mexican restaurant serving Mexican and Tex-Mex specialities. Address: Réso Montréal Souterrain (opening hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., every day except Tuesday).

Shopping, as the Québécois say

Montreal's RÉSO links the city's biggest shopping centres. Choose from the Eaton Centre, Place Ville Marie or Promenades Cathédrale. We recommend the Winners shop, a chain of end-of-line shops that is very popular in Quebec. It's a great place to pick up some bargains!

Exhibitions and shows in Montreal's underground passages

The city regularly organises exhibitions and shows in Montreal's underground passages. The Art Souterrain collective's mission is to promote art in public spaces and atypical environments. They often organise ephemeral exhibitions in the underground.

The World Trade Centre and a piece of the Berlin Wall

Don't miss this Roman-style building. It's one of the most beautiful buildings to be seen in underground Montreal. A small piece of the Berlin Wall is on display under a glass roof.