Guide to the underground city

Complexe Desjardins is one of the easternmost starting points for the RESO network: the guide to Montréal’s Underground City. Find the RESO signs throughout the Underground City to figure out where you’re heading on the Underground Pedestrian Network. Smack bang in Quartier des spectacles, Complexe Desjardins is a stunning mall right across from Place des Festivals (interior fountain included). It’s only the beginning: explore the whole 20+ miles for lots more shopping, movies, activities and unforgettable good times. 

Looking for goodies to remember your trip by? The Underground City has got tons of made-in-Montréal shops for you. At Complexe Desjardins you’ll find fine Montréal-made jewellery at Joaillerie St-Jean or Bijouterie Ralph et Elle, and books by local authors at Renaud-Bray. Further west throughout the Underground City you’ll find brands like Rudsak leather goods Signé Local (all locally designed fashion, accessories, food, cosmetics and décor), and of course the Montréal-based, internationally famous ALDO shoes.

Get a makeover in a day in the Underground City’s many, many clothes, shoes and accessories shops. You can even get your nails and hair done underground! And if you end up shopping so much at the Centre Eaton de Montréal’s clothes and accessories stores that your new threads won’t fit into your luggage, stop by Bentley to buy a bigger bag. Stop into Cours Mont-Royal for a winning selection of high fashion stops, including Karl Lagerfeld, Ralph Lauren, Mackage and DKNY. To avoid your bags weighing you down as you trek the Underground City’s other malls (Place Montréal Trust and Place Ville Marie among them), lockers are available on the Eaton Centre’s Metro Level. You can securely store coats, bags and other personal effects for a nominal price.

When you want a break from all the shopping, there are amazing food options. The Centre Eaton de Montréal is home to Time Out Market, a larger-than-life food hall that brings together different counters by some of the city’s best and most famous restaurants (including Le Red Tiger and Moleskine). Place Ville Marie also has a beautiful food hall, Le Cathcart, where you can people-watch in the amazing indoor-outdoor space while feasting on next-level burritos, poke bowls, Korean fried chicken or Montréal bagels and lox. Nearby at the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth hotel, conveniently connected to the city’s central train station, you’ll find the amazing Marché Artisans, where you can get food to go or enjoy a selection of meals from various stations. Or sit down for a gastronomic experience at the stylish Rosélys Restaurant. All the malls connected by the underground pedestrian network boast their own food courts, as well.

When you want a break from all the shopping, wining and dining, there’s entertainment galore. The Underground City links to the Place des Arts and the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (temporarily located in Place Ville Marie for the duration of an ambitious renovation project). There’s also a whole art network in the Underground City itself, thanks to the Art Souterrain festival. Check out the public art network maps on the Art Public Montréal website too; many are reachable via the Underground City.