Montréal: City of lights

A mind-blowing creation of the masterminds at Montréal’s internationally renowned multimedia entertainment studio Moment Factory, The AURA Experience literally reconstructs the Notre-Dame Basilica’s interior with lights and sound. It’s an experience you won’t forget—but be sure to arrive a little bit early to explore the other impeccable installations in place that almost give the impression that this grand old church is living and breathing right before your eyes. 

Another Moment Factory project, the photogenic Jacques-Cartier Bridge lights up nightly over the expanse of the St. Lawrence River. But it’s all controlled by much more than just flipping a switch—the bridge’s lighting patterns are determined both by season (green in spring, orange in summer, red in fall and blue in winter) and the city’s mood (blue for sports, purple for arts, yellow for business and several more), collected throughout the day from social media tagged with #illuminationMTL. Each ½ hour a special animation sequence also takes place and the stroke of midnight is commemorated each and every night on an immense scale. 

Further east, the Samuel De Champlain Bridge stretches 3.4 km (2.1 miles) over the St. Lawrence, and lights up every night with 7,500 LED bulbs, either in a static glow or gently pulsating rainbow. During bird migration periods, the bridge is lit in blue or green hues so as not to distract birds from their flight paths, and special events throughout the year receive their own colourful flourish. More information including their annual calendar is available here. 

Marking over 50 years of UQÀM University, the institution’s historic Saint-Jacques church bell tower shines nightly—putting the perfect punctuation mark on a cozy evening stroll. Adding an awe-inspiring glow to the Quartier latin, the UQAM Bell Tower is ready for its close-up! 

Overlooking President-Kennedy Avenue, UQÀM’s President Kennedy Pavilion transforms into a massive projection facade every night, covered by regularly changing creative explosions of colour and shape created by local artists and students. Visible from both Place des Arts and Place des Festivals, the Pavilion is an attention-grabber from any angle.  

Featuring specially curated animations utilizing the latest in digital mapping projection technology, the façade and front steps of the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) burst with colour every night. Created by artists invited to reflect the setting and local histories, this nightly spectacle is one not to be missed.

Throughout the year, both the Quartier Latin and the Quartier des Spectacles entertainment districts play host to cutting-edge illuminations that punctuate the night sky. While some are permanent—such as the previously mentioned projections on the face of the UQÀM campus—others, like the seasonal LUMINO and MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE festivals, transform these districts into playgrounds of light throughout the winter with annually changing installations both interactive and awe-inspiring. It’s the perfect opportunity to bundle up and get exploring on a chilly night. 

Poet and musician Leonard Cohen is a patron saint of local culture and history, commemorated by two large murals painted after his death in 2016. Perfectly visible from the Mount Royal viewpoint, the 1,022 square metre Tower of Songs mural on Crescent Street is now also bathed in light every night of the year—including a touching shade of red over his heart from which he wrote and sang for decades as a proud Montréaler. It’s a moving tribute that glows. 

Wander into Montréal’s Village quartier, for a walk under the Proud Colours lights gracing Sainte–Catherine Street tell that the proud history of the sexual and gender diversity flags raised in pride by the LGBTQ+ community. Reflecting all the colours of the rainbow and more, #ProudColoursMtl is a shining, moving gesture of pride. 

Perched atop Place Ville Marie skyscraper, this four-beamed beacon is visible from over 160 km away (100 miles) and quietly rotates its beams out across the city 365 nights a year. A luminous icon of the city, the PVM Beacon both identifies Montréal from afar and plays nightly tribute to the island’s nautical heritage, a beloved lighthouse on an epic scale.  

As part of Place Ville Marie’s multi-million dollar renovations, Montréal’s newest icon The Ring is all lit up nightly. Already a favourite of #selfies fans, if you angle your camera just right you can also capture a glimpse of the Cross up on top of Mount Royal itself. And that’s what we call a full circle #mtlmoment! 

And speaking of lord-sized rings, the brightly lit La Grande Roue de Montréal ferris wheel not only provides stellar views over Old Montréal and the St. Lawrence River, but makes for a stunning addition to any cityscape photograph. 

A small and tidy gathering place on the Plateau's main shopping thoroughfare Mont-Royal Avenue, the Place des Fleurs-de-Macadam features an overhead lighting installation that changes with the seasons. With it’s overhanging puffy cloud suffused with trembling light in the spring through autumn (along with misting fountains), and a warming coil in the winter months, this square is a favourite meeting spot in any season. 

An annual highlight of Montréal’s festival calendar every autumn, MAPP_MTL—Festival international de projection mapping animates several of the city’s most recognizable buildings with the world’s latest digital mapping tech. Featuring an international cast of invited artists and some local heroes, MAPP_MTL makes Montréal shine even brighter.  

In years past, Montréal’s skyline was dotted with neon signs up and down its bustling boulevards, and many have since made their after retirement way to the MEM—Centre des mémoires montréalaises’ front stairway and lobby. And while some remain in active service—like the Farine Five Roses sign flashing over the Old Port of Montréal—experiencing them en masse and lit up together makes for a heartwarming historical experience.