Parc Jean-Drapeau

Two islands in the middle of the St. Lawrence River carry the memory of a world's fair, a Formula One circuit, a casino and a summer of music festivals. Parc Jean-Drapeau occupies Île Sainte-Hélène and Île Notre-Dame, just across the water from downtown Montreal and a short ride on the Yellow Line of the metro. Île Sainte-Hélène is a natural island that was enlarged for the event, and Île Notre-Dame was built from scratch with rock excavated during the metro's construction. Both were transformed for Expo 67, the 1967 world's fair that put Montreal on the international map, and the park was later named for Jean Drapeau, the mayor who championed the project.

Expo's legacy is visible everywhere. The Montreal Biosphere, the giant geodesic dome designed by Buckminster Fuller for the United States pavilion, now holds an environmental museum and is the park's best-known landmark. Other pavilions were reused as the Montreal Casino, and the quirky Habitat 67 housing complex stands across the water on the mainland. A walk among the tree-lined paths and landscaped gardens reveals the remains of foreign pavilions and sculptures from the fair, and the open space around them gives a sense of the scale of the event.

The islands today are a recreation ground. Cyclists and walkers use a network of paths, with the river and downtown skyline in view, and in summer people swim and sunbathe at the Jean-Doré beach on Île Notre-Dame. Rowing and canoeing take place on the basin, and in winter the park is used for skating, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, where the Canadian Grand Prix is held, is part of the park and can be walked or cycled on non-race days.

Festivals fill the calendar. Large music events take over the grounds in summer, with electronic and rock concerts drawing thousands, and the open-air settings give them their character. Also on Île Sainte-Hélène are the old fort, now home to the Stewart Museum, and the amusement park La Ronde.

Visitors will find the easiest way to arrive is by metro to Jean-Drapeau station, followed by a short walk or bus ride. Bring a bicycle if you can, since the islands are large. Programming changes by season, so check the official website for events, access and opening hours.