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Le sentier du cœur de l'île a new route takes you to downtown Montreal's hidden treasures

From the mountain to the river, explore over a hundred must-see spots in the heart of the city! 

Press release / For immediate release

Montreal, July 13, 2021Les aventures du cœur de l’île, the summer relaunch of downtown Montreal presented by the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership and Montréal centre-ville in collaboration with Tourisme Montréal, is pleased to present Le sentier du cœur de l’île, a route that explores close to 15 kilometres, connecting a hundred not-to-be-missed sites in the heart of the city. Inspired by international projects like Suivez la ligne verte in Nantes, France and the Boston Freedom Trail in the United States, this route was designed and produced by Intégral Jean Beaudoin and Multimedia Nova-Lux. As of this weekend, this remarkable trail is engaging the public from Atateken Street to Cabot Square and from Sherbrooke Street to Old Montreal.

From the mountains to the river, this original circuit offers you the opportunity to discover 60 cultural dissemination spaces as well as 40 public artworks listed on the Art public Montréal's website. This exploratory route also connects Les aventures du cœur de l’île’s 10 Oases. Created by local designers, these welcoming rest stops offer the public a place to stop for a bite to eat, take a break, or reconnect with friends.

A red line and directional signage on the sidewalks demarcate Le sentier du cœur de l’île. Pedestrians will also be able to scan QR codes at cultural sites, outdoor installations, and the Oases on the route to see more detailed information on the new lecoeurdelile.com website. A map will be available for download at the same site soon. From the mountain to the river, Montrealers are invited to reclaim their city while enjoying its best attractions.

“The sentier du cœur de l’île is the result of months of hard work and consultations with our downtown partners. It’s a real show of strength that puts all the cultural and economic forces on display in one original, memorable route. At each turn and every stop, we can see all the cultural riches of the heart of Montreal!” says Monique Simard, Chair of the board of directors for the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership.

“This route is a reminder that the downtown is not just a business centre, but an unparalleled cultural hub and a neighbourhood of many wonderful discoveries. The sentier du cœur de l’île shows once again how much designers, artists, and the entire cultural and creative sector make huge contributions to the dynamic, appealing character of our downtown core,” notes Glenn Castanheira, Montréal centre-ville General Manager.

Thanks to the partners who contributed to the sentier du cœur de l’île: XP_MTL, Mille Carré Doré, Peel Mtl Foodies, Art Souterrain, the Ville-Marie borough, the SDC du Quartier latin, the SDC du Village, the Crescent Street Merchants Assocation, the Old Port, Faubourg Ontario, and Art public Montréal.


More information: lecoeurdelile.com

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ABOUT LES AVENTURES DU CŒUR DE L’ÎLE

The result of a productive partnership between the Quartier des Spectacles and Montréal centre-ville, in collaboration with Tourisme Montréal and with the financial support of the Ville de Montréal, Les aventures du cœur de l’île is downtown Montreal’s summer relaunch project. Bringing together the cultural and economic sectors, the initiative features a variety of activities specific to the project as well as the partners’ programming. From Atwater to Papineau streets, between Sherbrooke Street and the St. Lawrence River, downtown is the setting for next-generation activities thanks to several new pedestrian zones, safe designs for public spaces, spontaneous performances and an enhanced cultural offer. From June to the fall, these initiatives will welcome Montrealers and residents of neighbouring regions to be part of the city’s revival and enjoy the Island’s wonders.  

More information: lecoeurdelile.com

ABOUT QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES AND THE PARTNERSHIP

The Quartier des Spectacles is Montréal’s cultural heart, boasting North America’s most concentrated and diverse group of cultural venues as well as numerous festivals and events. The Quartier also hosts innovative urban installations involving cutting-edge lighting design and immersive environments. The Quartier des Spectacles has become an international showcase for digital public art.

The Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, founded in 2003, is a non-profit organization with more than 85 members active in the district. It is responsible for animating the Quartier des Spectacles by programming cultural activities, managing and animating public spaces, providing distinctive illumination and promoting the Quartier as a must-visit cultural destination. The Partnership benefits from the support of the Ville de Montréal. 

More information: quartierdesspectacles.com

ABOUT MONTRÉAL CENTRE-VILLE

Founded in 1999, the Société de développement commercial Montréal centre-ville is one of the largest organizations of its kind in Canada. Bringing together close to 5,000 companies located between Atwater and Saint Urbain and Sherbrooke and Saint-Antoine, its mission is to contribute to the downtown core’s economic and commercial dynamism, public image, and quality of life.

More information: montrealcentreville.ca

ABOUT TOURISME MONTRÉAL

Tourisme Montréal is a private, non-profit organization that has been positioning Montréal as a world-class leisure and business travel destination for over 100 years. The organization leads innovative tourism strategies that have a twofold objective: to ensure visitors enjoy a quality experience and to balance economic growth with the city’s long-term interests. Tourisme Montréal plays a leading role in the management and development of Montréal’s tourism industry, and advises on issues related to the city’s economic, urban and cultural development. 

More information: mtl.org

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PRESS KIT
Les aventures du cœur de l’île

MEDIA CONTACTS 

Les aventures du cœur de l’île (cultural and artistic components and installations)
Mélanie Mingotaud 
melanie@mingo2.ca
(514) 582-5272 

Les aventures du cœur de l’île (economic and commercial components)  
Dany St-Jean 
dstjean14@gmail.com
(514) 212-5457 


APPENDIX — LIST OF CULTURAL SITES AND PUBLIC ART WORKS

  • Oasis | Place des Festivals

  • The Maison symphonique

  • Balance, Haut Contraste et Providence (Art public Montréal)

  • La Maison Théâtre

  • L'air du temps (Art public Montréal)

  • Manifeste à Paul-Émile Borduas (Art public Montréal)

  • LUX Obscura (Art public Montréal)

  • Cinéma Cineplex Odeon Quartier Latin

  • Oasis | Quartier Latin

  • Théâtre St-Denis

  • The Cinémathèque québécoise

  • Centre Pierre-Péladeau / Salle Pierre-Mercure

  • Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ)

  • Espace fractal (Art public Montréal)

  • Axe Culturel Ontario - Usine C, Théâtre Prospero and Cabaret Lion d’Or

  • Cabaret Mado

  • Galerie Blanc

  • Le National

  • The Olympia

  • Oasis | Jardins Gamelin

  • Gratte-ciel, cascades d'eau / ruisseau ... une construction (Art public Montréal)

  • Rétro-Projections (Art public Montréal)

  • Galerie de l'UQAM / École de Design de l’UQAM

  • Breath of spring (Art public Montréal)

  • Théâtre Sainte-Catherine

  • Foufounes Électriques

  • MTELUS

  • Place des Arts

  • Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal (MAC)

  • Complexe Desjardins

  • Théâtre Jean Duceppe

  • Théâtre du Nouveau Monde (TNM)

  • Oasis | Esplanade Tranquille

  • Oasis | Prenez Place !

  • La Vitrine

  • Club Soda

  • Café Cléopâtre

  • The Society for Arts and Technology (SAT)

  • The Monument-National

  • May an Old Song Open a New World (Art public Montréal)

  • Oasis | Place des Souhaits

  • Dialogue with the Sino-Montreal community

  • Bank of Canada Museum

  • Centaur Theatre

  • Montréal Science Centre

  • Pointe-à-Callière | Montréal Archeology and History Complex

  • Phi Centre

  • St-James Theatre

  • La peur (Art public Montréal)

  • Place Jean-Paul Riopelle et Palais des congrès de Montréal

  • Le grand Jean-Paul (Art public Montréal)

  • Oasis| À l'ombre des cosmos

  • Monument à la reine Victoria (Art public Montréal)

  • Entourage Guimard (Art public Montréal)

  • Monument au frère André (Art public Montréal)

  • Monument à Édouard VII (Art public Montréal)

  • Aux Alentours – Esplanade PVM

  • Female Landscape (Art public Montréal)

  • Autoportrait (Art public Montréal)

  • The Bell Centre

  • Tower of Songs, Hommage à Leonard Cohen (Art public Montréal)

  • Le Monastère

  • Sans titre, Nicolas Baier (Art public Montréal)

  • Le sentier des jasettes (XP_MTL)

  • Canadian Centre for Architecture

  • Oasis | Les Grands Jardins

  • Démantèlement Gravitationnel (Art public Montréal)

  • La Fontaine de Bartholdi (Art public Montréal)

  • Chat de ruelle (Art public Montréal)

  • Monument à Norman Bethune (Art public Montréal)

  • Sans titre, Claude Théberge ((Art public Montréal)

  • Di-Octo II (Art public Montréal)

  • DB Clarke Theatre – Concordia University

  • FOFA Gallery – Concordia University

  • Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA)

  • Bourgie Hall (MMFA)

  • Musée Avenue (a dozen works)

  • Kouros Horse (Art public Montréal)

  • Le Joyau Royal et le Mile Doré (Art public Montréal)

  • Théâtre Symposia

  • Redpath Museum – McGill University

  • The McCord Museum

  • The Urban Forest at the McCord Museum

  • Totem urbain / histoire en dentelles (Art public Montréal)

  • Inukshuk (Art public Montréal)

  • La reine Victoria (Art public Montréal)

  • Ondes (Art public Montréal)

  • All Together, exhibition at the McCord Museum

  • Oasis | Escale du Coin

  • Cinéma Banque Scotia Montréal

  • Grévin Montréal

  • Oasis | Terrasse Gourmande

  • Le Balcon

  • Oasis | Plage Saint-James

  • Le Gesù

  • The Wilder Building

  • L'Astral

  • Hommage à Bad News Brown (Art public Montréal)

  • La Voie lactée ((Art public Montréal)

  • Où boivent les loups (Art public Montréal)

  • Paquets de lumière (Art public Montréal)