Along the water’s edge in Montreal’s east end, you’ll find a neighbourhood with the ambiance of a small village. Relaxed and peaceful, Old Pointe-aux-Trembles stretches along the shore like the settlements of long ago.

A little green, a little blue and a little action

Dotted with parks and mature trees, with hints of bygone eras, the neighbourhood’s centre is the town square next to Saint-Enfant-Jésus church. The square is the community’s meeting place—in summer, people gather for the farmer’s market and to enjoy concerts and cultural activities; there is even a public piano that anyone is welcome to play.

A few blocks from the town square, fishermen drop their lines off the dock. It’s hard to believe that you’re in Montréal. Yet, the hustle and bustle of downtown is not far away. Regular boat service will begin soon to take people to Montreal’s Old Port, part of a pilot project led by the city’s public-transit authority.

Pointe-aux-Trembles was founded in 1674. Built along Roy Street—now rue Notre-Dame—Old Pointe-aux-Trembles has changed significantly since the days when farms and barns dominated the landscape. But you still glimpse the past everywhere. Majestic Victorian houses line the St. Lawrence; the old windmill, surrounded by parkland, continues to stand watch. Walk around town and you see reminders of the neighbourhood’s rich history everywhere, including the fort built to protect the early settlers from Iroquois attacks.

The peupliers trembles (trembling aspens) that inspired the neighbourhood’s name are like giant sentinels that whisper in the wind. Behind the trees you’ll find homes surrounded by gardens and green spaces—much like the suburbs—but you don’t need to cross a bridge to get downtown. The real estate offering is similar to what you would find in the suburbs; single-family bungalows make up half of all homes in the neighbourhood. Surrounded by mature trees, colourful gardens and open spaces, the houses enhance the feeling that you’re in a village.

Old Pointe-aux-Trembles attracts families who want space to raise their children. Throughout its rich history, the neighbourhood has seen a wide variety of homes built: Victorian villas, suburban homes, bungalows, urban condos and single-family one-storey houses, along with duplexes and triplexes. To learn more about the latest residential development projects, check out the interactive neighbourhood discovery map on the Habiter Montréal website.

Many homes have been renovated, expanded or completely redesigned. Yet, each one has a character all its own, contributing to the neighbourhood’s eclectic personality. It is worth noting that many of the properties in the Rivière-des-Prairies-Pointe-aux-Trembles borough are eligible for financial assistance from the City of Montreal.

Read this complementary article on the Old Pointe-aux-Trembles.