Parc du Mont-Royal (Beaver Lake)

Parc du Mont-Royal is Montreal's most storied gay cruising ground, centred on the wooded summit trails and the area around Beaver Lake (Lac aux Castors). It was a legendary meeting spot from the 1960s through the 1990s. Be honest with yourself before going: activity here has declined sharply in the app era, and the park now has more lighting, patrols and occasional police presence than in its heyday. Come for the views and the mountain by day; if you explore after dark, stick to well-known paths, keep your wits about you, and prioritise personal safety. Historic and still tolerated, but a shadow of what it was.