Winter Film Locations in Montreal

Posted January 9, 2024

Montreal is more than just a beautiful city to enjoy outdoors in the summer and hibernate in during winter. It’s one of the most beautiful cities in Canada with its unique architecture, Old City, Québecois culture and abundant green spaces – all of which take on a special, magical quality in winter.

Many recent international movies and TV shows have been filmed in Montreal during the winter, including:

FILM
The Notebook (2004)
The Terminal (2004)
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
The Rocket (2005)
Blades of Glory (2007)
Midway (2019)
The US vs Billie Holiday (2021)
Single All The Way (2021)

TV
Just for Laughs (Festival and Gag show) (1983-present)
Quantico (2015)
District 31 (2016)
Jack Ryan (2018)
The Recruit (2022)

Transporting equipment and shooting in the cold can be more challenging, but the wonderful scenery in and around Montreal that can only be captured in winter is worth the extra effort. To prove it, we’ve created a list of some of the best places to film in the city during winter.

1. Mount Royal

This iconic landmark offers stunning views of the city skyline, the St. Lawrence River, and surrounding nature. You can film on the snow-covered trails, frozen Beaver Lake, or the scenic Lookout point. It’s also home to many winter activities, including ice skating, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing.

2. Quartier des spectacles

This is the cultural hub of Montreal, where you can find many theaters, museums, galleries, and festivals. In winter, the Quartier des spectacles transforms into a luminous wonderland, with video projections, lighting installations, a Christmas market and interactive artworks that illuminate the streets and buildings.

3. Old Montreal

This is the historic and charming district of Montreal, where you can find cobblestone streets, stone buildings, and quaint shops and cafes. This area is also a great place to film at night, when the lights and decorations create a cozy and festive ambiance.

4. Atwater Market Christmas Village

Christmas and winter go hand in hand, so if you need to film at a market or feature it in the background, a great option is the Atwater Christmas Market. Not only are there picturesque wooden shacks selling artisanal goods, food and drinks, but you’ll be directly by the Lachine Canal which has a beautiful frozen look in the wintertime.

5. Notre-Dame Basilica

This magnificent church is one of the most impressive and recognizable buildings in Montreal. Equally beautiful inside and outside, the Basilica can make a beautiful addition to your filming.

6. Maisonneuve Park

Maisonneuve Park offers gorgeous scenery in the winter including cross country skiers around an enormous natural ice rink.This park also has one of the best views of the iconic Olympic Stadium tower.

7. The Atrium 1000 Indoor rink/Old Port Outdoor rink

Both these skating rinks are beautiful and can only be found during the winter months, providing indoor and outdoor options.

8. Frédéric-Back Park

This park has all the usual features (benches, fields, hills etc.) while being dotted by peculiar white spheres. Not only do these spheres give a space/alien feel, they also capture biogases created from the leftover decomposing waste underground (this site used to be a dumping ground). The gases are trapped and sent to a power plant where they are used to produce electricity, making this former dumping ground an environmental achievement and unusual setting.

9. St. Louis Square and Place Jacques Cartier

Looking to film an urban wintery scene? Not only can these two locations easily pass for Europe, but the houses and buildings around there are unique and colorful.

10. Parc Jean Drapeau

One of the most famous parks in Montreal, Parc Jean Drapeau features the iconic Biosphere, the Gilles Villeneuve F1 race track and LaRonde amusement park. This uniquely Montreal venue features impressive views of the Montreal city skyline from the waterfront and a glorious aerial view of the park, so if you have a drone, this is the place to use it!

We hope we’ve inspired you to choose Montreal as the location for your winter filming. You’ll need filming permits for all 27 boroughs and municipalities. so contact us if you’d like help setting up and executing your next Montreal shoot!

Happy filming!