Rue Saint-Paul
Montreal
Rue Saint-Paul is the oldest street in Montreal. Narrow and gently curving, it follows the river and runs through all of Vieux-Montréal.
The oldest street
The Sulpicians, lords of the island, laid out the street along a path beside the common pastures near the river. That is why it is not straight like the other streets in the neighbourhood. It is named after Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve, the founder of the city.
The shopping street
For centuries it was the city's most important commercial street. In the 1800s Vieux-Montréal was the cradle of the press, and many newspapers were printed here. Along the street stood the Hôtel Rasco, where famous travellers stayed. The street was lively by day and by night.
A street to look at
Along the street there are stone houses from different periods. Many of today's shops are in buildings from the 1800s, with shop windows on the ground floor and homes above. Look up: above the shop windows you can still see old window frames, cornices and faded painted signs.
Under the street
During the most recent works, digs were made under the roadway. They uncovered objects left by Indigenous Peoples, who fished near the mouth of a small river. The ground of an old market from the 1600s also came to light. So this everyday street tells a story much longer than that of its houses.
