The Magnificent Chalet du Mont-Royal in Montreal
Located on the side of Mount Royal (Mont-Royal), north of downtown Montreal, Canada, the elegant and majestic Chalet du Mont-Royal is rich in history and offers visitors a magnificent view of the city and the countryside beyond, including the mighty St. Lawrence River. On a clear day visitors are likely to see Mont-St-Bruno, Mont-St-Hilaire and Mont-St-Grégoire, which together with Mont-Royal make up the Mountains of the King, or Montérégies, rising up from an otherwise flat landscape.
The Chalet du Mont-Royal is set in Montreal’s largest park, the picturesque Parc du Mont-Royal. The park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the renowned American landscape artist who designed New York’s Central Park. Since the park first opened to the public in 1876, a number of impressive works of art and architecturally noteworthy buildings have been added, including the Chalet du Mont-Royal. The chalet was built on the Kondiaronk lookout of the Parc du Mont-Royal as part of a government initiative in 1932. In was designed in the French Beaux Arts style by architect Aristide Beaugrand-Champagne, to be used primarily as a place to hold large gatherings, ceremonies and educational activities.
When designing the interior of the Chalet du Mont-Royal, Beaugrand-Champagne decided to pay tribute to the area’s history by means of a series of large paintings. This was during the time of the historic Great Depression, and as an initiative to assist unemployed artists, thirteen artists where chosen from different age groups, different backgrounds and a variety of different artistic styles. The artists were briefed about the history of Montreal and maps were made available detailing the evolution of the city and Mont-Royal covering the period of 1535 to 1760. The resulting artworks adorn the interior of the Chalet du Mont-Royal for visitors to view.
Today, the Chalet du Mont-Royal can be hired for large functions and has hosted numerous high profile and prestigious events. The esplanade of the chalet and the Kondiaronk belvedere remain accessible to visitors even when the chalet is being used for a private function - and day or night, the view from Chalet de Mont-Royal is unsurpassed.
