Parc Jean-Drapeau sits in the middle of the St. Lawrence, five minutes from downtown Montreal, and it is composed of two islands: Sainte-Hélène and Notre-Dame. That geography is the whole point — a natural and cultural treasure just far enough offshore to feel like a genuine escape from the noise of the city, yet close enough to reach on a whim. It functions at once as a nature reserve, a sports ground, a cultural venue and a stage for events on the grandest scale, with a programme rich enough to draw thousands of visitors a year looking for green space, entertainment, or simply something they haven't seen before. Its history is layered into the ground: Expo 67, the 1976 Olympics, the Formula 1 Grand Prix on the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit, all still legible in the landscape.

The islands hold more than 25 kilometres of roads and trails, walkable in every season — along the water, up Mont Boullé near the Tour de Lévis, beside the stream by the Poudrière, through the Jardins des Floralies, or around the racing circuit itself. Dogs are welcome on a lead, photographers are spoiled, and picnic spots are everywhere: on the grass by the lake at Jean-Doré beach, or at any of the tables tucked away in the gardens, each with its own flora, its own view over the lakes or the river, and its own quiet. Scattered across the territory are the works of public art that belong to the City of Montreal's collection — around Espace 67, along the paths of the Floralies gardens, at the aquatic complex and near the Biosphère — many of them gifts from countries that took part in Expo 67, others the fruit of cultural exchanges between cities, and all of them a reminder of how outward-facing Montreal has long been. To these the park has added three monumental mosaïcultures, horticultural sculptures composed of nearly half a million flowers and plants, now permanently installed in the Jardins des Floralies. For those who want the context as they walk, the Voyage des Îles is a web app covering more than twenty selected points of interest across both islands, from artworks and heritage buildings to the sporting landmarks.

Water dominates the summer. The aquatic complex is among the largest open-air facilities of its kind in Canada, its 3,557 m² recreational pool sloping gently to a padded rubber floor for the comfort and safety of children, with a universally accessible water-play zone, lane swimming for the public, and a generous shaded area for anyone content to lie in the sun. Jean-Doré beach opens a modular swimming zone of up to 15,000 m² onto golden sand cleaned daily, with water quality watched closely; moored off it is the Aquazilla, an inflatable structure of 30 by 35 metres strung with obstacles, slides and platforms to leap from. Canoes, kayaks and pedalos are available for drifting through the lagoons, and stand-up paddleboarding can be learned or practised on the calm water at the beach or on the loop of lagoons around the Floralies gardens — increasingly with yoga or meditation folded in. Best of all, on summer evenings the aquatic complex becomes an open-air cinema: the Cinéma flottant invites you to watch a film from the water, floating on a supplied ring, with nothing required but a swimsuit.

Getting around is part of the pleasure. The Promenade fluviale du Grand Montréal traces roughly 14 kilometres of paved path linking Montreal, the park, Île des Sœurs and the South Shore municipalities, offering one of the rare chances to cross the St. Lawrence by bicycle, with spectacular views of the skyline and the river; it connects to both the Trans Canada Trail and the Route verte and forms part of the region's Trame verte et bleue. Electric shuttle tours circle the islands at an unhurried pace, with a recorded guide in both official languages covering the park's origins, Expo 67, the Olympics, the Grand Prix and what comes next, while electric scooters are on hand for anyone in more of a hurry. And rising above it all on Mont Boullé is the Tour de Lévis, a landmark since the 1930s: 157 steps lead up to an observation terrace and a 360-degree panorama taking in the islands, the immensity of the river, the Montreal skyline and the hills of the Montérégie beyond.

Wild in places and thoroughly engineered in others, layered with the ghosts of two world events and busy with a third summer of swimmers, cyclists and picnickers, Parc Jean-Drapeau is Montreal's great island playground — and the easiest way in the city to put water between yourself and everything else.

Jean-Drapeau Park