April 19, 2013 ─ Just like other major international cities such as Paris, Amsterdam, London, and Berlin, Montréal now has its own urban beach. Known as the Clock Tower Beach—located at the base of its namesake erected in 1921 to commemorate the brave Merchant Navy sailors who disappeared during World War I—this new strand of coastline tranquility can accommodate up to 800 people.
Of course, the city already has a family-style beach on Île Notre-Dame (just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the island of Montréal), but the Clock Tower Beach offers its own brand of fun in the sun for those who love lazing and tanning. No dipping allowed, however, since the currents off Old Montréal’s Clock Tower Quay are too strong for swimming.
The actual Clock Tower, at 45 m high, offers spectacular views of Montréal, while the stretch of silky sand at its base provides a fun and friendly environment with a unique holiday atmosphere, beach umbrellas, brightly coloured chairs and fixtures, showers and mist stations, a wooden boardwalk, and a refreshment stand, all accessible via a giant stairway ramp.
A stroll along the Clock Tower Quay gives locals and visitors alike the opportunity to take in the magnificent panorama composed of the mighty St. Lawrence River, the impressive Jacques-Cartier Bridge, Alexander Calder’s iconic sculpture entitled “Man” (commissioned for Expo ’67) on Île Sainte-Hélène (a beautiful island in itself), and picturesque Old Montréal.
