Snowdon Area

Snowdon

is a an area of Montreal that finds itself caught between the much larger neighborhoods of on one end (which it is technically a part of), and Cote-Des-Neiges on the other. Centered around Queen Mary street east of the Decarie expressway, Snowdon is a primarily residential neighborhood that stretches north along Decarie until it runs into the Mont Royal town line.
Queen Mary is a large, 4 lane road that expands up from a small residential street west of Decarie until it intersects with Cote-Des-Neiges boulevard in the east. Along this segment of Queen Mary you can find restaurants, grocery stores as well as several kosher eateries. In fact, Snowdon represents one of the highest concentrations of kosher restaurants in the entire city. Notable are Chez Benny on Queen Mary, and Pizza Pita, further down along the Decarie.
As you drive up Queen Mary, you will encounter the College Internationale Marie-de-France, as well as the impressive St. Joseph’s Oratory. The Oratory is located on the right just before the street reaches the intersection with Cote-Des-Neiges. This imposing structure is fitted with the second largest dome in the world, coming in after St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The Oratory is said to contain the healing relics of Brother Andre, a monk who was able to cure the sick and the infirm through the power of God.
Snowdon metro station
The Snowdon metro station, found on Queen Mary near Decarie, houses both the short Blue line as well as the much longer Orange line. The Blue line exists primarily to serve the several universities that dot its service route. The Orange line heads through the heart of downtown and joins up again with the Blue line in the Plateau neighborhood. Snowdon station has metro track on two different levels, and there is actually an entrance to the metro on the other side of the Decarie that was completed but never officially opened or used. The only marking of its presence is a fenced off area in the middle of Queen Mary road, and behind the fence is a steel shack and locked door leading to a dark staircase.
Victoria street
The stretch of Victoria street that runs through the heart of the Snowdon neighborhood is one of the more ethnically diverse areas in the city. Many recent immigrants to Montreal settle in this area, and as a result there are food shops and clothing stores that reflect a global range of tastes. Since the area has an overwhelmingly residential flavor, it benefits from many schools, including traditional Jewish schools. There is also a large Jewish cultural center to be found on Westbury street, across from a park that spans 3 city blocks.