What’s the transportation:
Polytechnique is located between 3 subways station, Côtes-des-Neiges, Université de Montréal, and Édouard Montpetit.
Another common transport that is used by Polytechnique students is the buses. The buses line are the #55, #368, #165, #369, #119 and, the #51.
Which neighborhood student from Polytechnique lives:
The number one answer for this one is Cotes-des-Neiges. A big majority of students live nearby the university and in some really specific street between Avenue Barclay to Queen Mary street. There are about 15,000 students studying at the Polytechnique, basically, all the streets nearby are populated with students. There’s also UdeM and HEC campuses that are just nearby.
There are also some other students that prefer to live in more cliché neighborhood as the Plateau-Mont-Royal, The Mile-End or even Downtown. It’s also possible because it will take in general about 20 to 35 minutes to arrive at the university with public transportation for those neighborhoods. The life around those districts is really different and can sometimes cost a lot more. In Côtes-des-Neiges the rent price is quite budget-friendly, you can find mostly everything.
What’s we find cool there:
The best student bars in town are directly in Cotes-des-Neiges. There’s the iconic Resto-Bar La Maisonnée where you will pass countless hours there, even if you don’t drink! The majority of 5 to 7 organized by student association from all programs is done there. There’s also the St-Houblon where the ambiance is completely different than La Maisonnée. You can eat great pub food there and it’s more a relaxed ambiance. Once a week, there’s a humorist night where it’s guaranteed you will have a good laugh!
Everything can be done within walking distance near the Polytechnique. There are groceries, some small shops, and even a small plaza. It’s also the most multicultural neighborhood in Montreal, you will find every type of restaurant from every culture. It’s also really cheap to eat in the neighborhood, they offer a lot of student discounts.
Don’t forget to pass by the Oratoire St-Joseph, the most popular tourist destination in Montreal and it’s completely free and at 5 minutes from Polytechnique.
About Polytechnique:
Polytechnique Montreal is an engineering university. The majority of students speak French, but it’s also possible for an English speaking student to study there.