Carmel de Montréal

Carmel de Montréal is a Carmelite convent in Le Plateau-Mont-Royal featuring a neo-Gothic chapel and several structures surrounding a stone-walled courtyard at 351 Avenue du Carmel. The grounds include spaces for retreat and prayer as well as areas supporting communal life and daily routines.

The convent was established in 1896 when six French Carmelite nuns arrived after William Edmond Blumhart donated land for the community. This foundation marked the settlement of this contemplative order in what was then the Mile End neighborhood.

The street name Avenue du Carmel honors Mount Carmel in the Holy Land, the birthplace of the Carmelite order. Religious symbols scattered through the grounds, including a grotto and a small hill, serve as places for quiet reflection and prayer.

The convent sits in a quiet residential area and is visible from the street, though contacting the community beforehand is recommended for visits. The nuns welcome visitors at certain times, so silence and respect for their contemplative lifestyle should always be observed.

The nuns follow a strict rule of silence and lead a cloistered lifestyle far less visible than in other religious communities. Despite this withdrawn existence, they participate in local prayer networks and spiritual initiatives that benefit the surrounding neighborhood.