“I took the Legal Administrative Assistant program. CDI College helped me see what I wanted to do with my life and showed me the steps that I needed to take to get there.” - Cindy C. CDI College Graduate
Historic, charming, and laid-back, Laval is an easy city to love. Across the Riviere des Prairies from Montreal, Laval is Quebec's third largest city and is located on Ile Jesus. The city is known for its farms and green spaces, historic neighbourhoods, great restaurants and bars, and thriving art scene.
Sports and Outdoor Activities
Outdoor enthusiasts will love Laval's abundant parkland. Parc de la Riviere-des-Mille-Iles is particularly noteworthy for its beautiful marshes and wooded islands. The best way to see the park is on the water, so it's particularly popular with kayakers and other boaters. The Centre de la nature is also a good bet. With more than 50 hectares of parkland, this huge island is the perfect place to escape from the city. For the ultimate Quebec experience, visit a maple sugar shack like Cabane a sucre Lalande.
Laval's island location makes it an ideal hub for water sports enthusiasts. Canoeing and kayaking are hugely popular, as are power boating and sailing. Cycling is another popular activity in Laval. The Route Verte is a particularly scenic cycle path that covers 32 km of Laval's roads or cyclists can cross to Montreal via the Perry Island Footbridge.
In the winter, there's plenty to do in Laval. Cross-country skiing is a great way to get outside. There are also more than 250 km of snowmobiling trails in Laval. You can ride a horse - or pony-drawn luge! - at Ferme L'Auteuilloise, a working farm that offers a host of winter activities. Another fun winter activity is outdoor ice skating at The Centropolis skating rink. Head over for a quiet skate or go to one of the scheduled professional skating shows.
Arts and Culture
One of Laval's most popular indoor attractions is the Cosmodome, a science centre focused on all things out-of-this-world. The space centre is packed with interactive activities, artifacts, and replicas from space missions. For those with more of an interest in the arts, the Maison des Arts de Laval is worth a visit. The theatre plays host to a number of dance, comedy, musical and theatrical shows.
Laval has plenty of art galleries and museums exhibiting everything from sculpture to photography to paintings and handicrafts. There are also plenty of historic buildings to visit, including the Sainte-Rose-de-Lima Church and the Old Sainte-Rose neighbourhood. A great historic walk is the Laval Heritage Trail, which winds through several historic neighbourhoods including Old Saint-Vincent-de-Paul.