Jeanne-Mance Park is where the city meets the mountain, a 14-hectare stretch of green at the foot of Mount Royal that serves as the Plateau’s ultimate backyard. Whether it’s for a pickup soccer match, a game of beach volleyball, or a few laps around the baseball diamond, the park is always buzzing with activity. In winter, the fields become skating rinks and cross-country ski trails, while the city’s joggers keep up their circuits year-round. Benches along the tree-canopied paths make for prime people-watching, with card games and conversations unfolding between longtime locals. The playground, paddling pool, and water games keep younger visitors busy, while picnic tables invite weekend barbecues—within the city’s fuel restrictions, of course. Once known as Fletcher’s Field, the park has a deep history, from military drills to lacrosse matches, but today, it’s simply where Montrealers come to move, meet up, or stretch out under the open sky.