In May and June 2023, we travelled from east to west across Canada. From Halifax in Nova Scotia to Montreal in Quebec, to Toronto in Ontario, to Vancouver and Whistler in British Columbia. Along the way some night trains and commuter trains, the Niagara Falls and – imagine this – a bus journey. A true Trans-Canada Train Trek.

I just can’t resist.

Montreal has a Formula 1 track, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, and I can’t resist visiting. It’s a nice addition to my collection of circuit visits. I was there on 23 May, just under four weeks before the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix, aka Grand Prix du Canada 2023.

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is located on Île Notre-Dame, where it is part of the Parc Jean-Drapeau. Quebecois hyphen place names such as streets, parks and buildings. 

It is named after the late Canadian Formula One driver Gilles Villeneuve.

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve has a rich history in F1, hosting the Canadian Grand Prix since 1978. The track is known for its high-speed straights, challenging chicanes, and tight hairpin turns, which make it a demanding and exciting circuit for drivers.

Located on Île Notre-Dame, an island in the St. Lawrence River, the circuit is just a few minutes away from downtown Montreal. The proximity to the city makes it easily accessible, and its picturesque setting adds to the overall appeal of the venue. 

The current F1 leadership lovres race circuits near destination cities. Montreal fits that bill and in my humble opinion does a better job at it than Miami for the Miami Grand Prix, Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Jeddah for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and I’m pretty sure it will be better as an F1 venue than Las Vegas for the Las Vegas Grand Prix. 

But I digress. The circuit is open to visitors, between races, for walking, running, biking, in-line skating, and driving.

During the few days of the Grand Prix, Notre Dame Island is one of the noisiest places in Montreal. Other times of the year, it is one of the quietest, being located in the middle of a river, on an island filled with greenery and animals, joggers and cyclists.

A track walk

I only saw one entry point: near the hairpin at the bottom-end of the circuit. That entry point is near a bridge going from and to Île Sainte-Hélène.

Pedestrians, cyclists and skeelers are expected to keep left, cars stay right. I visited on 23 May, three and half weeks before the Grand Prix. I expected preparations to be more advanced. But a lot of tidying up and painted still needed to be done.

Doing a full track walk is a dream. Even in Mexico that wasn’t entirely possible. I was a happy camper!

Other circuits I visited

• Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium.
• Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City, Mexico.
• Zandvoort, the Netherlands.
• Valencia Street Circuit, Spain.
• Albert Park, Melbourne, Australia (1).
• Albert Park, Melbourne, Australia (2).
• Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
• Monte-Carlo, Monaco.
• Singapore (1).
• Singapore (2).
• Le Mans, France.
• Norisring, Nuremberg, Germany.

2023 Trans-Canada Train Trek

1. REVIEW | Brussels Airlines Brussels to Munich in Economy.
2. REVIEW | Lufthansa Premium Economy Munich to Montreal.
3. REVIEW | Air Canada Economy Montreal to Halifax.
4. Flying Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa and Air Canada Brussels – Munich – Montreal – Halifax in minimal economy.
5. HALIFAX | Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21.
6. REVIEW | The Westin Nova Scotian Halifax.
7. NOVA SCOTIA | Sampling Halifax.
8. REVIEW | VIA Rail Canada night train 15 ‘The Ocean’ from Halifax to Montreal.
9. QUEBEC | Meandering Montreal.
10. REVIEW | InterContinental Montreal.