First pick
Parc Joseph-Omer-Montpellier
Park or garden
3.1 ha
1.1 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Fralambert · CC BY-SA 4.07%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Montpellier · parks, protected land & trails
31 public protected areas lie within 10 km of Montpellier
Out to 10 km from the town’s edge, 7% of the land is protected; 2.3% is typical for a Canadian town. The largest is Notre-Dame-du-Laus White-Tailed Deer Yard: 8,821 ha, 8.6 km from the edge of town. OpenStreetMap shows 5 unnamed beaches within 5 km.
Protected land
7%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
31
within 10 km, 31 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
24 km
Plaisance National Park (Québec)
Beaches
5
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
Where Montpellier stands out outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Many protected areas31 public areas within 10 kmProtected land all round7% of the land within 10 km, more than 78% of Canadian townsBeaches5 beaches within 5 km
Montpellier’s best card is the number of public protected areas close by, with protected land around it close behind.
Against other towns
How Montpellier compares with other Canadian towns
Each figure against the 2,611 Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+ (not city hubs or reserves), with the town marked and the typical one’s line. Canada’s grades don’t include the outdoors, so this page compares the figures rather than grading them.
Protected within 10 km7%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town4.7%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas31Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes0Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches5Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Montpellier comes 6th of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (1,253 to 2,587 residents), by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected. Hover for each one’s figures; click for its page.
Protected within 10 km
Montpellier7%
Towns its size1.6%
Towns in Quebec4.9%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Montpellier31
Towns its size4
Towns in Quebec10
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Montpellier0
Towns its size0
Towns in Quebec0
Typical Canadian town0
None of the other 39 towns its size has more public protected areas than Montpellier.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anmore BC | 22% | 47% | 16 | 5 | 98 |
| 2 | Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska QC | 19% | 0% | 28 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Gracefield QC | 19% | 19% | 34 | 0 | 6 |
| 4 | East Preston NS | 16% | 6.3% | 20 | 1 | 5 |
| 5 | Clearwater BC | 7.7% | 4.1% | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | Montpellier QC | 7% | 4.7% | 31 | 0 | 5 |
| 7 | Roberval QC | 6.1% | 1.2% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague QC | 5.8% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | North Frontenac ON | 5.7% | 5.2% | 13 | 6 | 4 |
| 10 | Cap-Chat QC | 5.3% | 0.4% | 13 | 0 | 10 |
| 11 | Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards ON | 4.4% | 1.5% | 9 | 0 | 4 |
| 12 | Saint-Polycarpe QC | 4.2% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 2 |
| 13 | Macassa ON | 4.1% | 0% | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| 14 | Saint-Damien QC | 4% | 3.2% | 22 | 1 | 9 |
| 15 | Unity SK | 3.4% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Sherwood ON | 3.4% | 0% | 19 | 2 | 0 |
| 17 | McNab SK | 2.6% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Mandeville QC | 2.5% | 1.8% | 19 | 4 | 7 |
| 19 | Esterhazy SK | 1.8% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | City Commercial Core ON | 1.8% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Caswell Hill SK | 1.4% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 3 |
| 22 | Fossambault-sur-le-Lac QC | 1.3% | 7.8% | 15 | 0 | 14 |
| 23 | Pembina MB | 1.1% | 1.8% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Burrows-Keewatin MB | 1% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Elmwood AB | 0.8% | 0% | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 26 | Hatley QC | 0.7% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 5 |
| 27 | Munroe West MB | 0.4% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Brooke-Alvinston ON | 0.3% | 0.2% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Rosedale AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 30 | Minchau AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 31 | Lunenburg NS | 0.1% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 5 |
| 32 | Salisbury NB | 0.1% | 2.1% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Dufferin MB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Ekota AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 35 | Satoo AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 36 | Saint-Éphrem-de-Beauce QC | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 37 | Magrath AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Nanton AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Rimbey AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Sexsmith AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Montpellier on the map: green space, protected land and paths
The town’s parks, woods, protected land and paths, with its named places numbered.
Green: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, playing fields and woods. Hatched: CPCAD protected areas.© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); CPCAD (OGL-Canada)
Places to walk
One park or wood to walk in, in or near Montpellier
Largest first: Parc Joseph-Omer-Montpellier leads with 3.1 ha. Numbers match the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, commons and woods with a name, in the town or within 400 m, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Sizes are the mapped outline’s.
Close to home
Most of Montpellier is more than a short walk from a park
Residents of each 2021 dissemination area, at a point inside it, within 400 m (about a 5-minute walk) of a park or playing field mapped on OpenStreetMap.
Within 400 m (0%)Further (100%)
Montpellier0%
Towns in Quebec52%
Typical Canadian town83%
The typical Canadian town reaches 83%. That leaves about 1,300 people more than a short walk away.
Protected areas
Within 10 km of Montpellier, 7% is protected land
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Montpellier4.7%
Within 10 km7%
Towns in Quebec4.9%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
The 31 are all publicly owned. Notre-Dame-du-Laus White-Tailed Deer Yard leads for size with 8,821 ha.
Mashkiki Land set asideProtected area · 3,450 ha · reaches Montpellier
lac de l'Écluse Old-Growth ForestNature reserve · 774 ha · reaches Montpellier
07251R015 Biological RefugeWildlife area · 115 ha · reaches Montpellier
07251R049 Biological RefugeWildlife area · 110 ha · reaches Montpellier
07251R013 Biological RefugeWildlife area · 107 ha · reaches Montpellier
07251R050 Biological RefugeWildlife area · 86 ha · reaches Montpellier
Lac Long HeronryProtected area · 19 ha · reaches Montpellier
Lac Makwa, Montpellier HeronryProtected area · 17 ha · reaches Montpellier
07251R012 Biological RefugeWildlife area · 79 ha · 0.1 km from the edge of town
Grand-Lac-du-Pin-Rouge Forest RefugeWildlife area · 184 ha · 0.1 km from the edge of town
21 more named areas within 10 km are in the figures.
Source: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
National & provincial parks
Plaisance National Park (Québec) is 24 km away
National parks (Parks Canada) and provincial or territorial parks by direction and distance from the town’s edge: every one within 10 km, and the nearest of each within 100 km.
National parkProvincial park
Québec national park (provincial)
Plaisance National Park (Québec)
24 km south28 km²since 2002
There is no national park within 100 km; for big parks, Montpellier has its province’s. A Québec parc national belongs to the province, not to Parks Canada.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
9 km of paths in and around Montpellier
OpenStreetMap footpaths, paths, bridleways and steps, and tracks open on foot, in the town and 1 km around it; woods as mapped (landuse=forest, natural=wood).
Footpaths
9.1 km
in and around the town (349.6 km²)
Woodland
90%
about 316.3 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
MontpellierTowns in QuebecTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
MontpellierTowns in QuebecTypical Canadian town
Woodland90%
0%50%100%
It has fewer paths per km² than 95% of Canadian towns. It is more wooded than 100% of Canadian towns.
Source: OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Mapping varies by place: a dense figure can mean keen local mappers as much as many paths.
Walking routes
No mapped walking route near Montpellier
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
OpenStreetMap has no named walking route within 2 km of the town. Trails may exist without being mapped as routes.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
The best months for walking in Montpellier: May and July to September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Ottawa (City), 68 km away). Good months: long days, highs of 15–30 °C, light rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.0 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 14.9 | 15.7 | 15.4 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.4 | 8.7 |
| High (°C) | -6 | -3 | 2 | 11 | 19 | 24 | 26 | 25 | 20 | 13 | 5 | -2 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 65 | 52 | 62 | 81 | 80 | 95 | 92 | 87 | 87 | 90 | 72 | 74 |
July is the warmest month, with highs around 26 °C; January the coldest, at -6 °C. June is the wettest month (95 mm) and February the driest (52 mm). The climate in Montpellier →
Beaches
5 unnamed beaches near Montpellier
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Beach water tests aren’t published as open data across Canada, so swimming advisories come from the local health unit.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Near Montpellier: 6 outdoor spots on the map
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
There are 3 campsites, more than of anything else. The highest named peak nearby is Montagne de la Tour, at 430 m.
Every named place, with directions
Playgrounds 1
Plus 1 playground without a name on the map.
Campsites 3
Camping du lac de la cédrièrein town
DirectionsCamping de groupe2.0 km from town
DirectionsPlus 1 campsite without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Montpellier
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Lac-SimonRiponSaint-André-AvellinMontpellier
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montpellier | 7% | 31 | 0 | 5 |
| Lac-Simon 9.0 km | 2.3% | 14 | 0 | 10 |
| Ripon 10 km | 6.4% | 14 | 0 | 4 |
| Saint-André-Avellin 17 km | 5.1% | 32 | 0 | 0 |
Montpellier holds its own on protected land: no neighbour has twice its share.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Walking routes. The list is OpenStreetMap’s, so a missing trail may just be unmapped. The Trans Canada Trail appears where OSM maps it.
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
- Private land. CPCAD includes conservation land held privately; the page counts it and leaves the names out.
- Protected land. The 10 km band starts at the town’s outline, not its centre, so a large municipality reaches further than a small town.
Questions about the outdoors in Montpellier
Is there a beach near Montpellier?
There are beaches within 5 km, none of them named.
How much land around Montpellier is protected?
Yes: 7% of the land within 10 km is protected.
Is Montpellier near a national park?
None within 100 km of Montpellier.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Montpellier?
May and July to September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
What is the nearest provincial park to Montpellier?
Plaisance National Park (Québec), 24 km away.
What is the largest protected area near Montpellier?
It is Notre-Dame-du-Laus White-Tailed Deer Yard, a protected area covering 8,821 ha.
Sources
Where Montpellier’s outdoors figures come from
Protected areas: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2026: every area within 10 km and the nearest national and provincial parks, measured outline to outline.
Walking routes and beaches: OpenStreetMap, November 2026: named hiking, foot and walking route relations within 2 km and beaches within 5 km.
Towns: Statistics Canada 2021 Census boundaries and populations; the comparison is the Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+, not city hubs or reserves.
When to go: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020, from the nearest station that publishes them.
Green space, paths, woods, things to do: OpenStreetMap (Geofabrik’s Canada extract), November 2026: parks, gardens, playing fields, woods, footpaths, the coastline and things to do in and around each town.
Residents: Statistics Canada 2021 Census dissemination areas (population, boundaries), each at a point inside it.
Walking routes and beaches © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database Licence (ODbL).
Not on this page: trailheads and trail grades, and beach water quality. No open Canadian dataset gives these for every town yet.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).