Montreal's La Ronde: Bienvenue!
Situated on St. Helen’s Island in the city of Montreal, la Ronde is 146 acres of fun. Originally built in 1967 for the World’s Fair, the park was originally a midway and now is a lively mixture of old attractions and new nerve shattering rides. The park was owned by the City of Montreal until 2001 when it was sold to Six Flags an American theme park chain. Attendance is approximately 2.5 million visitors a year. The park is open from May til October and offers something for everyone in the whole family.
There are over 40 rides as well as every kind of food available. La Ronde is home to the Le Monstre, the highest double track roller coaster in the world. There are 9 roller coasters in total- one for each lifetime! Serial Thriller, the newest roller coaster is set to open in May for the 2010 summer season. There are also slower less thrilling rides- be sure and check the thrill meter before boarding if going 110 km/h is too fast for you . There are intermediate, family and panoramic rides (including the minirail, one of the original rides) as well. A complete list of rides and their thrill rating is available on the site: www.laronde.com
La Ronde is home to the annual Montreal fireworks festival- one of the world’s largest and prestigious Fireworks Competition in the world. Every June and July fireworks companies from around the world put together 30 minute shows and compete for gold silver and bronze trophies.
The Diving Show is also not to be missed and takes place in the large outdoor pool. Professional acrobats sail through the air from lofty heights, complete with costumes and music. The show is a combination of acrobatics, athletics, diving and synchronized swimming.
In addition to non- ride entertainment there is a children’s show, Rimabelle and his friends the Z’s. Back every year by popular demand, this colourful and cartoonish characters will ensure fun for the younger members of the family. La Ronde offers complete services for families: strollers, lost and found children’s centre, microwave ovens, an emergency centre and 7 restrooms designed specifically for parents and babies.
If rides aren’t your thing there are additional paid attractions within la Ronde. There is a rock climbing wall, a bungee jump and go-karts. Check out the paid attractions page on the website for prices and height requirements.
The season at La Ronde closes in October with Fright Fest. A bevy of frightening and fun attractions await you from haunted mazes to scary rides designed especially for Halloween.
La Ronde is easily accessible by the metro- there is a stop directly on St. Helen’s Island as well as paid parking if you prefer to drive. La Ronde welcomes groups, schools, camps and corporate events as well- check out the groups page at:
http://www.larondealacarte.com/en/index.html
By Melissa Montgomery