Tag Archives: audio walks

Geography

Montreal audio walks round-up

Being sworn to the geographer’s creed “Place Matters”, it would be a crime not to incorporate some place-based learning in a course that takes place in the very geography it proposes to study.  As such, I have given the students of URBS420/GEOG430 Social and cultural geographies of Montreal the option of reporting on a walking tour as one of their assignments (it is optional because this course is held in the depths of winter, call me soft-hearted).

What is an audio walk?
Audio walks are audiofiles, something like podcasts, which accompany you on a prepared route (either narrated in the audio or through an accompanying map, or sometimes both). Often these include audio samples from interviews, music, sound clips or other audio elements which set them apart from doing a walking tour with a guide. 

I compiled a list of audio walks for my students, but felt this might be a useful resource to others, whether you are an educator, a tourist, or a local wanting a new perspective on the city. 

Montreal audio walks: Sud-ouest

CANAL (English) – COHDS (2013)

  • Industrial and post-industrial history of the Lachine Canada with oral history clips;
  • Starts at Atwater Market
  • Map & audio downloadable from the link above
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Sounding Griffintown (English) – Lisa Gasior (2007):

  • Starts at Peel & Notre Dame
  • Map & audio downloadable on website
  • 9 audio tracks (38 mins)

Talking Violence: Oral Histories of Displacement and Resistance in Saint-Henri (English with some French) – Fred Burrill (2018)

  • Starts at Metro Lionel Groulx
  • Directions in audio (map available in booklet at Concordia University’s Centre for Oral History LB-1042 http://storytelling.concordia.ca/ )
  • One soundcloud track (1h22mins)

La Pointe: Other side of the tracks (English, French available) – COHDS (2015)

Montreal audio walks: Le Plateau Mont Royal & neighboring areas

Heart of the Main – 10 Moments on the Main (English, French available) – Friends of St-Laurent Blvd (2012)

  • Starts at Metro Saint Laurent
  • Map available on site, soundcloud tracks for each spot

Little Italy – 10 Moments on the Main (English, French & Italian available) – Friends of St-Laurent Blvd (2017)

  • Starts at Saint Laurent & Beaubien intersection
  • Map available on site, soundcloud tracks for each spot

Montreal audio walks: Downtown & Old Port

Accessibilité universelle (French) – Audiotopie (2010) with Conscience urbaine et Action des femmes handicapées (Montréal) (AFHM)

  • Discover Berri-UQAM area from the perspective of women with disabilities. A great use of audio “walk” that gives a sense of the lived experience navigating a less-than-universally-accessible city (to say that least).
  • Starts at Metro Berri-UQAM
  • Multiple soundcloud files or mp3 (30 mins).
  • Download all audio and map from a zip file on the link (above) or audio only soundcloud files

Montreal / Downtown Modern (English, French available) – Portraits sonore (nd, c. 2010)

  • Architectural history of Old Port/downtown
  • Interactive map on mobile site or downloadable app.


Le Red Light – Quartiers disparus en trois parcours (French only) – Centre d’histoire de Montréal (2014)

  • Starts at Metro Saint-Laurent
  • Download audio and maps on the site

Goose Village – Quartiers disparus en trois parcours (French only) – Centre d’histoire de Montréal (2014)

  • Starts at Maison des éclusiers in the Old Port (vis-à-vis la rue McGill)
  • Download audio and maps on the site

Montreal audio walks: Centre-est

Rue Ontario (French) – Audiotopie (2013) 

  • Starts at Metro Sherbrooke
  • Directions in audio (no map)
  • Soundcloud files (50 mins)

Le Faubourg à m’lasse – Quartiers disparus en trois parcours (French only) – Centre d’histoire de Montréal (2014)

  • Starts at Metro Beaudry
  • Download audio and maps on the site

Montreal audio walks: NDG & CDN

NDG Sherbrooke Street Walk (English) – Tally Abecassis (2017)

  • Starts at Sherbrooke & Old Orchard (in front of Café Shaika)
  • Directions in audio (no map)
  • Audio file available upon request from the author

Parcours sonores #375MTL | Côte-des-Neiges (French) – Magnéto (c. 2017/18)

  • Starts at Metro Côte-des-Neiges
  • Directions in audio (no map)
  • One soundcloud file (50mins).

I’m always happy to add to this list so feel free to comment if you know of more!