Exoclimes VII will be hosted in the vibrant city of Montréal in the summer of 2025, organized by members of the Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets (IREx), the largest exoplanet research group in Canada. Bringing together scientists from the Université de Montréal (UdeM), McGill University, Bishop's University, the Université Laval, and the Montreal Planetarium, IREx specializes in exoplanet research, encompassing observational and theoretical work. With leading roles in instrumental projects like the JWST, SPIRou, and NIRPS, characterizing exoplanet atmospheres is one of IREx's primary areas of research focus. The Université de Montréal campus, nestled on the slopes of Mont-Royal away from the downtown hustle, is a great setting for the Exoclimes conference, located in one of the most welcoming North American cities, especially for pedestrians and cyclists during the lively summer months. With art and music festivals in the summer, Montréal's diverse culture and Québécois charm add a special touch to the conference experience. Participants will have a large variety of things to do while getting to know other attendees, from outdoor activities such as Mont-Royal hikes, city biking, relaxing on terraces or free outdoor events, to indoor activities such as museum visits and access to the university's sports facilities.
The conference will be hosted at the Jean Coutu Pavillon on the main Université de Montréal campus:
See the sections below for helpful information about your stay in Montréal!
Getting Around
Recommendations
In general, Montréal public transports are safe, clean and reliable. They are managed by the Société de transport de Montréal (STM). The Métro covers the city's busiest areas, but not the airport. To travel from the airport via public transport, you will need to use the 747 bus (see the section about Travelling to Montréal).
NOTE: There is a supermarket chain called Metro… Make sure to not confuse metro stations with metro supermarkets when using Google Maps! The metro stations should have a “transit” icon.
Public Transport Fares
A full list of fares is available here. Here are some key points:
By Plane
When travelling to Montréal by plane, you will arrive at the Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL). The 747 bus travels from the airport to downtown every 10-15 minutes. It is the cheapest option to get to Université de Montréal. Taxis and Uber are also available and clearly announced at the airport. For the 747 bus, tickets (11 CAD$) can be purchased at the vending machine or the STM information counter, both located near the international arrivals area (door 28). These tickets give you access to all subways and buses in Montreal for 24 hours. See the Public transports section below to learn more about transit fare options.
To travel from the airport to the University:
NOTE: The last metro is between 12h30 and 1h30 AM, depending on the line and on the day. After that, Google maps should give you the best night bus combination (likely 378+368, 356+371, or 747+369). At night, Taxis or Uber will be significantly faster.
By Train
If you are travelling from Canada or from the northeast of the United States, there are VIA Rail and Amtrack trains travelling to Montréal. The train station (Gare Centrale) is located near the Bonaventure Metro station. From there, you can take the orange line towards Côte-Vertu, switch to the blue line at the Snowdon Station (towards Saint-Michel), and get off at the Université-de-Montréal station.
By Bus
If you are travelling from Canada or from the northeast of the United States, there are several buses travelling to Montréal. Most of them arrive at the Montréal Coach Terminal (Gare d'autocars de Montréal), located near the Berri-UQAM Metro station. From there, take the orange line towards Montmorency, switch to the blue line at the Jean-Talon station (towards Snowdon), and get off at the Université-de-Montréal station.
Getting to ZUM from the Université de Montréal Metro
We will be staying at the ZUM residences during the meeting. The address is:
2350, boulevard Édouard-Montpetit
Montréal (Québec)
H3T 1J4 CANADA
To get to ZUM, get off the metro at the Université de Montréal station and walk east (turn right when exiting the station). You should reach the ZUM entrance in ~5 min. See “Comment repérer les Résidences ZUM quand vous circulez sur le boulevard Édouard-Montpetit?” on the ZUM website for a Street View. You can find the Google Maps route here.
Getting to the Jean-Coutu building
The Jean-Coutu building where the conference is taking place is located to the East of the main UdeM campus. To get there from ZUM, walk east towards Chemin de Polytechnique. To get there from the metro, take the escalator towards Roger gaudry and walk East from there. You can find the Google Maps route here.
Getting to the MIL campus
The MIL campus is right next to the Acadie metro station. The address is 1375 Ave.Thérèse-Lavoie-Roux, Montréal, QC H2V 0B3. If you prefer to walk, it is a 30 min walk from the ZUM residence. You can find the Google Maps route here.
Summer in Montréal is full of festivals and events, with many free live outdoor shows. There are also multiple sports teams and events to attend. Finally, Montreal has many outdoor parks that are beautiful and full of people come summer time. Here are a few recommendations:
Festivals
Sports Teams
Outdoors
Museums
To learn how science engages with the public and about the past and current people who live on this land:
Montreal is known for its diverse and vibrant culinary scene. Whatever you fancy, you can probably find multiple restaurants in Montreal that serve it. Do not hesitate to explore. Here is a list of restaurants we have compiled on google maps.
Etiquette when paying at a restaurant: In Montreal, we are expected to tip when paying our bill. The standard usual/minimum amount for the tip is 15%, which is roughly the same amount as the taxes you can find on your bill. Almost all restaurants will take credit card payment via a machine that will let you choose the tip % you wish to include.
While this is true for sit-down restaurants with table service, tip is not necessary for fast foods and counter restaurants. Even if the machine asks you for an amount for tips as you are paying, do not feel obligated to do so.
Finally, almost all restaurants in Montreal will split bills de facto: they will probably ask you to make sure at the end of the meal.
Coffee
Bagels
There are two famous bagel institutions in Montreal:
Vegan
Near Campus
Other places to try while in Montréal