Discover Vancouver : Vancouver neighbourhoods

With an area of 115 km², Vancouver has more than twenty official districts. You can't miss the downtown area, which is representative of large American cities with its tall buildings. The downtown area alone is divided into several neighborhoods, including Gastown, the oldest neighborhood in Vancouver, and Chinatown, the oldest Chinese neighborhood in Canada. To the south, Yaletown is one of the city's trendiest neighborhoods. Each neighborhood and tourist attraction is easily accessible by Skytrain, which serves all areas of Vancouver and beyond. The street map is generally presented as a grid of arrow words, in a perpendicular fashion. For your orientation in the city, know that when you face the mountains from Vancouver, you are heading north and if you face the ocean, west. Center Street delineates the west and east sides of the city.

Downtown, Gastown and Chinatown

Downtown. The downtown area is crisscrossed by a few major shopping streets: Robson and Georgia Streets intersect with Granville and Burrard Streets. Within this perimeter, the Hotel Vancouver is the first stop. Its massive gray stone silhouette defies time (well, since 1928) and its verdigris copper roof dresses the city's sky. Nearby, the Vancouver Art Museum, which was once a courthouse, will satisfy the lover of old stones, although they only date from 1912. Across the street, the Pendulum, a gigantic pendulum 27 m long and weighing 1,600 kg, swings inexorably in the lobby of the Hong Kong Bank of Canada (885 W Georgia Street) and seems to give another scale to time.

Behind the museum, Robson Square, where simultaneous chess games are played, is an ideal vantage point from which to contemplate, once again, this sort of immense Scottish mansion that is the Hotel Vancouver, and to appreciate its impact on its environment. The opposite building (925 West Georgia Street) is a modern and diaphanous version, decorated with gargoyles and sculptures. Its neighbor, Christ Church Cathedral (Vancouver's oldest church, with stained glass windows and a beautiful wooden ceiling), seems very small. From its bell tower, the first four notes of O Canada are heard every day at noon (at 9pm, it's the Stanley Park cannon's turn to play the Swiss cuckoos). And let's not forget Canada Place, facing the Vancouver harbour, with its modern white silhouette resembling large ship sails. This is the terminus of the Skytrain, the departure of the Seabus to North Vancouver, and thus a good starting point to explore the downtown area.

Gastown. Close to Canada Place, Gastown is the name of the very first settlement in the city, developed around a sawmill in 1867. This makes it the oldest neighborhood and the birthplace of the city. In the past, the voluble (and thirsty) Jack Deighton, known as Gassy Jack, installed the first bar here. The statue of this "adventurer" stands in Maple Tree Square (at the corner of Water and Carrall Streets), facing the oldest building in the neighborhood, recognizable by its elongated shape (it was originally made of wood). Today, in this pocket of resistance made of red brick and cobblestone floors, there is a dilettantism, "Mediterranean" atmosphere, which is a pleasant change from the austerity of the business district. Here, there are no glass, marble and steel skyscrapers, the stones are porous and most of the buildings are small (except for the Woodward's Building, a huge angled building topped by a rotating W). You'll find countless restaurants, bars, grocery stores and souvenir stores. You can't walk through Gastown without seeing its curious steam clock at the intersection of Water Street and Cambie Street. This old clock dating from 1977 whistles the same theme as Big Ben in London every quarter of an hour, while spitting a cloud of smoke at tourists through an underground heating mechanism!

Chinatown. Close to Gastown (walk along Powell and take Main Street and Pender Street), Chinatown is, according to the tourist brochures, the most important in North America after San Francisco. It is a historic neighborhood in its own right, founded by a Chinese colony that settled here as early as the first pioneers, in the late ^19th century. In short, the neighborhood is full of period buildings. But it is above all the exoticism of its kiosks and stores that catches the eye. The markets are overflowing with unusual products (from dried roots to live frogs to red bean pastries) that intrigue the Western eye. And that's just the point, because symbols are everywhere, including the colors red and gold and the number 8, which are supposed to bring luck. Even the names of businesses, such as "Good Luck Restaurant" or "Golden Market", are not chosen at random. However, some of the buildings could use a serious refurbishment and begging is particularly prevalent. In spite of this, the neighborhood remains pleasant to walk around for curious and open minds.

Yaletown. What was, in the mid-1980s, a pile of abandoned warehouses has now become one of the trendiest areas in Vancouver. Yaletown is actually a small neighborhood, concentrated in a few blocks at the corner of Hamilton and Helmcken Streets. In the early 1990s, these vast, empty warehouses attracted some artists, as well as small computer companies attracted as much by the charm of the place as by the low cost of rent. You'll find bars and restaurants that offer a really cozy setting, and where Vancouver's hip population gathers. You'll also find some of the city's most fashionable stores. In short, a good place to spend a few hours, or to go out at night if you don't mind spending your dollars.

West End and Stanley Park

West End is the area west of downtown and Burrard Street, adjacent to Stanley Park. From its inception in the late ^19th century, the West End has been a rather upscale residential neighbourhood. The wealthy population of the young city of Vancouver was only too happy to get away from the stench of Gastown's warehouses and enjoy the view of the calm waters of Burrard Inlet and the charms of the newly opened Stanley Park. Many wooden mansions still stand as a testament to this settlement. Visit Barclay Heritage Square, at the corner of Barclay and Nicola Streets. No less than nine houses built between 1890 and 1908, including the Roedde House Museum, give this square, which is wedged between newer buildings, an old-fashioned charm that recalls the splendor of that era. Towards the middle of the ^20th century, the middle classes came to settle in the West End. Twenty- and 30-storey buildings sprang up rapidly, and by the early 1970s the neighbourhood was called "the most densely populated area in all of Canada". In 1973, City Hall decided to curb the expansion of the West End in order to revive it as a neighbourhood. Today, the West End is a subtle mix of bustle and quiet, a quietness that is unexpectedly close to downtown. In general, the boundaries of the West End are defined by the three major axes that frame it: Davie Street, Denman Street and Robson Street.

Davie Street is the hub of Vancouver's gay community. Restaurants, bars and nightclubs follow one another, creating a very lively "village", as its inhabitants like to call it. Davie Street ends on the splendid beach of English Bay where, every January^1st, the famous Polar Bear Swim takes place. On this occasion, hundreds of warmed-up swimmers celebrate the New Year by immersing themselves in the cold waters of the North Pacific. English Bay is probably the best place in Vancouver to watch the sunset.

Denman Street is the heart of the West End, at least for its residents. It is home to the Community Centre and one of the city's many libraries. You can shop and dine here and still be within walking distance of Stanley Park, which is a big plus for a typical Vancouverite!

The real charm of the West End is that it offers the possibility to leave the hustle and bustle of its busy streets at any time, by walking a few dozen meters inland. The noise of the city immediately fades away and you find yourself in small, quiet, tree-lined streets. Green spaces have been created at the end of some streets, creating cul-de-sacs that limit, to our delight, the traffic. As you stroll through the neighborhood, you will come across wooden houses from the beginning of the last century that are irresistibly charming. You can also admire the fire station built in 1907 at the corner of Nicola and Nelson streets. It is believed to be the first fire station in North America to house motor vehicles(www.englishbay.com).

Coal Harbour is a natural haven on the waterfront. A true floating village, flat-bottomed boats house small boat houses where fishermen once lived, now artists and residents who wish to live at the marina's pace. A strange decor decorated with yachts, sailboats and luxurious boats that give a seaside cachet to this district located at the foot of the large glass towers of downtown.

Granville and Kitsilano

Granville Island. Granville Island was first developed in the late 1880s. Local entrepreneurs took advantage of the 16 hectares of open space right next to the waters of False Creek to develop steel mills, slaughterhouses and sawmills. These entrepreneurs transformed "Mud Island" into a vibrant economic hub. Granville Island's industrial activity peaked in the 1920s, but declined rapidly after World War II as industries moved out of downtown Vancouver. In the early 1970s, the federal government and local partners decided to bring Granville Island out of its state of neglect, transforming it into a place of life and relaxation for tourists and locals alike. Granville Island, the island of many lives, which is not really an island at all since a thin strip of land connects it to the south shore, has been successfully converted. It has been transformed into one of Vancouver's most attractive neighborhoods with its large market and charming little stores. You can reach downtown in just a few minutes by boat.

False Creek. As you walk down Helmcken Street from Yaletown to the calm waters of False Creek, you'll pass through a large, new residential area. As you pass, you'll see the white roof of BC Place Stadium, built for the 1986 World's Fair. This 60,000 seat stadium is covered by the largest inflatable roof in the world, a useful feature in Vancouver's climate!

Kitsilano (Kits). Quiet beauty and easy living... The charm of Kitsilano, located south of downtown just over the Burrard Bridge, never fails to impress. In the late 1960s, Kitsilano's popularity among the younger generation made it a hippie counterculture area. Of this tumultuous past, only a few vestiges remain, as well as a state of mind: a kind of romanticism adapted to the modern consumer society, mixing environmentalist convictions, search for a certain spirituality and personal fulfillment. It's a bit like the bobo district of Vancouver, because its inhabitants make a good living and take advantage of the consumer society, while going to buy their organic products by bike after a yoga session.

South Granville. Between the south side of the Granville Bridge and^16th Avenue, South Granville continues to stretch and grow. Torn between its infatuation with heights and the charm of its old-fashioned, plush homes, it demolishes to rebuild more modern, but keeps its facades, as in Gastown. Adjacent to Shaughnessy (from^16th Avenue going south), it is slowly gentrifying and acquiring boutiques that are often very distinguished, such as Meinhardt, for example, a delicatessen where a bottle of Evian costs $5 CAN.

University Hill and the Southwest

University Hill. The University of British Columbia is a world apart. A small town unto itself, where students have every comfort to study and live. Huge green spaces and beautiful beaches make it a perfect destination for a walk. It is also home to the Museum of Anthropology and the Botanical Gardens.

Kerrisdale. Around West Boulevard and ^41st Avenue. A rather affluent and educated family neighborhood, popular for its tree-lined streets and quality of life. The area offers many restaurants and stores, as well as year-round cultural activities.

Marpole. Granville Street, from ^57th Avenue going south (toward the airport). Marpole is a very lively neighborhood, mainly composed of Asian communities. You will find many small restaurants and traditional medicine stores: you can choose between acupuncturists, shiatsu practitioners or pharmacists selling Chinese medicinal plants.

West Point Grey. West of Alma Street to UBC. This mostly residential area is home to several of Vancouver's most beautiful beaches: Jericho, Locarno and Spanish Banks. All of them offer superb views of North Vancouver and the perfect tranquility for a walk along their park or a picnic on the sand.

Commercial Drive, Mount Pleasant and Southeast

Commercial Drive (The Drive). The Italians invaded the area after the two world wars and made it a real "Little Italy". Later, they migrated to East Hastings and the Chinese community came to change the face of the street a bit. However, the Italian mark is indelible: the many cafes, the restaurants flying the green-white-red flag and the atmosphere of pizza, pasta and music still dominate. Latin-sounding conversations, whether Italian, French, Portuguese or Spanish, can often be heard on the street. In this Latin Quarter atmosphere, The Drive naturally attracts gay activists, "North-South equality" activists, street artists, drum jammers in Grandview Park, and ex-hippies turned yuppies who insist on growing tomatoes in the neighborhood's community garden.

Mount Pleasant. A rather middle-class neighborhood with beautiful Victorian homes, Mount Pleasant had everything it needed to become the new downtown of Vancouver in the 1930s, even a real city hall (at the corner of^12th Avenue and Cambie Street). But municipal plans were changed and the neighborhood did not grow as much as it had hoped. Today it has become a quiet residential area, close to the bustle of Broadway, connected to downtown since 2009 by the Skytrain line, but secluded enough to offer beautiful and intimate walks in the shade of the large trees that frame the plush cottages.

SoMa (Main Street). The southern portion of Main Street between Broadway and^29th Avenue, or SoMa (contraction of South Main) for those in the know, is undergoing a major metamorphosis. From a gloomy and offbeat neighborhood, Main has become a trendy area with vintage stores, vinyl stores, restaurants and cocktail bars, like Soho in London. Housing is still reasonably priced (for how long is the question) and neighborhood life is constantly being refined. SoMa has become for some an acceptable compromise between Kitsilano, casual and chic, and the bohemian but crime-ridden Commercial Drive area.

Little India. On Main, between ^49th and ^51st Avenue. Here you are in another world, in a setting dominated by men in turbans and women in elegant saris. The Indian community is the second largest ethnic group in the city, with more than 100,000 representatives, the most famous of whom is certainly the former provincial premier, Ujjal Dosanjh. The three blocks make up one of their favorite neighborhoods, the Punjabi Market, where everyone from the dentist to the restaurant owner shares an Indian heritage. The wonderfully colored stores intrigue and awaken the senses. From the scent of spices emanating from the food counters to the stores selling traditional women's clothing or saris, everything has an oriental flavor.