Pointe-Claire is an affluent lakeside suburb on the western end of the Island of Montreal, about 20 minutes by car or commuter train from the downtown. It sits on the shore of Lac Saint-Louis, a broad widening of the St Lawrence River, and keeps a surprisingly village-like character in its Village de Pointe-Claire — a cluster of 19th-century stone houses, a historic windmill, and the landmark Saint-Joachim Church on a spit jutting into the lake.
There is not much here for the casual visitor — Pointe-Claire is where people live rather than where they come to sightsee — but the old village and the lakeshore promenade make a pleasant hour or two, and in summer the marina and sailing club bring a mild Mediterranean feel to the western edge of the island.