Montreal is of North America’s top destinations for gay culture, but it also boasts one of the most popular gay bathhouse scenes in the world. Some of these are pretty low-keyed and cater primarily to locals, but there are a few notable venues in the city’s vibrant Gay Village that draw a steady flow of regulars, including plenty of gay tourists in town for fun.
Oasis Sauna
The most famous of these is Oasis Sauna (1390 rue Saint-Catherine E), which is open round the clock and pretty much promises its patrons a good time, if you show up here and find that there are fewer than 10 other guys patrons on the premises, the management will refund you the admission cost. Open 24/7 and on one of the busiest blocks in the entire Gay Village with frequent summer events, you can rest assured that you’ll nearly always find that many guys in here cruising around, and on some nights the place is absolutely crawling with men on the cruise, from hunky muscle daddies to younger twinks.
Sauna culture in Montreal tends to be more acceptable and mainstream than in other North American cities, more typical of what you’ll find in Europe. You won’t find anything close to this in New York or San Francisco. Oasis is a fairly friendly place with extensive facilities, a large shower area, lounge with pool table, steam room, hot tub, dry sauna, porn-viewing areas, and, of course, an extensive network of cabins and lockers. At 10,000 square feet, there are plenty of dark corners, caves, and glory holes to cruise in. If you find Oasis a bit too vanilla for your tastes, you might want to give GI Joe (just down the block) a try.
It doesn’t stop at one sauna like it does in Chicago with Steamworks. There are two other Gay Village bathhouses well worth checking out just down the block from each other.
GI Joe Sauna
This is the most attractive to those walking by you cannot miss it as they have a huge display outside just across the street from the Stock Bar male stripper joint. GI Joe (1166 rue Saint-Catherine E) is generally considered to be the preferred destination among guys into fetish, leather, and kink (there are rooms with slings).
GI Joe is quite a well-done sauna, with two hot tubs, a popular rooftop sunning area, and multiple areas for group play. We stayed in room 22 which is a sling room and had the best of times!
Sauna Centre-Ville
(1465 rue Saint-Catherine E) which is bigger with locals, it’s less expensive, a bit older, and has fewer frills, but those who come here regularly find no shortage of thrills. We checked it out and they were barely playing elevator music or something far away from the circuit fare you get at GI Joe or the EDM we heard over at Oasis.
Localish, More Frenchish
The city’s other gay saunas are located a bit farther from the primary gay district, on the Plateau, and cater more to locals, which can be fun if you’re seeking a more authentic experience. Keep in mind that the clientele and staff at these other spots may be less likely to speak English, but then again, you’re probably not as a Sauna in search of stimulating conversation.
Another option on the Plateau is the historic Bain Colonial (3963 ave. Colonial), which claims to be the oldest bathhouse on the continent, it opened over a century ago in 1914. With a central location near Boulevard Saint-Laurent, a lovely rooftop terrace, and attractive steam, sauna, and shower facilities, it’s definitely cultivated a loyal fan base over the years. However, outsiders may find it a little hard to fit in, as the clientele skews heavily toward long-time locals.
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