The Rock 'n' Roll Montreal Marathon starts on the Pont Jacques-Cartier and quickly descends onto Ile Sainte-Helene. The first 6 miles are very flat as runners run on Ile Sainte-Helene and Ile Notre Dame before crossing the St. Lawrence River in Montreal.
Around mile 10, runners will begin a relatively steady, but mostly gentle, climb to mile 15. From this point to the finish in the Parc La Fontaine, the course is gently rolling.