Want to work off the calories from the heaps of poutine that you just ate? Well then, hike up this "mountain" (it feels more like a large hill) for some decent cardio. If you use the stairs as a shortcut, it takes only 25 minutes to get to the intermediate promenade. From there, you'll have a wonderful panoramic view of the city. Whenever one visits this city, this hike should be done. Indeed, this mountain gave this city, Montreal, its name.
If I had to compare, the Bear Mountain hike is longer and more challenging. But the view from Mont Royal is much nicer.