Auberge Le Saint-Gabriel — the ghost girl of Old Montreal's oldest inn

Auberge Le Saint-Gabriel in the historic district of Old Montreal is one of the oldest inns in North America, with portions of the building dating to 1688. The inn, which has operated continuously as a dining and hospitality establishment for over three centuries, is said to be haunted by the ghost of a 19th-century girl. Staff and diners have reported seeing a young girl in period clothing — described as wearing a long dress and apron — who appears in the corridors and the stone-walled dining rooms before vanishing. The girl's identity is unknown, though the building's 300-year history as an inn means thousands of people have lived, worked, and died within its walls. Other reported phenomena include the smell of old perfume in the upper rooms, the sound of footsteps on the stone staircase at night, and wine glasses that shatter without apparent cause. The building's original stone walls, exposed beams, and vaulted cellar create an atmosphere that transports visitors to the French colonial era. Old Montreal itself, with its cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages, and 17th-century architecture, provides a setting where encountering a ghost seems not just possible but almost expected.