It has a length of 8.5 kilometres (5.3 miles), and crosses the boroughs of Le Plateau-Mont-Royal, Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie, Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension and Ahuntsic-Cartierville.

It is served primarily by the weekday only 13 Christophe Colomb route.

The street was named after Christopher Columbus on December 20, 1897.

Christophe Colomb Avenue begins at Rachel Street, near Lafontaine Park in the south.

In the north, the street ends at Gouin Boulevard, near Louis Hébert Park and the Rivière des Prairies.