The entire Village is bordered approximately by Saint Hubert Street to the west, De Lorimier Avenue to the east, Sherbrooke Street to the north and René Lévesque Boulevard to the south, making it the largest gay village in North America in terms of area.

Originally a poor working-class area, the Centre-Sud neighbourhood became increasingly attractive to the gay and lesbian community after the migration of many LGBTQ businesses from other parts of the city.

By the late 1960s and early 1970s, many gay-owned or gay-open businesses existed and it became the city's main gay concentration, though it was still relatively marginal and kept discreet.

In mid-March 1987, the 456 Sauna (formerly the historical Neptune Sauna), the "Taureau d'Or", "Studio 1", "Club Stork", "le Jilly's" and many other businesses were raided and a number of owners had to shut down after dubious accusations that led to a number of owners and clients being arrested.

This was encouraged by the creation of a "Latin Quarter" in the vicinity of the Université du Québec à Montréal campus.

After having lived in New York City, it was his intention to create a strong vibrant gay community similar to the East Village in Manhattan.

By the 1990s, the Village began expanding along Amherst (now Atateken) Street, with the departure of many antique shops and the emergence of more gay-owned and gay-operated businesses.

Librairie L'Androgyne, the city's main LGBT-oriented bookstore, moved to the village in 2001, from its prior location on Saint-Laurent, but closed in 2002 due to declining sales.