Roger-Luc Chayer (Image: AI / Gay Globe)
A Facebook group named GayQuébec2025, very popular for its images from around the world showcasing smiles and vibrant gay life, published yesterday its ranking of the six gay saunas in Quebec. This ranking was based on rigorous criteria such as the quality and modernity of facilities, the continuous availability of condoms and lubricants, the absence of homeless individuals or drug users, the politeness and hospitality of the staff, the availability of parking spaces, and the cleanliness of rooms, saunas, floors, and facilities in general.
Visits to these establishments were conducted in 2024. The two top winners are:
The Sauna Carpediem, located on Montreal’s South Shore, which earned an excellent score of 9/10.
The Backboy’s sauna in Quebec City, which distinguished itself with a score of 8.5/10.
The other establishments included in the ranking are:
In third place: The G.I. Joe sauna, with a score of 8/10.
In fourth place: The Bain Colonial, receiving a 7.5/10.
In fifth place: The Centre-ville sauna, rated 6/10.
In last place: The Oasis sauna, with a score of 5.5/10.
This evaluation reflects GayQuébec2025’s commitment to providing objective and useful information to its community.
This effort is even more significant since many men’s saunas closed shortly before or during the pandemic. Those that remain are now competing for a smaller clientele, but some are doing very well by hosting event or theme days that attract a large number of clients.
The Importance of Men’s Saunas
Men’s saunas have always held an important place in the lives of gay people. For a long time, they were spaces where men could meet without fear of judgment or discrimination, especially in times when being gay was frowned upon or even illegal. These places offered a safe environment to connect, talk, form relationships, and freely explore their sexuality.
Beyond being a social hub, saunas helped many individuals accept themselves and feel less isolated. They provided a way to escape loneliness, share experiences, and realize there was a real community of people who understood what they were going through.
Saunas also played a key role in promoting sexual health awareness. They were at the forefront of the fight against sexually transmitted infections by distributing condoms and raising awareness about prevention, long before these topics became widely discussed elsewhere.
On behalf of the entire Gay Globe team, I would like to congratulate the Sauna Carpediem for the significant efforts put into renovating its facilities, which now set a standard to follow. Congratulations also to Backboy’s in Quebec City, which boldly modernized to the great satisfaction of its clientele.