Quebec is one of the most beautiful areas of the world for Skiing in the winter or exploring during the summer months. It is a genuine four season place.
The fall (Late September) is simply stunning. The trees turn a myriad colour of browns, pinks and purples. It is still an area of extensive water, lakes and green areas. Good for all outdoor activities. In summer its much the same, there are lots of eco trails, some of the ski resorts turn into water parks and swim areas. There is whitewater rafting on the red river which is geared towards families, omega park, big drive through animal park is also popular. The ski towns are quaint in the summer.
Winter is special, it is the capital of night time (floodlit) skiing in Eastern Canada. You are only about 40 minutes from the most famous ski resort in Quebec (Tremblant), so perfect for a day trip AND compared to skiing in Europe the ski hire and passes are relatively cheap. An example of costs are:-
A day pass costs from $28 -$38 per day. Equipment hire is $15 per day. Paying by the week makes it cheaper and there are multi passes that cover a few resorts.
As well as amazing skiing skiing facilities on offer there are a great range of shops, restaurants and bars, for you to relax.
The local ski resorts are much nearer to home. The closest is about 6 miles away in Morin Heights, your nearest village. It’s a great family resort with good instruction available. It’s a small resort so ideal for first timers or those wishing to find their “ski legs” before trying something more ambitious. Within a 10 mile radius of Morin Heights there are probably another 10-15 different ski resorts with all the popular ones being lit up at night. Out of the 145 runs, 89 are lit up at night providing a magical night time skiing experience.
If you don’t fancy skiing then why not try tubing. It’s loads of fun and you will find two local facilities where you can try it, with Mont Avila being the best.
There are also a myriad of other winter activities such as snowmobiling, snowshoe walking, ice fishing, husky dog sledding, hunting and lots of spa related activities. Temperatures can go as low as -30, but it is a dry cold so does not have the same impact provided you are properly dressed. Winter temperatures tend to be at a high of around -7c and a low of -30c. With proper attire it rarely feels as cold as it actually is.
Getting There
There are four major airlines that service Montreal from most UK airports with air fairs being as low as £450 when booked well in advance.
Once there it is best to hire a car from the airport and it’s about 55 mins drive north to your beautiful luxury log home. It generally best to hire a car with a sat nav to make the journey easier.