Canada

Winter Family Fun at Mont Tremblant, Quebec

by Jennifer Merrick, photography Mont Tremblant

Best vacation decision ever? Taking our kids skiing when they were young. We all took lessons. The kids excelled, and over the years, progressively improved and tackled more challenging runs. I floundered, and even now 15 years later, I only cautiously navigate the easiest of slopes. But I absolutely love it.

Challenging yourself at any level is thrilling and the exhilaration is amplified by the mountain scenery. It turns out snow is beautiful when you’re not shoveling it, especially when you’re high above the clouds, and it blankets the slopes and the trees. It’s taken my frosty breath away and left me awe-struck on many occasions. It’s a vacation that’s as much fun when the kids are young as when they’re teens and beyond. Each can have their adventures on the slopes and share their stories over lunch. And then there’s the apres-ski. Ski resorts and slopeside villages are fabulous spots to spend time when you’re not on skis whether you’re gazing at the stars in an outdoor hot tub, savoring local cuisine, snow shoeing through snow-covered forests, listening to live music or roasting marshmallows around a fire pit.

But not all ski resorts are created equal. And one of the best family ski vacations we’ve had was in Mont Tremblant, Quebec, which has been recognized by National Geographic as a top ski town and consistently named #1 in the North America East by Ski Magazine.

What makes a Mont Tremblant family ski vacation stand out?

Les Pistes (the slopes) – At 2,871 feet, Tremblant’s summit offers phenomenal views of the Laurentian Mountains. The ski area itself covers 755 acres with 102 ski trails for all levels. I particularly loved that even as a novice skier, I could take an enclosed gondola to the top with my family and then glide down a gentle, but incredibly scenic route down. The Nansen run should take about 25 minutes to descend, but it took me longer. This was not only because of my slow pace, but also because every curve revealed another view that looked like it belonged on a Hallmark holiday card. And, of course, I had to stop to snap a picture.

Le Village – The festive ambiance is palpable in this cobblestoned European-like pedestrian village. Many of the buildings, including the Chapelle Saint-Bernard, are original, which adds to the authenticity. A multitude of features make this ski town special: A free cabriolet (an open gondola) that whisks you high across the village, boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, and a stage where live bands perform regularly providing musical accompaniment to the diners, strollers, and gatherers warming up by firepits.

La Cuisine – The village has a multitude of restaurants, eateries and snack bars, each with their own flavours on offer. We enjoyed SoCal for their Californian inspired dishes and cozy atmosphere. Their housemade Gravlax (cured salmon) and crafted cocktails were particularly noteworthy. La Forge Bistro Bar and Grill featured a steakhouse on the second floor and more casual food on the main floor. Despite 22-degree Fahrenheit temps, we were perfectly comfortable on their heated patio, where we indulged in a sirloin beef sandwich while soaking in the festive village atmosphere. For our final night at Mont Tremblant, we cheered to our fab family ski getaway with a craft brew at Microbrasserie La Diable. They make all their beer varieties on the premises and serve up pub grub in a lively atmosphere. Note: their fish and chips are considered the best in the village.

Other classic tasty treats to enjoy in the village are the maple taffy at the Cabane a Sucre, sweet and savory crepes at La Maison de la Crepe or a cheese fondu at La Savoie.

Le Foret (the forest) – With its rounded mountains, mix hardwood and evergreen forest, and more than 9,000 lakes, the Laurentians are a nature-lovers dream-come-true. Mont -Tremblant is in the midst of it all, and because the resort borders Mont Tremblant National Park, one of Quebec’s oldest and protected areas, there is access to over 80 miles of trails and 400 lakes. On the resort itself are hiking/snowshoeing trails, which you can traverse on your own or take part in a guided experience. We joined the randonneur masqué (masked hiker) for a two-hour guided snowshoe tour called ‘Homme de feu’ (man of fire). Our fiery masked hiking guide, Richard, shared his knowledge of the region and pointed out animal tracks as we trekked in the forest. He invited us to feel the energy of the forest and hugged one of the mature maple trees. Catching the spirit, we did the same. Other memorable moments were spotting a flock of wild turkeys, admiring the chilling beauty of a frozen waterfall and building a fire. We gathered dried branches and pieces of wood before sitting down on the ‘sofa’ AKA a fallen log. The man of fire lived up to his name and expertly got flames roaring in a couple of minutes. With the fire crackling, Richard pulled out a harmonica and proceeded to play a toe tapping Quebec folk tune. We finished our forest outing with marshmallows and a greater appreciation of the nature around us at Mont Tremblant.

L’hotel – With thousands of units in the vicinity from complete houses and condos to hotels and youth hostels, there’s a lot of choice when it comes to accommodation. But if you’re looking for a real treat, the Fairmont Tremblant is unbeatable. Its location in the village at the foot of the mountain means guests can ski in and out and enjoy all apres-ski activities at their doorsteps. Many of its 312 rooms and suites feature views of the mountains, and the units come in a variety of sizes, many with sofa-beds and some with full kitchens. What really distinguishes the Fairmont Tremblant though is its luxury amenities like its 15-treatment-room spa, gym, billiards room, game room, cinema and indoor/outdoor pool.

We particularly appreciated the ski rentals right in the hotel itself, so we could avoid the long waits at the outfitter in the village. They also kitted us out the night before, and so we were ready to hit the slopes first thing in the morning. And everyone loved the newly renovated outdoor terrace spanning over 16,000 square feet with water features that included a heated pool and hot tub on the massive outdoor terrace. Overlooking the village, this grand steamy pool under the stars was the ideal place to soothe our tired muscles. Looking around, there were people of all ages from couples around the fire with flutes of champagne in hand to multigenerational families with young children having fun without a screen. It brought back nostalgic memories of our family’s first ski trips.

Best vacation decision, ever.

www.tremblant.ca