During my long weekend in Québec City over New Year’s Eve, I took a day trip to Le Massif de Charlevoix, a Canadian ski resort about 1 hour away from the city center. This was part of a trip organized by the Boston Ski & Sports Club. There is also a ski shuttle that will take you from your hotel in Québec City to Le Massif.
The mission of the resort is to promote sustainable tourism and stay true to the sport of skiing. This was clearly evident by the lack of commercial development surrounding the mountain. However, the facilities that are on the mountain are state-of-the-art and the cuisine is above-average for a ski lodge. Fun fact: the resort was founded by the same person who started Cirque du Soleil!
There are a few unique features of Le Massif de Charlevoix which make it unlike any other mountain I have skied before. First, it has the highest vertical drop and the largest annual snowfall east of the Canadian Rockies. So you can get the thrill of West Coast skiing without the price of a plane ticket.
Second, the set-up of the resort is such that the main parking area and lodge are at the summit of the mountain, instead of the base. Once you park and grab your lift ticket, you can just ski right down the mountain and then hop on the gondola for a ride back up.
Lastly, the St. Lawrence River runs right along the bottom edge of Le Massif (seriously, it is just a few yards away from the chairlift at the base of the mountain), so you get gorgeous views of the ice-capped river as you ski down the mountain.
Le Massif receives an annual snowfall of around 250 inches, and has a vertical height of over 2,500 feet. The resort has over 400 acres of skiable terrain spread over 52 trails. About 15% of the trails are designated as beginner (green circle), 30% as intermediate (blue square), 20% as advanced (black diamond), and 35% as expert (double diamond and 1 triple diamond!).
There are 3 high-speed quad chairlifts and 1 gondola, as well as a Magic Carpet learning area. There is also the possibility to go alpine touring or off-piste skiing as well (with an access ticket). And there are numerous cross-country ski and snowshoe trails as well.
If skiing is not your thing, you can also go sledding down Mont Liguori on Le Massif’s 7.5 km sled run! Don’t worry though, you won’t be zooming down the mountain in one fell swoop. There are stops along the way, including a warming stop at a mid-mountain chalet. The resort also offers dog-sledding excursions, which is an item that is at the top of my bucket list!
I, unfortunately, had to take my après ski beverage to go this time. But Le Grand Duc Pub at the summit offers live après ski entertainment throughout the winter! So I’ll need to check that out next time I’m here. Perfect reason to come back! #aprèsskiismyfavorite
Have you skied Le Massif de Charlevoix?
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