I recently escaped to Mont Tremblant Ski Resort in Québec, Canada for a weekend of skiing and other shenanigans with a few of my girlfriends. Last year I went on a long weekend trip to Montreal with a few of the same friends and we did a day trip to go skiing at Mont Tremblant. We liked it so much that we decided to come back this winter to spend a whole weekend in the quaint resort village!
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Getting There
Tremblant is located 80 miles north of Montreal (about 1.5 hours), which makes it an easy day trip from the city (but I recommend staying the weekend). It is also relatively easy to fly into Montreal and rent a car for the weekend, or there are direct flights to Tremblant from Toronto.
Since it is about a 7-hour drive from Boston, we planned a 4-day long weekend trip. We broke up the drive by stopping for lunch at the Farmhouse Tap & Grill in Burlington, VT, which is roughly the halfway point. Before embarking on the long-haul home to Boston, we stopped for brunch at Taverne Gaspar in Old Montreal, a repeat favorite from our weekend trip to Montreal last year.
Skiing at Mont Tremblant
Mont Tremblant is the highest mountain in the Laurentian mountain range at over 2800 feet (875 meters), and the village at the base of the mountain lies on the banks of Lac Tremblant. This strategic position makes for some fantastic panoramic views of the Laurentians and the lake from the peak of Mont Tremblant.
The first lift at Mont Tremblant opened in 1939, making it the second-oldest ski resort in North America (behind only Sun Valley in Idaho). But don’t worry, the mountain infrastructure is state-of-the-art. In fact, the company that owns the resort invested $13 million USD in renovations and upgrades for the 2018-2019 season, with an additional $10.5 million USD allocated for more upgrades before the 2019-2020 season.
The skiable terrain of Mont Tremblant spans roughly 750 acres and boasts 102 trails. The average annual snowfall has been around 200 inches the past few years. In addition, the resort has one of the largest snowmaking systems in North America with nearly 1,200 snow guns so you’re guaranteed decent snow conditions; however, you’re more likely to find groomed corduroy trails than stashes of powder. The mountain terrain ranges from beginner to expert, though ¾ of the trails are intermediate or above. The most unique feature about Mont Tremblant is that you can ski down all 4 faces of the mountain! Pro tip: sign up for a free guided tour t the Guest Services desk in the Grand Manitou Lodge at the summit!
The Village
One of the best things about Mont Tremblant is that, once you get there, you really don’t need a car. The pedestrian-only village at the base of the mountain is a popular draw for skiers and non-skiers alike. In fact, Mont Tremblant has been voted the #1 ski village in Eastern North America 19 times by SKI Magazine readers! The village was built in the 1990s in the style of a French Alps village. It does have a European feel to it, but it is also slightly reminiscent of Disney World. There is a cabriolet passenger lift that takes you to the top of the village. Then you can amble your way back down the hill via the cobblestone paths lined with vibrantly-painted buildings housing a myriad of restaurants and shops.
Après Ski
When you’ve had your fill of skiing, or just need to thaw out from the sub-zero temps that unfortunately plague Tremblant, there is one place in particular that I highly recommend. For a quintessential après ski experience, you can’t miss Le P’tit Caribou. This unassuming chalet-style bar was voted best après ski bar in North America by Freeskier Magazine and 4th best après ski bar in the world by Forbes magazine! You are guaranteed to find a bustling environment inside and, if you’re lucky, you might even see (or partake in) some dancing on the bar in ski boots or crowd surfing to the music blaring from the gondola-turned-DJ booth.
Scandinave Spa
For a more relaxing and unique après ski experience, you must go to Scandinave Spa, which is a 5-minute drive from Mont Tremblant village. The spa is inspired by Nordic baths that follow a hot, cold, relax hydrotherapy rotation. It also subscribes to a strict no-talking policy (I can attest to the enforcement of this policy!).
After warming up in an outdoor hot tub, thermal waterfall, Finnish dry sauna, or Norwegian steam bath, you are supposed to take a 5-20 second dip in an ice-cold plunge pool, Nordic waterfall, or the frozen Diable River! The temperatures were already close to -10 degrees Fahrenheit when I was there so I could only muster the courage to dip my toes in the cold options!
To complete the rotation, you are asked to spend a minimum of 15 minutes in one of their relaxation installations (I didn’t have any issues adhering to this rule). This could be one of their indoor options such as the Swedish or Norwegian solarium. Alternatively, you can bundle up in an Adirondack chair by the outdoor fire, or under a blanket on a lounge chair under a heat lamp outdoors. This hot-cold-relax cycle is supposed to be repeated at least 3 times in order to reinvigorate your body while maximizing relaxation, blood circulation, and detoxification.
Pro Tip #1: If you show your day ski ticket, season pass, or Ikon pass you get 10% off access to the baths.
Pro Tip #2: The cost of entry into the baths is included in the price of the massage or other spa treatments they offer making both options feel more justifiable in my mind. I had one of the best massages ever and then spent almost 2 hours in the hydrotherapy circuit. I’ve never felt so relaxed in my life!
Non-Skiing Activities
- Aquaclub La Source
- Dog Sledding
- Dune Buggy Tours
- Fat Tire Biking
- Horse Sledding
- Ice Climbing
- Ice Fishing
- Ice Skating
- Sleigh Rides
- Snowmobiling
- Snowshoe Dinner at Le Refuge
- Snowtubing
Where To Stay
- Ermitage du Lac – Les Suites Tremblant
- Fairmont Tremblant
- Holiday Inn Express & Suites Tremblant
- Homewood Suites by Hilton
- Hôtel Quintessence
- Le Boisé by KASANIA
- Le Chic-Shack by KASANIA
- Le Lodge de la Montagne
- Le P’tit Condo by KASANIA
- Le Rustique by KASANIA
- Le Villageois by KASANIA
- Le Westin Resort & Spa
- Place St-Bernard
- Residence Inn by Marriott
- Sommet des Neiges
- Tour des Voyageurs
There are many perks to staying at a Tremblant Resort hotel or condo, which include some of the accommodations listed above: 1) You can walk everywhere; 2) You get First Tracks access to the lifts 45 minutes before opening time; 3) You have free access to the tubing slopes in the evening; 4) ice skates are available free of charge to enjoy the rink outside the St. Bernard Chapel.
Note: there is a larger town nearby the mountain called Mont Tremblant so make sure you are booked to stay in Tremblant village at the base of the mountain!
On-Mountain Dining
- Café Johannsen (technically in the village at the base of the South Side of the mountain )
- Le Grand Manitou (panoramic restaurant at the summit)
- La Fourchette du Diable (at base of mountain on North Side opposite village)
- Le Refuge Cabin (rustic mid-mountain lodge great for a hot chocolate break)
Village Dining
- Choux Gras Brasserie (upscale French bistro located in the Fairmont Tremblant)
- Coco Pazzo (upscale Italian dining)
- La Forge (upscale steakhouse at base of the mountain)
- La Savoie (authentic Savoyard fondue restaurant)
- Casey’s Bar and Grill (sports bar located in the Marriott Residence Inn)
- Le Q.G. (gastropub)
- Le Shack (family-friendly restaurant)
- Microbrasserie La Diable (microbrewery)
- Smoke’s Poutine (a must-have in Canada – hand-cut fries topped with cheese curds and smothered in gravy)
Dessert
- Queues de Castor BeaverTails (a delicious Canadian confection that is essentially fried dough shaped like the tail of a beaver and covered with sweet toppings like Nutella!)
- Cabane à Sucre de la Montagne (another delicious Canadian confection; hot maple syrup poured over snow and hand-rolled to make a maple taffy lollipop)
Have you ever indulged in a BeaverTail?
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