Quebec Ski Resorts

Quebec: Charm á la Francais - Skiing in Quebec can be broken into three broad regions: areas near Quebec City, areas near Montreal, and areas in the Eastern Townships. The four areas in the Eastern Townships are just across the Vermont border, about four hours from southern or central New England. Owl's... Full Overview

Quebec: Charm á la Francais -

Skiing in Quebec can be broken into three broad regions: areas near Quebec City, areas near Montreal, and areas in the Eastern Townships.

The four areas in the Eastern Townships are just across the Vermont border, about four hours from southern or central New England.

Owl's Head is delightful, with an apartment-hotel at the base of one complex of trails, on-snow access to the whole mountain from there. It's a family area with lots of vertical and fantastic views. Mont Orford, Bromont, and Sutton are also in the Eastern Townships.

The Eastern Townships, particularly the main city of Magog at the northern end of Lake Memphremagog, has a wide choice of lovely B&B's, with tasty homemade breakfasts and boutique atmosphere.

Here's an important travel tip: Double-check the directions you get online. One popular mapping site plotted a route to Owl's Head that went up the west side of Lake Magog from Newport, Vt., via smaller and smaller roads that eventually turned to dirt, swung round a corner, and ended at an imposing chain link fence festooned with warning signs to turn back lest border agents loose the hounds and launch the helicopters.

Another travel tip: Americans heading north to ski or ride should read the U.S. Department of Homeland Security document requirements for U.S. citizens and residents traveling between Canada the United States. A U.S. passport works, but so do other documents listed on the DHS Web site.

Around Quebec: It’s Le Massif, Stoneham, Mont Saint-Sauveur, and Mont Sainte-Anne.

Le Massif offers exquisite off piste skiing and views across the St. Lawrence River, and all these areas have a uniquely Canadian feel to trails, glades and facilities.

Quebec City is close enough to be a base for skiing these nearby areas. It is one of the great cities of North America and the most European in look, culture, style, and atmosphere.

The city has an array of lodging, from the impressive Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac, a historic Canadian-Pacific Railway hotel, to B&Bs.

Tremblant, the region’s largest ski area is about 80 miles north of Montreal. This premier mountain offers 94 runs on four faces, a total of 630 acres of skiable terrain served by a variety of lifts including a gondola and high-speed chairs, with a longest run of four miles. Tremblant sees 2.3 million visitors to its year-round facilities. People come for magnificent views of the Laurentian mountains, lakeside recreation, golf, dining in 38 restaurants, or shopping in 48 boutiques. Also north and west of Montreal are Mont Rigaud, Mont Habitant, and Mont Blanc. Sadly, venerable Gray Rocks is closing at the end of the 2008-09 season due to financial misfortune.

It is fairly impractical to stay in Montreal and ski elsewhere – and why would one do that anyway when most ski areas in that part of the province offer slopeside lodging of one sort or another, including 1,900 lodging units at Tremblant.

Montreal is worth seeing however, and visitors with the time might consider a side trip to see its sights. Although English is widely spoken in Quebec, French-Canadian is the dominant language and culture. That only adds to the charm of a visit to the region’s ski resorts.

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