Canada’s Eastern Ski Destinations: What You Need to Plan Your Next Ski Trip of a Lifetime

Why Québec

The quality of the ski experience in Québec province is only equaled by the excellent hospitality. There is dependable snow (both natural and manmade), and ski areas that range from smaller, intimate style operations to larger, luxury resorts, food from casual local cuisine to gourmet dining, lodging from yurts to historic châteaux, and plenty of other activities from spas and saunas to dog sledding and ice climbing. The bottom line is that Québec has it all for the winter enthusiast.

Here are four mini-itineraries for the avid skier in each Québec’s main ski regions. Keep in mind that you could spend a lifetime in Québec and never explore all that this geographically gifted region has to offer. This mini guide should help get started.

The Laurentians: Great skiing, boutique shopping, and elevated après-ski

The Laurentian region, which covers 22,000 square kilometers north of Montréal, is known for lively, picturesque villages, hardwood forests and lively ski culture. Consider this region a European-style ski trip without the jet lag. You’ll find upscale resorts, festive après-ski, microbreweries and fine cuisine.

In addition to skiing, the region offers a host of cultural activities, and Nordic spas. And, there’s plenty of terrain for backcountry skiing, winter ziplining, sledding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and even heli-flights. heli-flights.

Ski Mont Blanc

In the heart of The Laurentians, Ski Mont Blanc is a great introduction to the region. The resort, situated on the second highest peak in the Laurentians, is known for its exciting terrain parks and 43 runs that are spread over three mountain faces. It’s a beautiful get-away anytime, but it is in the winter when it really glistens.

The resort is very family friendly, with terrain for all levels of riders and skiers. It’s also known for its lively nightlife (there’s a great bar with a view of the slopes for après-ski drinks and food). After your day on the slopes the 72,000 square foot Scandinave Spa Mont-Tremblant, next to the Diable River in the Laurentian Forest, is a must!

Enjoy the hot and cold plunges, as well as a relaxing massage. Stay at AX Hôtel in the heart of the downtown Mont-Tremblant. There are splendid views of the mountains, a four-season outdoor pool (heated of course), and Les Sans Filtres Coffee-Bar for a snack, cocktail or coffee.

Tremblant

Tremblant, the highest peak in The Laurentians, is one of the most famous ski villages in Eastern North America. And it’s only about an hour and a half from Montréal. It is a great place to unwind for a weekend or week-long ski vacation, with ski-in, ski-out accommodations, a euro-style pedestrian mall at the base of the slopes.

It’s a great destination for skiers of all abilities; with more than 100 runs and an excellent ski school, legendary bars and shop-till-you drop boutiques. Make sure to check out P’tit Caribou, with live music, locally-sourced food, ski-shots, VIP service for parties and bachelor/bachelorette events. We highly recommend the mouthwatering “Classic Poutine” and tasty “Mapletini.”

There are great lodging options, but the ski-in/ski-out at the Fairmont Tremblant, located right on the pedestrian village, is hard to beat.

Sommet Saint-Sauveur

Just 45 minutes from Montréal, Sommet Saint-Sauveur is the place to night ski in the Laurentians; there are 30 kilometers of lit slopes, making it one of the biggest night skiing areas in the world.

This is where the first ski lifts in Québec were built (in 1934), and it is still one of the most popular ski destinations in eastern North America. In Sommet Saint-Sauveur you’ll find speedy chairlifts (one is heated), warming huts, and Québec’s longest ski season (160 days). This is a solid family mountain, with a 1st-rate ski and snowboard school, 43 trails that are evenly divided from beginner to expert, 213 meters of vertical drop, and 142 acres of skiable terrain.

For skiers and not skiers alike, Aventures Plein Air, on the shores of Lake Morency, has been catering to winter enthusiasts for more than two decades. You can try dog sledding with a short ride, visit the dog village, or even schedule a half-day excursion with the company's expert mushers.

Or, for the speedsters in your group, book a guided or self-driven snowmobile adventure and then relax in one of the ten outdoor baths at the Nordik Spa-Nature on the outskirts of Gatineau Park. In the village of Saint-Sauveur, there’s the family-friendly Hôtel Manoir Saint-Sauveur, with its excellent spa, Finnish sauna, and Kids’ Club.

Charlevoix + Québec City: European-Style Getaway with Spectacular Views

There are few ski destinations where you can stay in a vibrant metropolis, make short day trips to multiple resorts, and return to all the culture and gastronomy only a city can offer. Québec City was founded in 1608.

You can still walk through the old town (it’s an UNESCO site) with its fortified walls, stone buildings, and narrow streets. While Québec City, high above the St. Lawrence, can mesmerize you for days with its delightful restaurants, shops and hotels (we adore the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac for its birds’ eye views), one reason we love this particular part of Québec province is its easy access to the outdoors.

In the Charlevoix region, you’ll find magnificent scenery, remarkable gastronomy.

Mont-Sainte-Anne

Just 25 miles from Québec City, Mont-Sainte-Anne offers excellent skiing that keeps us coming back again and again in winter months.

The resort has a respectable 2,051-foot vertical drop, and a high-speed gondola, four quad chair lifts, two magic carpets and two T-bars. One mountain face swoops toward the St. Lawrence River and two wind down the mountain’s back slope; we like the diversity of aspects as you can chase the snow, shade, and sun around the mountain.

There are a wide range of runs from low-angle slopes for beginners, intermediate terrain that provides plenty of family fun, and spicy double black diamonds for the more adventurous types. You can paraglide (even in the winter), go ice canyoning and book an appointment at one of the regions’ many Nordic spas.

Don’t forget to stop at the Microbrasserie des Beaux Prés an après ski pint or a tour of the awe-inspiring Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Basilica. Stay at the Chalets-Village Mont-Sainte-Anne. There are 14 spacious homes available to rent at the base of Mont Sainte-Anne Ski and Golf Resort, just 30 minutes from downtown Québec and Charlevoix Massif. Each house has a sauna, double jacuzzi, fireplace and full kitchen.

Stoneham

Located just 18 miles from Québec City, Stoneham sports 1,380 feet of vertical, with nearly 40 runs (16 are open for night skiing) served by seven lifts. There’s also a major snowpark, Olympic-sized halfpipe, and night skiing.

The après-ski nightlife is hopping (we recommend the La Souche Microbrewery), with the scene a blend of locals and out-of-town guests. If you like backcountry, there’s alpine touring terrain, as well as miles of snowmobiling and snowshoe trails.

There are ski-in, ski-out accommodations (like the Hôtel Stoneham), or you can stay in Québec City. Hôtel de Glace is a fun spot as the entire hotel, even the bed structures, are made out of ice.

Le Relais

Le Relais is the closest ski resort to Old Québec (Québec City). Just 15 minutes away from the town center, it’s great for lessons, fast laps, and fun skiing day or night.

It’s the perfect place to head after a day of touring Québec City’s historic sites, art galleries and shops. Le Relais gets natural snow, but there’s also excellent snowmaking and grooming to keep the slopes pristine all winter.

The layout is ideal for terrain parks (there are four), beginner runs, and excellent on-piste carving practice, with a vertical drop of just under 700 feet. We like the Archibald Microbrasserie Lac Beauport for an après ski beverage (even on days when we don’t ski), followed by a relaxing soak and massage back in Québec City in the Sibéria Spa. Stay at the Entourage sur-le-Lac Resort, on the shores of the magnificent Lac-Beauport.

Le Massif de Charlevoix

If powder’s your game, put Le Massif de Charlevoix on your dance card. The resort, about an hour from Québec City, sports the highest vertical drop east of the Rockies (2,526 feet), with some of the steepest slopes in Eastern Canada (the start of the downhill course is 64-percent grade!).

But the best kept secret is the powder. Due to the “river effect” (similar to the Ocean effect that lavishes the white stuff on Japan), Le Massif de Charlevoix gets great snow, with 254 annual inches and a high-tech snowmaking system. In addition to 450+ acres of skiing, there’s plenty to keep non-skier busy, such as snowshoeing, and a nearly 7.6 km-long sled run. And, from many of the slopes, you can gaze at the St. Lawrence River between your ski tips.

Other fun-filled activities include snowshoeing and cross country skiing at Sentier des Caps de Charlevoix and helicopter tours at Héli-Charlevoix. For bucolic splendor, we like the Le Germain Charlevoix Hotel & Spa in Baie-Saint-Paul. Located on a former farm, the architecturally-stunning hotel is surrounded by gardens, fields and stables. The hotel is dog friendly, and in addition to traditional rooms, features budget-friendly dormitory-style lodging.

Don’t miss the spa, with its European-style cold and hot plunges and steam room.

Mont Grand-Fonds

With 260 skiable acres and 217-inches of annual snowfall, Mont Grand-Fonds has alpine, cross country and backcountry skiing. In addition to a 1,099-foot vertical drop, there are gorgeous views of the St. Lawrence River and the village of La Malbaie.

The summit is 2,412 feet, which makes this a nice place to ski in storm conditions; there are three lifts, 20 runs, and 80 percent of the runs are rated intermediate or above. The resort is known for excellent corduroy (groomers) and its cozy lodge. If snowmobiling is your game, in addition to some excellent off-piste skiing in the Lynx sector, there’s an outdoor center with 140 km of groomed trails for cross country skiing, more than 40 km of snowshoe trails, and four warming huts.

There are plenty of excellent lodging options for when you are visiting Mont Grand-Fonds. Treat yourself to a stay at the majestic Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu, a traditional French-style chateau, near the picturesque town of La Malbaie. The views of the St. Lawrence River are spectacular (as is a visit to the sublime Moment Spa).

Eastern Townships: Best for Family Fun

Tucked in southeastern Québec between the St. Lawrence River and the US border, this region offers interesting terrain and excellent skiing. You’ll find challenging slopes, great local brew pubs and restaurants, inviting hotels and first-rate spas.

The region is known for everything from agritourism (visiting local farms or ranches) and locally sourced culinary delights. And, with the reloadable L‘EST GO card you can ski all four resorts and save up to 34 percent on daily rates.

Bromont

Bromont is the largest night ski network in North America with more than 100 lit trails.

Just 45 minutes east of Montréal, Bromont is truly a skier’s mountain with 1300 vertical drop. It’s on the edge of the Appalachian snowbelt--if you hit it on a snow day (which is very likely), the powder can be remarkable. You’ll find 144 well-groomed runs winding down the slopes of seven distinct mountain sides. About 60 percent are beginner to intermediate, with 15 percent difficult and 21 percent very difficult.

The Bistro-Bar la Débarque at the base of Bromont has undergone a major renovation, making it the ideal spot to grab lunch or an après lager. Stay at the Hotel Château-Bromont with its three terraced hot tubs and lobby vending machine that dispenses glasses of wine. The Domaine Jolivent is also a fun choice, with a dozen elegantly appointed rooms, private access to Lake Brome, a cozy bar and excellent restaurant, Alizè, with its grand piano, Swiss chef and locally-sourced cuisine.

Sutton

Sutton is renowned for its excellent sous-bois (glade skiing) and narrow runs that dart through tight trees and forest canopy. The slopes are generally well-groomed, but when it snows, the resort leaves the glades as off-piste treasures.

There are 260 skiable acres, and 60 runs; with 55 percent beginner and intermediate and the rest expert and above (27 percent are double black diamond). The resort gets a dozen feet of snow annually (supplemented by new, state-of-the-art-snowmaking); the beautiful part is that it snows consistently, with an average of 60 snow days a year to freshen up the slopes.

Sutton also boasts two alpine touring (uphill ski) trails. In one of the oldest buildings in Sutton you’ll find an excellent micro-brewery. Head to the cozy Bar Le Tucker, right in front of the slopes, for your après-ski cocktail. À L'Abordage features both British and American-inspired brews (there are about 15 taps so plenty of choices), and great pub food including fish & chips and duck poutine. While there’s no slopeside hotel yet, there are an abundance of rentals.

And just 2 km down the road, Hotel Horizon has an indoor pool and Finnish bath and sauna; plus the Bistro serves excellent food made from locally-sourced ingredients. The hotel is on 150 acres so there’s plenty of room for snowshoeing and cross country skiing right from your wood chalet.

Owl’s Head

Owl’s Head is the fifth highest skiable peak in Québec and a panoramic view of Memphremagog Lake.

With a vertical drop of 1,772 feet, the runs are long and exciting. The most snow is in February, but January and March both see good storm days. It’s a small resort, with 175 acres of skiable terrain and while there are good expert runs, 70 percent of the mountain is designated beginner or intermediate.

This makes it perfect for families, and for skiers who are interested in building skills and working on technique. There are two new snowparks and the MTN Haus Resto-Bar for après ski fun. We recommend staying at Manoir des Sables, in nearby Orford. There’s a sauna, fitness room and 300 acres of solitude, plus the hotel is pet friendly!

Orford

With a summit of 2,800 feet, 245 acres of skiable terrain, and highest-of-the-Township vertical drop of 1933 feet, Orford has something for everyone. One run is a whopping 2.5 miles in length. The average annual snowfall is nearly 17 feet, with the most falling in January (which can also be the coldest month, so powder lasts longer than in the warmer spring season).

There are 62 runs, and 18 glades of hardwood forests. Trees aren’t too tight, although steeper slopes require more honed skill sets. There’s a new ski school slope with two dome-covered magic carpets for beginners. Runs are evenly divided for beginners, intermediate and experts, but what makes Orford stand out is the varied terrain.

Mont-Orford National Park is beautiful any day of the year, but in the winter, on skis, it's spectacular. And, the National Park is ideal for fat biking, cross country skiing and snowshoeing. Stay at Espace 4 Saisons, at the foot of Mont-Orford and only a five-minute drive from the city of Magog. There’s an indoor/outdoor heated pool, a terrace on the top floor with beautiful mountain views (can we say apres-ski?), and two restaurants. The Burger Pub offers the quintessential Eastern Townships après-ski experience, while the Bistro focuses on European-style dining.

We also recommend Hôtel Chéribourg, with its elegant dining, 124 stylish rooms and entertaining game rooms (billiards, table tennis and a really fun toddlers corner). In Magog (named for Lake Memphremagog, a freshwater glacial lake), we recommend taking in the fondue at Fondissimo, located in the first cotton factory in the region. You can bring your own wine–there are three excellent vineyards in the area so we recommend you buy local.

Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean: Natural playground with an abundance of snow

About two hours north of Québec City, the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region of Québec has long been a playground for nature lovers. The region is known for its mountainous massifs, hardwood forests, and plentiful lakes and rivers.

There’s a lot of natural snow (about 18 feet annually), and more than 2300 miles (you read that right) of groomed trails for snowmobiling, Nordic skiing and snowshoeing. But the big secret for non-locals is the tremendous alpine skiing.

Valinouët

At Valinouët, you’ll find 100 percent natural snow and a long ski season. The alpine village is in the heart of the Monts-Valin massif. You’ll find 33 runs served by six lifts (and some great dips and drops through the trees), with 22 miles of trails and more than 1100 feet of vertical drop.

The majority of runs (41 percent) are rated Expert, but there’s still plenty of beginner and intermediate slopes to keep skiers of all abilities happy. The resort boasts 236 inches of snow a year. There’s also some fun snow tubing to be had.

Then grab a beer and fondue at the Pub at the base lodge, or You can enjoy the snow tubing and then relax in the rivers, baths, and hammam (Turkish-style bath) at L’Éternal Spa in nearby Saint-David-de-Falardeau. We like staying at one of the ten yurts at Imago Village. You can reach the village by car, snowmobile or ATV. There are terrific views of Mont-Victor Tremblay, and the south-facing attitude provides year-round sunshine. Eat at Yourte Bistro du Nord for a truly Canadian culinary experience. Another unique place to stay is Cool Box Lodging with small cabins at the foot of the slopes (across from the ski school).

Each cabin comes with bedding, a refrigerator, microwave, crockery and utensils, coffee maker and an electric fondue stove.

Mont-Édouard

With 32 trails, 1500 feet of vertical drop, big conifer glades and vast views of the surrounding peaks and valleys, Mont-Édouard is one of the best small ski areas in Québec. For the experienced AT crowd, the resort opens up onto some excellent (read spicy) backcountry with an excellent hut system.

The area gets 15-21 feet of snow annually. In addition to alpine and guided backcountry skiing (the mountain has its own Haute Route with four refuges), there’s plenty of trails for Nordic tours, snowmobiles, and crosscountry fat biking. Swing by the Bistro Bar Chez Ed for beer, wine and handmade cocktails, as well as great food and live music.

Stay at La Maison de Vébron, a casual ski-in/ski out lodge at the foot of Mont-Édouard’s slopes.