Leaning Into Mont Tremblant
Words by Pete Heck / Photography by Pete & Dalene Heck
With my skis strapped on, I leaned into the chairlift to start my day on the slopes of Mont Tremblant. Dalene had just kissed me farewell, and dutifully reminded me to be sure I returned with all of my bones still intact. It had been roughly a decade since I last used my ski-legs, and was grateful for a brief refresher provided by Denis, one of the ski resort’s instructors. After finishing with a couple of runs down the bunny hill, Denis then led me to one of the easier of the 102 ski runs that make up Tremblant Ski Resort.
“Lean into it,” Denis instructed me on each turn, as I tried to will my body to give up its nervous and rigid composure. He reminded me of what I knew but had long forgotten: to keep my weight forward so that I don’t fall back. Slowly but surely, Denis’ constant reminder to lean into each turn worked. When I finally found my rhythm, I glided down the slopes towards the village with a huge smile on my face. This is what people come here for, and for good reason.
After a morning of skiing, with muscles screaming but all of my bones in tact, I returned my equipment to the shop at the base of the hill. While sailing through the air on the free cabriolet that took me back down to Dalene at our hotel, I thought of what Denis reminded me, and how it could apply to so much more. “Lean into it,” is a solid mantra to follow throughout life, and I would think of that as I ventured further into the exploration of Tremblant. I would lean in to the cold plunge at the nordic spa, into the climb up a 40 m tower, and yes, even into eating two tantalizing cheese-dominant meals in a single day. (It’s a rough job to lean into everything, but someone has to do it, even when their stomach doth protests.)
What we “leaned into,” in Mont Tremblant
Skiing
4 different slopes, 875 metres, and 102 different ski trails make for an epic day of fun on the ski hill. Mont Tremblant is a world-class resort and attracts plenty of visitors from around the world. While I was eager to hit the slopes and see what all the fuss was about, Dalene knowing how accident-prone she can be, chose to lean into things that would likely cause damage to her limbs. So while I tried to stay upright and zipped down the mountain, she would sip on hot chocolate and take in the winter-y views from the chalet.
It had just snowed nearly 15 cm so conditions were ideal on the mountain. Thankfully I wouldn’t be skiing solo and would be joined by fellow travel writer Jay Kana from Modern Traveller.
“Time to really test you now,” our instructor Denis shouted with a grin on his face, after our first run was complete. He took us up to the top of the mountain via the gondola. The next run would be 6.5 km down to the village, and would take us at least 45 minutes. Upon arriving at the top, the snow whipped around us and was much different from the lower elevation; it was here where we had to choose which way to go. And this is what I loved about Mont Tremblant, the choices seemed endless and there were many runs for all skill levels. We stuck with the green runs, too chicken to yet brave the blue. And as we carved our way down the mountain, leaning into each turn and taking in the beauty, I fully understood why Mont Tremblant ski resort has the reputation it does.
Skating
I skate about as often and as well as I ski (not much, and not well), but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to visit the outdoor rink by Saint-Bernard Chapel. And as enticing as it looked during the day (it was right by our hotel), we waited until the evening to enjoy it lit up by colourful lights.
The rink is accessible for everyone, but skate rentals and marshmallows are free for everyone who is staying within the resort town. My skate was short but memorable, and the rink was abuzz with people cheerfully gliding along to the accompanying music or simply warming themselves (and their marshmellows!) by the firepit onsite.
Wandering and Shopping
The pedestrian village of Tremblant is small and walkable in just a few minutes, but there’s enough to see that a good chunk of a day could be spent doing so. There are several nooks and crannies that are all worth exploring, and is doable even on colder days, as you are never very far from a firepit to warm you, or a shop to step into.
Bring an appetite for typical alpine-village treats (of course there are candy and chocolate shops!) and a full wallet for indulging in any of the 27 boutique shops (or to pick up any required ski gear that may have been forgotten at home).
Eating
Some things are easier to lean into than others, amiright? The eating options in Tremblant are tremendous, but time limited us to only visiting a few.
La Savoie
If there was one restaurant we had to visit in Tremblant, we knew that this was it. La Savoie is a true alpine-village institution, offering raclette, a traditionally Swiss gourmet meal dominated by a full-flavoured cheese.
The tables are large at La Savoie to accommodate the spread required to eat raclette. First, a half wheel of cheese was brought to our table, clamped into an angled device that had a heating lamp hovering over it. With the lamp turned on, the top layer of the Tomme de Savoie cheese began to melt, when it was gooey and bubbling, it was ready to eat. We followed the traditional method of scraping the top layer of melted cheese onto a plate adorned with small slices of cooked potato, cured meats, and a single pickle (the latter to provide some acidity to each intensely creamy bite).
As cheese-lovers, we were ambitious in our preliminary claims that we could eat a large chunk of the cheese wheel. In the end, we only took 3 small swipes each of the melting goodness before surrendering (I haven’t mentioned it yet, but this was our SECOND cheese-heavy meal of the day, see our visit to Kanatha-Aki below). At least we did strike some balance in our meal, and had greatly enjoyed the large salad that accompanies the raclette meal. “We care about the health of our customers,” our server Felix said with a wink when he brought it out.
Cabane à Sucre de la Montagne
While I skied, Dalene returned into the village via the cabriolet, specifically to visit this mainstay of Tremblant, in homage to one of Québec and Canada’s greatest treasures: maple syrup.
The shop is not only chock full of anything you could want when it comes to maple syrup, but also offers visitors a chance to make their own taffy.
It’s an iconic experience in the province during winter, and is simply accomplished by pouring hot syrup onto cold snow. In less than a minute, it hardens enough to be rolled up onto a stick and made into a sticky maple-lollipop(ish). It’s a popular stop for everyone in Tremblant; line-ups later in the day suggest getting there early (as Dalene did).
La Diable Microbrasserie
With a spare hour to wander the village, we could go shopping, or we could sample the local beer. Guess which we choose? And we’re glad we did. La Diable is a lively place, full of people still in their ski boots, reminiscing with stories about their day on the slopes.
I enjoyed a new-to-me brew, their Extreme Onction – a Belgian Trappist that was strong and full of flavour, while Dalene had their stout which had hints of chocolate and coffee. We also both savoured a poutine as we couldn’t visit Québec without having one. Despite the busyness of the place, it was far from chaotic, but offered the kind of après ski atmosphere that we felt right at home in (even without ski boots on).
La Forge Bistro-Bar & Grill
Our visit to La Forge Bistro-Bar was well-timed. As a place known for excellent protein, it was the perfect first stop to provide the fuel we needed for our activity-heavy itinerary. It’s also a popular place for an après-ski drink and meal after a day on the slopes. We started on the patio, warmed by the abundant heat lamps and sitting in a ski-chair-turned-booth, I sipped on a local beer and Dalene savoured a hot chocolate.
Once inside, the task of choosing from their robust menu was not an easy one. While La Forge is especially known for their steak, I chose the beef tartare and Dalene opted for a rack of ribs, both of which were excellent.
Other Things to do in the Region
We’ll be covering each of these more indepth in a further post about the full region, but know that the Laurentians provide so much more than excellent skiing!
Relax at the Scandinave Spa
Heat, cold, relax, repeat. After a morning on the slopes, my body could use some pampering. The best part about the Scandinave Nordic Spa (besides its close proximity to the resort), is the quiet, provided by the significant white noise produced from several waterfalls. We soaked in the hot pools, plunged in cold baths, and fell asleep on the lounge chairs under blankets and it was three hours of complete bliss.
Climb the Sentier des Cimes Laurentides (Mont Blanc)
In the heart of the Laurentians and a mere 30 minutes drive from Mont Tremblant is Sentier des Cimes Laurentides, a 40 metre tower offering a 360 degree panoramic view, accessible via a 1.5 km series of boardwalks.
The views are meant to be spectacular. Although it wasn’t to be for us on the day we visited – wind, snow, and reduced visbility hampered them – but we didn’t let that stop us. We hustled up the tower for a few quick photos on top, the cold wind prevented time for anything else, including playing on the large hanging net that covered the centre at the top of the tower (ok, maybe irrational fear kept us off too). Our time there was still certainly worth it, we loved the small birdfeed station and the fireside picnic waiting for us when we got back.
Kanatha-Aki Nature Centre (Vale des Lacs)
Kanatha-Aki, in Vale des Lacs, is a centre that provides visitors all kinds of opportunity to connect with nature. For us, it was via a morning of dogsledding!
Led by two legitimate rock star dogs (named Ice Cube and Hannah Montana), our team of 10, accompanied by their owner Felix, raced us around the maze of paths near the centre. The snow was plentiful and the sky was mostly blue, which was the perfect combination for a beautiful morning spent there. After our hour with the dogs, we were treated to a fondue lunch inside the cozy lodge, and warmed ourselves with the company of other visitors and the charming atmosphere.
Soar Above with Héli-Tremblant
After sliding down the mountain on skis, I found it just as rewarding to soar over top it! On a quick, fifteen minute journey with Héli-Tremblant, our pilot would gave us beautiful views of the ski hill, Lac Tremblant, and the surrounding Laurentians landscape.
Where to Stay in Mont Tremblant
There are plenty of places to stay in Mont Tremblant, but we highly recommend staying right in the village. You’ll have quick access to the ski hill and skating rink, and the cabriolet and restaurants are within walking distance. We stayed at the gorgeous Ermitage du Lac and had a very spacious and cozy suite including a fireplace to keep us warm. The free breakfast in the morning was also a bonus and kept us fueled up for our activities.
