Quebec-Gallic Charm!
Ah, Quebec. So accessible--a quick hour or hour-and-a-half flight from Boston, New York and other northeastern cities--yet so otherworldly. Quebec City (ww.quebecregion.com/en) is a touch of Europe at your doorstep, with its 17th and 18th-century buildings, 400-year-old port and cars bearing the bittersweet “Je me souviens” license plates (loosely translated, it means “I remember) evoking a lost empire. Quebec is always magical, but it is even more so in winter. Twinkling holiday lights sparkle against the snow, outlining the dramatic silhouette of the Hotel Frontenac towering over the St. Lawrence and bringing a glow to all those pict
uresque cobblestone streets and stone houses. Adding to the enchantment: a soundtrack of musical French-Canadian accents.
But besides being a quaint city, Quebec is also on the doorstep of some great ski areas, which lets you enjoy Northeastern skiing with a touch of Gallic-urban elan.
My family took advantage of that last winter, starting out with a few days in the city, staying at the Hotel Pur (www.hotelpur.com) a minimalist chic hotel in the newly gentrified Saint Roch District, steps from excellent restaurants and boutique shops. Among those shops: the 25,000 square foot Benjo (www.benjo.ca), a store completely geared for children. If you’re traveling with kids, don’t miss it.
We wandered streets of the Old City, freshly dusted with powdered-sugar textured snow, and ice skated at the gates to the old city. We shopped, taking frequent breaks for crepes or hot chocolate. And we went sightseeing, taking the ferry across the St. Lawrence, watching the prow of the ferry crash through the river’s ice floes, standing above Mountmorency Falls, standing atop stand adjacent to an icy cascade of water and frozen ice plunging 270 feet (it’s about 100 feet higher than Niagara Falls), and, of course, touring the Plains of Abraham, learning about the battle that cost France its North American empire. We’d return at night to the Pur, the kids enjoying the pool (Quebec’s largest indoor pool), the adults enjoying the gym, free coffee bar and the friendly service.
But besides being a great city to visit, Quebec is also a major ski destination, with Stoneham Mountain Resort (www.ski-stoneham.com) just 15 minutes away and Mont-Sainte-Anne (www.mont-sainte-anne.com) 30 minutes away. These two resorts give you the perfect way to burn off at least some of the calories that you consume in Quebec itself.
Stoneham is close enough for a day trip and we opted for nightskiing there while still staying at the Pur, where a lot of other skiers were also staying. Stoneham has 326 skiable acres, 39 trails on four mountains, with 19 trails available for night skiing, seven lifts and three snow parks, one of which includes a super half-pipe with 22-foot walls (note: helmets are mandatory at both Stoneham and Mont-Sainte-Anne.) Then we relocated to Chateau Mont-Sainte-Anne, a ski-in, ski-out resort hotel at the base of the mountain. It has a choice of rooms, suites and condos with kitchens and kitchenettes with 465 acres of skiable terrain outside our door.
It was short walk to the high-speed gondola that took us to the top of the mountain, where we had stunning views of the frozen expanse of the St. Lawrence spread out before us. That is, when it wasn’t snowing. We skied fresh snow almost every day of our visit; Mont-Sainte-Anne averages just under 190 inches a year. It also supplements nature with a powerful snowmaking system.
Mont-Sainte-Anne is the perfect spot for a family. It’s full of picturesque sights such as that of horses, bells jingling, pulling a sleigh through the snow. New Year’s morning, staff offered glasses of Champagne to skiers as we boarded its high-speed gondola (conveniently enclosed to protect you from the wind) to the top of the mountain. The night before, those of us able to stay up late had enjoyed welcoming the New Year in a French disco. It was enough nightlife to entertain teenagers without making parents uncomfortable.
Back on the slopes, we found great program is Mont-Sainte-Anne’s Family Adventure, a ski lesson for the whole family. Your instructor introduces you to the mountain, helping you find runs the whole family will enjoy as well as giving each of you a mini lesson. It turned out that our then seven-year-old had the best form. (Click here to hear Jean-Francois Beaulieu, snowsports school director at Mont-Sainte-Anne, talk about the program).
Even if you don’t opt for this, you can still get a local’s tour of the mountain; there’s a free guide service at 10 a.m. each day at the top of the mountain.
ts Telus Winter Sports School has lessons for all ages, with a kids and teen program as well as skiing and boarding lessons for adults of all ages and skill levels.
The mountain has three faces: the South Side, facing the St. Lawrence River where all base facilities are located; the North Side, or the back side, with a high-speed quad and a small lodge; and the small West Side, served only by a T-bar. It has 66 trails, lighting 17 for night skiing.It also has two snow parks.
We did some exploring off site, and found an excellent restaurant, the Baker-Auberge Inn about ten minutes from Mont-Sainte-Anne. The restaurant, housed in a 169-year-old home, is also a bed-and-breakfast.
It was traditional and cozy, much like Mont-Sainte-Anne itself, the perfect destination for Francophile skiers.
But besides being a quaint city, Quebec is also on the doorstep of some great ski areas, which lets you enjoy Northeastern skiing with a touch of Gallic-urban elan.
My family took advantage of that last winter, starting out with a few days in the city, staying at the Hotel Pur (www.hotelpur.com) a minimalist chic hotel in the newly gentrified Saint Roch District, steps from excellent restaurants and boutique shops. Among those shops: the 25,000 square foot Benjo (www.benjo.ca), a store completely geared for children. If you’re traveling with kids, don’t miss it.
We wandered streets of the Old City, freshly dusted with powdered-sugar textured snow, and ice skated at the gates to the old city. We shopped, taking frequent breaks for crepes or hot chocolate. And we went sightseeing, taking the ferry across the St. Lawrence, watching the prow of the ferry crash through the river’s ice floes, standing above Mountmorency Falls, standing atop stand adjacent to an icy cascade of water and frozen ice plunging 270 feet (it’s about 100 feet higher than Niagara Falls), and, of course, touring the Plains of Abraham, learning about the battle that cost France its North American empire. We’d return at night to the Pur, the kids enjoying the pool (Quebec’s largest indoor pool), the adults enjoying the gym, free coffee bar and the friendly service.
But besides being a great city to visit, Quebec is also a major ski destination, with Stoneham Mountain Resort (www.ski-stoneham.com) just 15 minutes away and Mont-Sainte-Anne (www.mont-sainte-anne.com) 30 minutes away. These two resorts give you the perfect way to burn off at least some of the calories that you consume in Quebec itself.
Stoneham is close enough for a day trip and we opted for nightskiing there while still staying at the Pur, where a lot of other skiers were also staying. Stoneham has 326 skiable acres, 39 trails on four mountains, with 19 trails available for night skiing, seven lifts and three snow parks, one of which includes a super half-pipe with 22-foot walls (note: helmets are mandatory at both Stoneham and Mont-Sainte-Anne.) Then we relocated to Chateau Mont-Sainte-Anne, a ski-in, ski-out resort hotel at the base of the mountain. It has a choice of rooms, suites and condos with kitchens and kitchenettes with 465 acres of skiable terrain outside our door.
It was short walk to the high-speed gondola that took us to the top of the mountain, where we had stunning views of the frozen expanse of the St. Lawrence spread out before us. That is, when it wasn’t snowing. We skied fresh snow almost every day of our visit; Mont-Sainte-Anne averages just under 190 inches a year. It also supplements nature with a powerful snowmaking system.
Mont-Sainte-Anne is the perfect spot for a family. It’s full of picturesque sights such as that of horses, bells jingling, pulling a sleigh through the snow. New Year’s morning, staff offered glasses of Champagne to skiers as we boarded its high-speed gondola (conveniently enclosed to protect you from the wind) to the top of the mountain. The night before, those of us able to stay up late had enjoyed welcoming the New Year in a French disco. It was enough nightlife to entertain teenagers without making parents uncomfortable.
Back on the slopes, we found great program is Mont-Sainte-Anne’s Family Adventure, a ski lesson for the whole family. Your instructor introduces you to the mountain, helping you find runs the whole family will enjoy as well as giving each of you a mini lesson. It turned out that our then seven-year-old had the best form. (Click here to hear Jean-Francois Beaulieu, snowsports school director at Mont-Sainte-Anne, talk about the program).
Even if you don’t opt for this, you can still get a local’s tour of the mountain; there’s a free guide service at 10 a.m. each day at the top of the mountain.
ts Telus Winter Sports School has lessons for all ages, with a kids and teen program as well as skiing and boarding lessons for adults of all ages and skill levels.
The mountain has three faces: the South Side, facing the St. Lawrence River where all base facilities are located; the North Side, or the back side, with a high-speed quad and a small lodge; and the small West Side, served only by a T-bar. It has 66 trails, lighting 17 for night skiing.It also has two snow parks.
We did some exploring off site, and found an excellent restaurant, the Baker-Auberge Inn about ten minutes from Mont-Sainte-Anne. The restaurant, housed in a 169-year-old home, is also a bed-and-breakfast.
It was traditional and cozy, much like Mont-Sainte-Anne itself, the perfect destination for Francophile skiers.