Destination Québec

DAY 1: THE CHARM OF TREMBLANT VILLAGE

Flight AC516 Chicago O’Hare Int’l (9:30) to Montréal-Trudeau (12:28)

Upon our arrival we were warmly greeted by the Tourisme Québec team. Everyone was really friendly and relaxed, enabling an easy and enjoyable welcome to Québec.

From the airport, we all drove to our lunch destination at the Hilton Garden Inn Montréal-Trudeau Airport. Over a delectable cuisine, we reviewed our trip plans and expectations.

We are very excited about the variety of unique experiences that await us, especially our mountain getaway at Mont-Tremblant, our spa day at Le Scandinave Spa, and the opportunity to experience the free-fall simulator at Sky Venture Montréal.

The drive to Tremblant started off… sloooooooowly. However, as things picked up and we began to leave the city behind we entered into an absolutely picturesque mountain landscape. We thoroughly enjoyed the scenic mountain roads and the fresh air that led out of the city and into Tremblant.

Tremblant Village is fabulous. It is surrounded by beautiful mountains and a gorgeous lake. The cobblestone streets throughout the pedestrian village are lined with marvellous boutiques, restaurants and bars. There is no shortage of beautiful vegetation in the area, from the flowerbeds all over the village, to the pristine hardwood and spruce trees throughout the mountain setting. The people there were all very friendly, enabling us to further enjoy all the magnificent things the village has to offer.

Furthermore, Tremblant offers activities that are suitable for everyone. For outdoor enthusiasts there are both biking and hiking trails around the mountain and lake, as well as sandy beaches. For lovers there are romantic restaurants and cool bars. For kids there are lots of activities throughout the village, ranging from euro-bungee to the “iceberg” play float on the lake. And for shoppers there are countless delightful boutiques throughout the village. It’s truly a wonderful little place.

The restaurant in the Fairmont Hotel is a very nice and cozy place, reminiscent, like the hotel, of a mountain cabin—a winter retreat of sorts. We really enjoyed the mood it gave off.

For dinner we partook in the lavish buffet. The fare included succulent roast beef, pan-seared shrimp and scallops, lobster, sushi, a full salad bar, fresh fruit with melted chocolate, a variety of fresh breads, and an abundance of delectable desserts.

After dinner at the Fairmont, Cameron and I strolled down the romantic hillside street that runs directly through Tremblant. We discovered a passageway that led through one of the buildings that flanked the street. Upon emerging from the other side we found ourselves in a plaza with additional boutiques and beautiful flower gardens. Things were relatively quiet and we had the opportunity to simply hold hands and wander along Tremblant’s small pedestrian streets.

We decided to go for a nightcap at a bar called La Diable. We enjoyed a drink on the outdoor terrace and took the opportunity to just sit, relax, talk with each other, and people watch. It was a very enjoyable evening.

The Marriott Residence Inn Mont-Tremblant is ideally located within the village. In my opinion, the best place to stay is either at the Marriott or the Fairmont, which is located at the hilltop peak of the village.

The Marriott is a very nice hotel that is relatively centred among Tremblant’s eateries, bars, boutiques, and activities. It also offers a convenient underground parking garage.

Our hotel room was well kept, up-to-date and quite roomy. We had two flat-screen TVs, one in the bedroom and the other in the living room (though we did not utilize them much as Tremblant had so much to offer outdoors). We also had a full kitchen, living room and a nice bathroom. Two of the extra touches that I liked were the balcony off the living room, and the fireplace. While it was very pleasant in the summer, with the fireplace and the surrounding mountains I could not help but think how enjoyable it would be in both the fall, when the leaves are changing colour, and the winter, when the mountains are blanketed in white snow. I can only imagine how welcoming that cozy room and fireplace would be after a long day of skiing.

The view from our room included the nicely maintained hotel pool below, as well as the beautiful surrounding hills. As for breakfast, the hotel’s included buffet was quite delectable—I was pleasantly surprised.