Mont-Tremblant is in the Laurentian Mountains of Québec and is a popular ski-village that is only two hours north of Montréal. People usually visit Mont-Tremblant in the winter; but this tourist spot is a hidden gem year-round. And in addition to reaching Mont-Tremblant from Montréal, you can reach this beautiful town in under two hours if you’re visiting Ottawa. That’s what we did, we drove from Ottawa to Mont-Tremblant, stopping at Parc Omega along the way.
I didn’t know what to expect, but Mont-Tremblant was one of our favorite destinations from our two-week holiday. Plenty of activities for adventure lovers, beautiful mountains, small and easy to get around and a beautiful pedestrian village that looks and feels like Europe were just some of the reasons why we loved Mont-Tremblant.
Where to Stay
Mont-Tremblant is small, so there really are only two places to stay; the Pedestrian Village which feels like a European alpine resort town or the Old Village, which is more quiet, traditional and located on Lac Mercier. We opted for the Pedestrian Village and were surprised that the hotels and resorts were mostly quite affordable. It probably costs more in the peak Winter season, but the Pedestrian Village was packed with tourists when we were there in August.
There are plenty of hotels, resorts and lodges to choose from, some are on the pricier end, but we opted for a mid-level resort, The Tour des Voyageurs which was perfect for our two-night stay. The hotel was located at the bottom of the Pedestrian Village and beside the Cabriolet and had everything we needed, including a large room with a kitchen, a swimming pool and was affordable.
Things to Do
Most of the attractions are in the Pedestrian Village, so that’s why we chose to stay there. In addition to having a coffee or an ice cream, walking around and admiring the charming village, there are plenty of things to do for everyone.
Just being in the town and eating at one of the many charming restaurants was a lot of fun and that was our original plan, but when we found out how much there was to do, we were shocked. To get to the top of the pedestrian village you can take the free Cabriolet, which gives you a nice view of the village. From the Cabriolet you arrive in the Upper Village and that is where all the action is. At the top of the village we found out there were tons of things to do. We wanted to take the Panoramic Gondola to the top of the mountain, only to find out it costs about $32. We then discovered the Multi-Activity Bundle which gives you 3 activities at a reduced price, and this includes the Panoramic Gondola.
So, in addition to the Panoramic Gondola, we had two more activities each; our daughter did the Eurobungy Bungee Trampoline which she had a blast on and we also used one of our passes for her to do build a bear… she built a dragon instead. I did the ZipTrek Jump Zone which was scary but a blast and then we did Tonga Lumina at night, an immersive and stimulating light show as you take the ski-life up and walk through the forest on the mountain. It was a blast and definitely a highlight of our trip. There are many other activities to choose from but those were the ones we chose. I will talk in more detail about these activities in a later blog post.
And as mentioned, our other activity was the Panoramic Gondola, where we ascended 875 m above sea level to the top of Mont-Tremblant. It’s nothing like the Rocky Mountains but it’s still a beautiful view. And if you want to spend some time outdoors without spending money (most hotels give free access) you can go to Parc Plage, a quiet beach at the bottom of the Pedestrian Village sitting on Lac Tremblant.
Mont-Tremblant can be relaxing, but it’s safe to say there’s a lot to do. And if you just want to enjoy the restaurants and walk around there are plenty to choose from.
Food & Where to Eat
You’re not going to find the quality of food like you do in Montréal and Québec City; but the food in Mont-Tremblant was still solid with plenty of options and a surprisingly diverse mix of restaurants. Obviously, there are cafes, ice cream shops and Beavertails, but there were lots of restaurants to choose from.
We had Italian at La Pizzateria which was okay but actually our worst meal there. We also had some snacks at Central Restaurant & Bar which was surprisingly good and is a Mexican-fusion restaurant and bar. The Empanadas were good and the Smash-Burger Tacos (authentic… I know) were excellent. We also had Chinese at Mogouyan which specializes in hand-made noodles and soup. The Chinese soup was excellent and actually seemed quite authentic. And besides the Beavertails… our best food was at La Maison de la Crepe which has an enormous menu and variety of crepes. We had breakfast and it was delicious.
Final Thoughts
Despite being busy and doing a lot of activites, Mont-Tremblant felt relaxed. We didn’t have to take public transportation or walk very far, and when we were feeling lazy, we could take the Cabriolet to the Upper Village. Mont-Tremblant was a perfect pairing with our Ottawa, Montréal and Québec trip. If you like skiing, Mont-Tremblant is a must-visit, but even in the summer you’ll fall in love with this charming town. It’s easy to get to, there’s lots to do and plenty to eat, so if you’re visiting Montréal or Ottawa, make sure you make time for Mont-Tremblant.
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