Quebec’s Fairy-Tale Ville

To really serious skiers, what I’m going to say is heresy. But the newly revamped French Canadian village that is emerging at the base of the venerable Tremblant ski resort in Quebec Province is so irresistibly charming, it very well could tempt you away from the slopes.

I confess that, back in February, when the temperature plummeted and the winds howled (as they so often do way up north), I played hooky from the mountain more than once and sought sanctuary in the village’s cozy, colorful shops and cafes. Sure the place is ersatz and Disneyesque, but most of us are suckers for an occasional fairy tale. And the steep, narrow cobblestone streets that meander among aromatic French-style bakeries and bustling bistros seem almost magical, especially when a heavy snow is falling--as it was when we arrived.

Splashed in vivid shades of green and red and blue, the 18th century-style structures--mansard roofs, small balconies, lots of dormers and bay windows--exude a gaiety that is reflected in the smiles of the just as gaily clad strollers passing by. If there are nonskiers in your vacation party, you certainly won’t feel guilty bringing them here. Actually, you can enjoy a wonderful winter getaway here even if nobody skis.

Welcome to the new Tremblant, a formerly dowdy, rundown ski complex bordering on the grim (when I last skied it in 1989) that in the past couple of years has been transformed into a premier downhill and cross-country skiing destination. As of this month, the resort’s new owners, Intrawest of Vancouver, claim to have pumped nearly $500 million into improvements, and another $500 million is earmarked for between now and 2002.

A billion dollars is big money, and the halfway results so far are impressive--both on the slopes and off. Intrawest is a major developer and operator of highly regarded ski resorts, among them British Columbia’s Whistler/Blackcomb, Colorado’s Copper Mountain, Vermont’s Stratton Mountain and California’s Mammoth Mountain. Tremblant has joined very good company.

The Tremblant experience begins just outside Montreal, when the highway north climbs into the rugged Laurentian Mountains. Massive cascades of blue ice hang from lofty rock crags, and dense forests of evergreens blanket ridge after ridge. Here and there smoke rises from a farmhouse encircled by rolling fields of deep snow. The ski resort itself, clustered on the edge of Lake Tremblant, is a cheery island in this raw, intimidating wilderness.

And getting there from Montreal is easy: it’s only a 90-minute bus ride or drive to the resort.

Mont Tremblant itself, which climbs to 3,001 feet, has always been impressive--a huge, rumpled rock that since 1938 has treated skiers from beginners to experts to exciting and challenging runs. Currently, 77 named runs are on the north and south faces. The longest, Nansen, is a mostly gentle 3.75-mile coast from the top for novice skiers. The north slope’s Dynamite, rated a double-black diamond (most difficult), is reputed to have the steepest pitch in Canada.

But now the new south-side village

delivers an apres-ski experience that is equally entertaining. In my view as a four-decades skier, the best ski vacations are found at resorts, such as the new Tremblant, that combine great skiing with an appealing ambience and plenty of off-slope activities. In this frosty realm, the re-created streets of Old Quebec, though just a romantic illusion, can thoroughly warm the heart.

Naturally, the lively throngs that gather in the village when the lifts close for the day are predominantly French-speaking Quebecois. They add welcome flavor and authenticity to the daily make-believe.

Before you put on your skis, come walk with me through the village--as my wife, Sandy, and I did after checking into Cha^teau Mont Tremblant. The new 316-room Canadian Pacific Hotel, which soars like an ancient castle above the village, had opened just a few weeks before our stay early this year. Fully in character with the village’s 18th century attire, the hotel’s interiors are a blend of pine wood and stone draped in plaid fabrics, all reminiscent of the early days of the French Canadian countryside.

The hotel stands at the upper end of the village, adjacent to the Tremblant Express, the new high-speed lift to Tremblant’s summit that sports a see-through “bubble” atop every chair. The bubble can be lowered to protect each chair’s four passengers from wind or chill. But at this moment, with the snow falling heavily, the summit remained completely hidden from view. A walk in cheery Old Quebec seemed far more inviting than a frozen ascent. I shivered just contemplating the ride.

A few steps below the hotel is a broad cobblestone square, Place St.-Bernard, where white lights twinkle on a stately evergreen. In a real French village, a military statue might occupy this space. But amid the forested ridges of the Laurentians, the tree seems a more fitting centerpiece. Large wood chairs, all but buried in snow on this day, drew a crowd of noontime sunbathers the next day, after the storm had passed.

To the right, I spotted BeaverTails, a carryout window dispensing hot cinnamon-and-maple-sugar-drenched pastries shaped--yes--like wide, flat beaver tails. Several parents, hauling toddlers on plastic sleds, stood waiting their turn. We postponed sampling until after lunch. Nearby was Le Shack, an apres-ski bar that is packed and noisy when the lifts shut down. If pub hopping is not to your taste, how about a Saturday evening chamber music concert at little St.-Bernard Chapel, a nearby red-roofed replica of a 17th century Quebec church?

Wrought-iron street lights and ornately carved wood shop signs in the plaza maintain the village’s character, much as Colonial Williamsburg strives to achieve the look of an earlier era. I was having fun spotting these architectural diversions; skiing could wait until the weather cleared.

We had lunch at Le Gascon, a traditional French-style bistro. Toulouse-Lautrec and Renoir prints decorated the walls, French ballads provided background music, the tiled floor gleamed and a formally attired waiter addressed us in French. We could, indeed, have been sitting in Paris or Quebec City--except for the menu prices, which, unlike Paris, struck me as quite reasonable. We both ordered a plate of grilled Toulouse sausage, a heaping portion of real French fries, a green salad and a half pint of Tremblant beer.

In the next hour or so, we ducked in and out of many of the 50 shops on or near Sentier des Remparts, the vehicle-free main street that descends steeply from Place St.-Bernard to Le Vieux Tremblant. Old Tremblant is a cluster of tiny cottage-like structures that date from the resort’s earlier years. They have been converted into more boutiques and cafes. (These Tremblant villages can become confusing. The Village du Mont-Tremblant, a real French Canadian town, is about two miles distant.)

Around a corner, I spotted little Lake Miroir, where a few hardy skaters were negotiating the rough, snow-swept ice. In the lakeside kiosk, I rented skates and circled the lake for a while, eagerly if not gracefully.

Afterward, Sandy and I trekked back up the hill to our hotel, although we could have boarded the Cabriolet, a gondola that hoists skiers from the parking lot, carrying them right over the village chimneys to Place St.-Bernard. On this lift, you stand in small open cars shaped like paper cups. To be sure, a horse-drawn carriage ride would be more in character in an 18th century village, but I thought the cups--above but not in the village--worked as a happy alternative.

A glass-enclosed heated pool

and hot tub offering a good view of the mountain awaited us back at Cha^teau Mont Tremblant. After a soak and a nap, we stepped back into the snowy streets, all brightly lighted in the evening, for the short walk to Aux Truffes, a cozy, very French, very romantic restaurant around the corner. The menu of the day, which we chose, began with steaming hot leek and potato soup, just the thing to banish the night’s chill. The entree, loin of lamb served with almonds and citrus compote, came nicely prepared. A tossed salad followed, and then we finished with a dessert of rich chocolate mousse.

High on Mont Tremblant, a fleet of snow cats busily groomed the slopes. They looked like lightning bugs darting about the sky. “Tomorrow I will ski,” I promised myself, but only if the weather is good. If not, another relaxed day in the village would not disappoint me a bit.

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GUIDEBOOK

Touring Tremblant

Getting there: Air Canada has nonstop flights between LAX and Montreal; American’s service is with one stop but no change of planes. Advance-purchase, round-trip fares start at $561.

From Montreal’s Dorval Airport, follow expressways 13 north and 440 east to reach 15 north, the Autoroute des Laurentides. Route 15, a limited-access expressway, passes through St.-Sauveur-des-Monts and continues to Ste.-Agathe-des-Monts, where you pick up Route 117 north to St.-Jovite. In the heart of the village, make a right turn at the first stoplight and follow the signs for three miles to Gray Rocks. Continue on, following the signs, another three miles to Mont Tremblant. The drive to Mont Tremblant takes about 90 minutes from the airport.

Bus service from Dorval Airport to Mont Tremblant is available Friday and Saturday, returning on Sunday. The round trip is about $30. Check with your lodging for current departure times.

Where to stay: For skiers from the United States on a week’s vacation, the best choices for accommodations are at or near the base of Mont Tremblant or at nearby Gray Rocks, a self-contained resort with a 200-room main lodge and a 36-room chateau.

Mont Tremblant Reservations, a booking service, represents most of the accommodations at the base of or near Mont Tremblant. These include bed-and-breakfast inns, lodges, private chalets and condo apartments. A room for two in a bed-and-breakfast inn begins at about $50 a night. A standard five-night package in a lodge, with lift tickets and lessons, begins at about $405 per person (double occupancy). For information, telephone (800) 567-6760 or (819) 425-8681.

At Gray Rocks resort, the complete ski-week package begins at about $850 per person (double occupancy). The rate includes six nights’ lodging in a “standard” room from Sunday night through Saturday noon, all meals, lift tickets for seven days, 22 hours of group lessons (two hours daily before lunch and two hours after lunch), and a variety of off-slope activities; tel. (800) 567-6767 and (819) 425-2771.

For more information: Canadian Consulate, Tourist Information, 550 S. Hope St., Ninth Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90071; tel. (213) 346-2700, fax (213) 346-2767.