Each year during the winter months, many are inspired to escape to the mountains and bundle up in a ski lodge to enjoy the warm hearth, quiet atmosphere, and exhilarating slopes. Because this wintertime fantasy is shared by many travelers, it can often be tough to find a mountainside resort, lodge, or cabin that isn’t booked or crowded, but this feature from Travel + Leisure shines a light on  Le Massif de Charlevoix in Quebec, a lesser-known Canadian winter paradise.

It should be noted that recent COVID-19 surges may have caused new government restrictions, rules, and safety measures to have been set. Because of this, it’s always suggested that those who wish to travel check local guidelines for Quebec, consult CDC recommendations, and take personal health conditions into account before traveling. This way you’re more prepared to enjoy your trip while remaining as safe and responsible as possible in these unprecedented times.

Known for having the highest vertical drop east of the Canadian Rockies, housing some of the most accomplished names in Canadian cuisine, and welcoming guests to the first-ever Club Med resort in Canada that’s just opened on December 3^rd, Québec’s Le Massif de Charlevoix is the perfect destination for travelers to experience adventure, comfort, and immense satisfaction. Le Massif de Charlevoix is located just one hour outside of Quebec City, and it houses over 400 skiable acres above the truly unforgettable sight of the St. Lawrence River, which is viewable from nearly every run.

As previously mentioned, the latest addition to the area that has been making quite a name for itself is the all-inclusive experience to be had at the country’s first Club Med resort, which is located just an hour and a half outside of Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport in the charming Charlevoix region. Being all-inclusive, this resort includes accommodations, food and drink, activities, and more as part of your booked nightly rate, thus allowing you to truly relax and forget about the finer details once you step foot on its campus. Outside of Club Med Québec, you might want to reserve a small home at Les Refuges so that you can share a warm fireplace and fully-equipped kitchen with a group of four to six people in between your treks out onto the various slopes.

For those sledding, skiing, and snowboarding enthusiasts, Le Massif de Charlevoix offers one of the most bountiful environments for both the beginner and the advanced winter enthusiast. Though if you’re a thrill-seeker, you’ll be pleased to hear that the mountain offers more than 9 miles of skiable and rideable terrain outside of the traditional ski area boundary (known as backcountry), and it’s the perfect environment for those who enjoy alpine hiking, touring, and splitboarding. After it’s all said and done, however, one of the largest attractions on the mountain is the classic 4.6-mile sledding run that allows you to see the mountain like you never have before. Additionally, the traditionally sledding run is also accessible at night, providing you with an unmatched, exhilarating experience that’s sure to get your adrenaline pumping.

Lastly, one of the most bountiful treasures of Québec’s Le Massif de Charlevoix’s collections of inspirational Canadian cuisine that can be enjoyed on and off the mountain. If you’re taking a break from the slopes, Restauration Summit Chalet is located on the mountain and it’s the first and last name in hearty, herbal sandwiches and soups that will satiate and satisfy your hunger like no other restaurant. Also recommended in the area is the smoked meat poutine offered at Le Saint-Pub-Microbrasserie Charlevoix.

In speaking on the luxuries that this destination has to offer, the communication and marketing director for Le Massif, Maude Barrette Desjardins, said “You have to understand, when you come to Le Massif, as soon as you enter the road, you feel at that instant that you are traveling, you are elsewhere. There’s something really unique — you feel like you’re in a dream at every run.”

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