Isn't it time for a made in Canada winter holiday? The Sacacomie Hotel in Quebec checks off all the boxes for exactly that. It seems my best and most romantic winter vacations in the last few years have taken place in Quebec (except for the time John and I slept on the floor in the dorm the night before the Canada Ski Marathon.) Another place to add to the must take John list is the Sacacomie…
If you live in the Montreal - Quebec City corridor then you've likely heard of and perhaps even visited La Mauricie National Park, located equidistant between the two cities. Albert van Dijk, Chief of Conservation Services in the park explains that "it's not as spectacular as other parks but it offers a great experience." If you compare La Mauricie National Park to the rugged beauty of Canada's mountain parks that might be true but in my…
If you love cross-country skiing, mark your calendars now for a weekend in mid-February. The annual Canadian Ski Marathon takes place between Mont Tremblant and Lachute, Quebec - though they may mix it up from year to year. It's an incredible weekend experience for both participants and the community I highly recommend. What a weekend participating in the Canadian Ski Marathon looks like John and I immersed ourselves in the Canadian Ski Marathon weekend -…
With my love of adventure, I'll usually say yes to most things saner people would avoid. A bike race in the dead of winter across Lac Saint-Jean in Quebec is one such adventure. The brainchild of David Lecointre, La Traversée du Lac Saint-Jean à Vélo is a 32 kilometre bike race from Peribonka to Roberval across the vast expanse of white, frozen Lac Saint-Jean. I never planned to do this as a bike race; for me it…
The Canadian Ski Marathon (CSM) is the longest Nordic ski event (160 kilometres over two days) in North America. It's also the oldest. This year it celebrated its 50th birthday and I had an opportunity to participate - in the Tourer category. But at the end of the first day, about 4:30 PM in mid-February, I also had a chance to go behind the scenes and visit Gold Camp - the home for the night of a group…
Over the years I've read the odd Globe and Mail article about the Charlevoix region of Quebec and Baie St Paul in particular. I'd heard about the foodie scene. And knew that the former Hôtel La Ferme along with Le Massif Ski Resort was the brainchild of Cirque du Soleil co-founder Daniel Gauthier. Recently I'd seen a photo on Instagram of Baie St Paul at sunrise so I had more than an inkling that the…
The Fairmont Montebello joins the short list of Fairmont properties I've stayed in over the years. They include the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Fairmont Banff Springs and the Fairmont Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi. All have delivered wonderful stays and experiences - but at a price - as you would expect from a hotel chain of this caliber. A stay at the Fairmont Montebello was the reward for the "full experience" of the 50th anniversary of…
Have you heard of Le Massif de Charlevoix? Virtually unknown outside of Quebec and southern Ontario, this mountain delivers long ski runs with phenomenal in your face St. Lawrence River views. Boasting the biggest vertical drop (770 m) east of the Rockies, this is a ski hill you'll want to try. What it's like to ski Le Massif John and I had the opportunity to ski Le Massif while on a short visit to the spectacular Baie St. Paul area -…
I'm excited and also a little nervous. For the first time in my life I, along with 11 others on a Saguenay - Lac Saint-Jean press trip, are going to be the entertainment for a pack of five wolves. It sounds unusual but once you've read the back end of the story you'll understand why. And as it turns out - the Parc Mahikan wolf experience is one of the most uplifting of my life.…
I'm curious by nature and it's one of the reasons I love to travel. On every trip I learn something - whether it's the history that was never taught in school or the lay of the land you only get by exploring on foot. Here are 10 things I didn't know about Quebec City before my latest visit. The Quebec City Winter Carnival Quebec City's Winter Carnival has been around in one form or another since…