A scenic slopeside getaway with plenty to explore beyond the ski hill.
Ski hill Le
Massif and nearby town Baie-Saint-Paul are just a 90-minute drive
from Quebec City airport and offer plenty to explore beyond the trails.
Here are some highlights from our recent visit.
stay
Newly opened Hôtel
La Ferme in Baie-Saint-Paul does full justice to its rural roots via
accents its sleek, contemporary decor, utilizing Canadian-sourced
materials and geothermal energy for a design that looks sky-high for
inspiration while keeping the earth in mind. The 145 rooms, from
dorm-style to suites, are spread amongst five buildings, each with its
own distinctive style. www.lemassif.com/en/ferme/pavillons
eat
In the hotel’s main building, chef David Forbes’s restaurant Les
Labours presents simple yet exquisite fare inspired by the abundant
produce of the Charlevoix region. On our visit, we were blown away by a
simple lettuce salad with mustard dressing and a wild mushroom spelt
risotto; our companion enjoyed the chef’s cut of prime beef served with
potatoes, caramelized onions and kale. Despite the massive wine list, we
recommend a beer from local Microbrasserie
Charlevoix; we adored the Dominus Vobiscum blanche, a flavourful and
refreshing wheat beer. www.lemassif.com
shop
Baie-Saint-Paul’s art galleries offer plenty of picks worth getting out
the plastic for; on the more consumable end of the scale, stop in at Maison
d’Affinage Maurice Dufour for a sampling of his delectable sheep and
cow cheeses, and at nearby Laiterie
Charlevoix to round out your picnic basket with picks from around
the region, including breads, meats, jams and pâtés.
do
You don’t have to be a skier or snowboarder to get a ride on the gondola
up at the hill. Instead or in addition sign up for a two-hour
rodeling tour (called luge en français). You’ll pick up a
locally made wooden sled and join a group for some test runs on the
bunny hill followed by an exhilarating tour down a 7.5km course that
will leave you wanting to do it all over again. www.lemassif.com/en/montagne/luge
après
Don’t leave the hotel without spending some time at Spa
du Verger. Access to the outdoor thermal experience is complimentary
for hotel guests, but you’ll want to splurge on a massage or body
treatment and cap it off with the indoor thermal experience, too: a
sauna, steam room and indoor snow dispenser to help get the blood
flowing. www.lemassif.com/en/ferme/detente
Kat Tancock
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