Quebec, this wild country where, when winter has arrived, snow and cold reign. If it is of course important to know where to stay to avoid catching a big cold snap, you also have to think about what you could do once there. Fortunately, there is no shortage of activities in caribou country: here is a small homemade selection:
1. A dog sledding trip
Sledding pulled by dogs is one of my little dreams that I would like to accomplish one day. It is possible to do so at the Cap au Leste outfitter , near the superb Saguenay Fjord.
There is a package dedicated solely to this activity (+ night in a room, evening meal, breakfast) which will allow you to spend a day in the middle of the forest, in the company of man’s best friends… An experience to try at all costs!
2. A snowmobile route
Lovers of thrills and speed, this is for you! Snowmobiling is a really cool activity when you know how to drive the car and you don’t go too fast (so you don’t crash into a tree around a bend…) .
The Evasion-Sport company offers snowmobile rentals for hiking near the beautiful Lac Saint-Jean. The strengths of this activity are that the hike can last several hours while enjoying very beautiful landscapes through more than 3,000 kilometers of trails; we meet very few people. AND: the snowmobile is relatively powerful (180 km/h), enough to have a little fun!
3. Ice fishing
For those who are not afraid of the cold! Ice fishing is a type of sport fishing which, as its other names indicate, consists of catching different fish from the surface of frozen lakes.
It is therefore possible to do some on the shores of Lac Saint-Jean , near the city of Saguenay . There, you can also book several fishermen’s huts to spend the night in a completely traditional way… And why not enjoy the fruits of your own fishing?
4. A snowshoe hike in Monts-Valin
The snow-covered Canadian valleys are ideal places for beautiful, invigorating snowshoe hikes. Especially in the superb Vallée des Fantômes , located in the Monts-Valin National Park .
You can do short, medium or long hikes there (a 77-kilometre trail is available for those who are used to walking). And if you’ve ever had your eyes bigger than your stomach, know that all the hiking trails are dotted with refuges, to take a short break and regain your strength. It is also possible to go cross-country skiing on some of these circuits.
Snowshoe rental is free (at the Discovery and Visitors Centre).
5. A cross-country ski excursion
As I said just above, it is possible to go on cross-country skiing excursions on the slopes of the Monts-Valin National Park . There are also other places where it is possible to do it: near certain cities, even in the cities themselves, in other natural parks.
Gatineau Park, for example, offers about 200 kilometers of trails, beautiful reliefs of valleys, all in magnificent mountainous and wild landscapes.
Prices: from $11 for daily passes (free for children under 12).
6. Alpine skiing
Of course, how can we talk about cross-country skiing without mentioning alpine skiing? Inevitably, Canada (and therefore Quebec) has many winter sports resorts where it is possible to go skiing (alpine, cross-country), sledding, snowboarding, etc.
There are particularly in the region of Saguenay , Duplessis , Quebec or Bas-Saint-Laurent . There is a choice!
7. The Quebec Carnival
The Carnaval de Québec is a sort of pop-up winter-themed amusement park, whose mascot this year was Bonhomme , the famous snowman.
As a good self-respecting festival, the Carnaval de Québec offered many different activities in this 2015 edition such as bumper cars on ice, a museum of ice sculptures… And a snow bath for Valentine’s Day and for the bravest (it consists of bathing in the snow, in a bathing suit, not within anyone’s reach!).
On the occasion of these festivities, certain streets of the city were therefore requisitioned to allow visitors a total experience: shops, nocturnal parades, horse-drawn carriage races or canoe races… There really is everything.
8. Nordic spa moment
Fancy a little relaxation after a long day of snowshoeing or cross-country skiing? Quebec also has spa and relaxation stations to revitalize! Among them, the Nordique Spa on the Mont Sainte-Anne site, located in a very extensive area on the shores of a small private lake.
For those who, like me before, do not know the concept of a Nordic bath, here is a little explanation . A practice that eliminates almost all toxins from the body in a totally healthy and simple way (watch out for cold snaps though).
9. The ice canoe
The ice canoe was originally a means of transport widely used in winter, which made it possible to rally the two shores of the St. Lawrence between them when the water was frozen. Nowadays, ice canoeing is above all an intense form of sport that you have to see to believe!
There are many ice canoe races during the winter and the principle is quite simple: be the first to reach the city of Lévis on the other side of the river by running and paddling. I imagine that it is possible for a lambda visitor to try this practice, but if you are not psychologically ready, it is surely better to watch the pros do it.
10. Ice Hockey
Impossible to talk about Quebec without mentioning the national sport that fascinates all of Canada: ice hockey . There is a Quebec hockey federation , which offers, in addition to being able to attend professional and amateur matches of all ages, initiation sessions for beginners who want to try this internationally recognized sport.
Here is a short guide of activities to do and/or attend in Quebec in winter. Some like ice hockey aren’t limited to winter, of course. In any case, entertainment is not lacking there; there is really everything: escape, relaxation, sport, etc. So I really want to redo a dog sled right now.
