The first stage of this Explorers’ Route with my favorite photographer and my dad (remember, I explained everything in a previous article) was therefore the Laurentians region. This destination is well known to Quebecers, and particularly to Montrealers, as it is located just north of the city of Montreal and is therefore very popular with them as a resort area throughout the 4 seasons of the year. It is especially appreciated by cyclists in the summer and skiers in the winter.
For our part, when we visited the Laurentians, it was the very beginning of the fall foliage season, also called “Indian summer” by Quebecers, which is one of my favorite times of the year there. The Laurentians are full of parks and wildlife reserves, making it a very natural territory with wide-open spaces, mountains, lakes, and forests.
In terms of gastronomy, you will also be spoiled with good local products, especially those featuring maple, but that’s not all. There are also some great regional microbreweries that I highly encourage you to discover if you are a beer lover. I will therefore organize this article geographically, telling you chronologically about all the stages we did on this Explorers’ Route, while giving you a selection of good addresses tested on-site and ideas for things to do, as I usually do.
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Table of Contents
Our video on the Laurentians
Here is a short video made by my favorite photographer, which presents our time in the Laurentians region specifically.
As in the first article, I am providing a map below so you can visualize our itinerary and the different stages of our road trip.
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Stage 1: The Deux-Montagnes County, Laurentians
Located in the Lower Laurentians region and more specifically in the northern crown of Montreal, this Deux-Montagnes county is quickly accessible from Montreal (only about twenty kilometers away).
The region is also famous for Oka cheese, and if you are in the area, I advise you to take the Oka-Hudson ferry (which has existed since 1909), allowing you to cross with your car from Oka to Hudson (in Montérégie) in 10 minutes across the Lake of Two Mountains. Once on the other side, if you are looking for a sugar shack address (where you will find plenty of maple syrup products), I recommend the Sucrerie de la Montagne, which is a very nice place.
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Sightseeing tour of Old Saint-Eustache
This small town is set on the site of the village established in the 18th century and was the scene of the Patriots’ Rebellion of 1837, an important historical moment for Quebec. A visit to Old Saint-Eustache allows you to discover more than 40 buildings and sites, witnesses to the history of the city’s development during the time of the first builders. You can either pick up information and brochures at the Maison de la Culture et du Patrimoine and explore on your own, or follow guided tours and circuits (inquire at the Maison de la Culture et du Patrimoine).
Also take advantage of your visit to the Maison de la Culture et du Patrimoine to visit the exhibitions offered by the venue to learn more about the Patriots and the events related to this important moment in Quebec history. Especially by discovering the free permanent exhibition “The 1837 Rebellion in the Deux-Montagnes County”.
I also advise you to take a tour of the Légaré Mill (232, rue Saint Eustache) to discover its history, but also to understand the production of wheat and buckwheat flour (you can even buy some on-site). It is also the oldest flour mill still in operation in North America, having been active since 1762.
Old Saint-Eustache Maison de la Culture et du Patrimoine (Manoir Globensky) 235 rue Saint- Eustache, Saint-Eustache, QC J7R 2L7 Adult admission to the Légaré Mill $7 / free for children under 6
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Where to eat? Lunch at Labonté de la pomme
This family-run agritourism estate offers an apiary and fruit farm as well as a restaurant and is located on a mountainside, overlooking the beautiful Oka Valley. People come here to harvest the farm’s fruits (25 different varieties) through U-pick, an activity that Quebecers love, or simply to feast in the apple shack, where the products are cooked in a wood-fired oven.
We enjoyed a meal made with regional products on this occasion, and I think we had an overdose of maple syrup right from the beginning of our stay!!! But it really is the perfect place to taste traditional and rustic Quebec cuisine.
Must try: the country waffle with maple bacon and Oka cheese between 2 waffles ($17.50); the estate’s special onion soup ($10); the sugar shack-style baked beans ($5.50); for drinks, the non-alcoholic sparkling apple juice is very nice; the estate’s apple pie to finish you off!
After the meal, we toured the orchards with a bit of U-picking, obviously, and then you absolutely must stop by the shop before you leave to stock up on local artisanal products. You can buy McIntosh apples (which are a local production), and they are absolutely delicious!
Labonté de la pomme 405, Rang de l'Annonciation Oka, QC J0N 1E0 (located about 35 min from Montreal)
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Visit the Rivière du Chêne Vineyard
This vineyard was founded in 1998 by a young, passionate winemaker who wanted to see what viticulture could yield in Quebec. Obviously, one cannot compare the wines produced in Quebec with those produced in other countries, because the development of this industry is still at an experimental stage, and winemakers are still doing a lot of tests to try to determine which grape varieties are best adapted to the country’s climate.
The idea is therefore not to compete with what already exists, but to try to do something typical and original that is faithful to the spirit of Quebec. That is why, as a French wine lover (and curious by nature, I must say), I found the visit to this vineyard particularly interesting. You can discover this place during a tour of the estate or simply by tasting its products.
My recommendations: the ice wine (a type of late harvest with grapes that have frozen); the maple wine (very original).
Vignoble Rivière du Chêne 807, Chemin de la Rivière Nord Saint-Eustache, QC J7R 0J5 Tours from May to mid-October Tour price: $10 Great deal: free tasting in the shop all year round from 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM
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Stage 2: In the heart of the Laurentians
After about a 1-hour drive (after the vineyard), we started to move away from Montreal to enter the part of the region called the Upper Laurentians, in the very heart of this province.
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Where to sleep, where to eat? Hôtel et Spa Mont-Gabriel
Perched in the heart of the Laurentians, 45 minutes north of Montreal, the Hôtel & Spa Mont Gabriel is a 4-star resort with 136 accommodations and offers numerous on-site activities for its guests. What struck us (but we found this in many hotel rooms during our trip) is this very North American habit of having rooms with two double beds, which means two couples can easily sleep in the same room (if you are not bothered by that kind of intimacy).
Furthermore, the bedding in our room was really very comfortable, and from our balcony, we had a very beautiful view of the surroundings and the beautiful nature of the Laurentians. I appreciated the charm of this establishment, which transported me to another era for an evening, thanks to its peaceful and relaxing atmosphere.
In the evening, we also ate on-site at the hotel’s restaurant, Ambroisie, where we enjoyed a 4-course table d’hôte menu ($42/person) in the beautiful and large main dining room that you can discover in the photo below.
The extra bonus: the indoor pool and the Relaxia spa with indoor sauna for a moment of relaxation after the drive, which is very much appreciated.
Hôtel et Spa Mont-Gabriel 1699, Ch du Mont-Gabriel Sainte-Adèle, QC J8B 1A5 Rates for a regular room with two double beds: from $126 per night
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The Village of Val-David
The village of Val-David (20 min drive from Mont-Gabriel) is surrounded by mountains and forests and can be a nice stop on your way to do some shopping (or “magasinage” as the Quebecers say) because there are some cool shops. For our part, we were out of luck; it was pouring rain during our time in the city, and we didn’t linger too long…
My advice: go have a coffee at the General Store ($2.50 for a long black), located at 2475 rue de l’Église, because in addition to having a very nice little coffee shop corner, you can also find plenty of great gift and decor ideas.
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Where to eat and drink a beer? Le Baril Roulant
This festive, craft microbrewery has several locations in Val-David (a pub, an inn, and the microbrewery itself). The inn where we stopped for lunch (which also offers accommodation—rooms and dorms, as the name suggests), offers a large selection of craft beers (let yourself be guided by the inn’s staff, who will know very well how to advise you according to your tastes), local spirits, and ciders, and offers some tapas to eat, such as nachos, burgers, and beer-infused waffles.
This culinary stop was also the opportunity for my favorite photographer and my dad to eat their first poutine!!! You know, that Quebec specialty with fries covered in melted cheese (or not) and a thick brown gravy, the pinnacle of Quebec dieting!
I also advise you to stop by the microbrewery (where the beer is craft-brewed) to visit the facilities and also to buy some beers from Le Baril Roulant (you will see during our trip that we brought back many, many beers in our suitcases…).
Auberge du Baril Roulant
1430, rue de l'Académie Val-David, Quebec, J0T 2N0
Microbrewery: 1650, route 117 Val-David, QC_
Stage 3: Mont-Tremblant, Laurentians
The Mont-Tremblant region, nestled in the heart of the Laurentian mountains, is well known to Quebecers because it is one of the favorite resort areas for the inhabitants of Montreal, especially for skiing in the winter. This zone, and all the others that we will discover further north, began to open up to the rest of Quebec at the end of the 19th century, with the arrival of the railway and the “P’tit-train-du-nord” (whose several stations we will actually visit a little further on in the article).
For our part, we didn’t have much time to visit the resort center, but we preferred to go for a short walk along Lake Mercier (there is a trail that goes all the way around, but it’s quite long) because it was located right next to our hotel. The weather wasn’t really at its best, as you can see in the photos, but we appreciated the misty atmosphere of this capricious weather.
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Where to sleep, where to eat? Hôtel Mont-Tremblant
This small hotel is located in the Mont-Tremblant village, right on the edge of Lake Mercier, and it has 19 rooms and an “Au Coin” restaurant-pub on the ground floor where we had dinner in the evening. We took the opportunity to taste the Quebec cheese platter ($14.95) because, as we were able to notice during our trip, there is a beautiful production of cheeses in this part of Quebec, and it would be a shame not to discover it because there are some very interesting things.
Hôtel Mont-Tremblant 1900, chemin du Village Mont-Tremblant, QC J8E 1K4 Rate: $52.50 for a standard room + breakfast
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Relaxing at Scandinave Spa Mont-Tremblant
The Scandinave Spa Mont-Tremblant is a superb place installed right next to the Rivière du Diable, offering a beautiful traditional experience of Scandinavian baths in a peaceful and natural environment. In short, the ideal place to relax along this Explorers’ Route!
The Spa opened its doors in 1999 in the heart of the Laurentian forest and expanded in 2017 with new facilities and two additional hydrotherapy circuits. For your information, hydrotherapy is an effective way to free the body from its tensions and the mind from its preoccupations with a hot-cold-relaxation cycle that contributes as much to energizing the body as it does to resting it, improving blood circulation, and activating the lymphatic system to eliminate toxins. The principle of the place is simple: you put on your outfit, leave your phone in the locker (and yes, it is forbidden in the Spa areas), respect the ambient silence, and relax!!! Almost a challenge for me, as you might have guessed!
On the program: dry saunas, steam baths, hot baths, Nordic waterfalls, cold water pools, swimming in the Rivière du Diable (for the most courageous only; in our case, it was my dad), outdoor fire pits, solarium, relaxation areas… If you want to spend the day there, the establishment even offers a small snack bar for a very practical quick meal: soup of the day ($4.99), wraps ($8.99), quiche of the day ($4.25).
Scandinave Spa Mont-Tremblant 4280, Montée Ryan Mont-Tremblant, QC J8E 1S4 Scandinave Spa rates: $60 / person for all-day access to the site
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Stage 4: The Belles-Histoires Route and the P’tit Train du Nord
As I mentioned above, this northern region of the Laurentians began to be frequented by Quebecers starting in 1892, with the arrival of the railway and the “P’tit-train-du-nord“. Today, this old railway line, closed since 1981, has become the longest greenway in Canada and attracts a huge number of cyclists and cross-country skiers every year on what is now called the “Le P’tit Train du Nord” linear park. By following it, you discover beautiful places, from heritage stations to villages.
The Route des Belles-Histoires (which is part of Quebec’s official tourist routes), meanwhile, spans over 280 km along the Route 117 corridor from Saint-Jérôme to Mont-Laurier, also following the linear park through one of the colonization paths of the region.
There is even an audio-guide (practical when on a road trip, provided you have a car radio in your car, obviously) that allows you to travel in a very rural setting to heritage stations, museums, and interactive kiosks along the route to discover local history from a new angle. This is what we did (on a small part of the route, obviously) and I will describe below the few stops we made on this Belles-Histoires route.
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The Labelle Station
This station is located directly on the Le P’tit Train du Nord linear park at km 107, and you just need to take Rue Du Pont and Rue Allard to get there. On-site, you discover a bit of history about the P’tit Train du Nord and Labelle, a municipality that would become a real railway depot with the extension of the railway to Mont-Laurier. Several remains from this era are still visible, such as the current station, which was built in 1924 and now serves as a restaurant and inn for cyclists passing through. It also houses a railway museum.
Labelle Station 180 Rue du Dépôt Labelle, QC J0T 1H0
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The Macaza Covered Bridge
Built in 1904, this is a beautiful example of a “Town Elaborated” type covered bridge, and it is also the only covered bridge still standing in the Rouge Valley. This short stop reminded my dad and me of that beautiful Clint Eastwood film that we love so much, The Bridges of Madison County, with Meryl Streep.
Since most bridges were made of wood at the time, covered bridges were built to delay deterioration and prevent them from rotting. The portal of these bridges resembled that of a barn, which had the effect of reassuring the horses that crossed them because they could not see the water. Interesting, right?!
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The L’Annonciation Station
This station was built in 1903, and several outbuildings were added over the years, namely the caretaker’s house in 1905, the material yard and tool sheds in 1911, and the freight and coal depots in 1924. Inside the station, you will find a tourist reception office and a multidisciplinary exhibition center accessible all year round. It is also possible to watch a video on the history of the Antoine-Labelle RCM.
Gare de L’Annonciation 682, rue L'Annonciation Nord, Rivière-Rouge, QC J0T 1T0
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The Nominingue Heritage Station
Built between 1903 and 1904, Nominingue station is in the “ornate cottage” style. In addition to the tourist reception office located in the luggage room of the old station, history buffs will be delighted because a room named Salle du Patrimoine (Heritage Room), located in the station master’s former office, houses a collection of objects used in the railway operations of the C.P.R., commonly known as the Canadian Pacific. An important collection of nearly 2,000 old photos is also archived and exhibited in albums accessible to visitors. You will also be able to watch the Antoine-Labelle RCM video capsule there.
Nominingue Heritage Station 2169, chemin du Tour-du-Lac Nominingue, QC J0W 1R0
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Where to sleep, where to eat? Gîte Le Provincialart
This bed and breakfast is run by an absolutely charming couple, Diane and Guy, who will welcome you as if you were family (hurry up and go, as they confided to us that they wanted to retire completely soon, and we can understand them) in their beautiful house, more than a century old, which was originally a convent, a novitiate, and then an orphanage.
I strongly advise you to also book dinner (that’s what we call supper in Quebec), which is prepared with great talent by the hostess in 4 courses, and if you want to drink a local beverage with that, Guy will take you shopping for the meal. For our part, we obviously chose to test a local beer, the Saint Arnould, brewed in Mont-Tremblant (if you didn’t know, Quebec is truly the land of microbreweries).
Likewise, the breakfast served in the morning is also delicious, and we thoroughly enjoyed the homemade scones! If the weather permits, Guy will certainly suggest you go play a round of Disc Golf (yes, yes, this sport really exists, I assure you!) with the 18 baskets ready to play that are located in the nearby forest.
Gîte Le Provincialart 2292, rue du Sacré Coeur Nominingue, QC J0W 1R0
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Where to sleep in unusual accommodation: les Toits du Monde
This ecological and unusual accommodation center offers nights in treehouses, tipis, yurts, and hobbit houses, all built by the owners of the place, Dior & Sylvain, a very endearing couple. We didn’t sleep there, but our host took us for a little tour of this enchanted estate in the middle of nature!
Les Toits du Monde 1777, chemlin des Faucons, Nominingue
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Stage 5: The Upper Laurentians
This is the final stage of our time in the Laurentians, far to the north of the region, before going to discover the Abitibi-Témiscamingue (which will be the subject of another article on the blog).
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The Montagne du Diable Regional Park
The Montagne du Diable (Devil’s Mountain) overlooks the landscape with its numerous lakes, and it is also the 2nd highest peak in the Laurentians after Mont-Tremblant, which I told you about earlier.
Upon arriving at the park, I advise you to go through the Léopold-Papineau reception pavilion, first to pay your entrance fees (and yes, parks charge admission in Quebec, but they are also extremely well maintained) and also to find all the information on activities to do in the park with hiking routes, as well as toilets (yes, that is super important, I assure you!).
There are numerous walking trails in this park (about 80 km of trails) for hiking, and we had the chance to discover a small part of them with our charming guide, Andréane. The park also has log cabins where you can spend the night for a more immersive experience. Another fun activity that I advise you to do is rent a canoe-kayak to go paddling and tour the mountain lake.
Parc Montagne du Diable Village des Bâtisseurs 1100, Chemin Léandre Meilleur Ferme-Neuve, QC J0W 1C0 Regional park entrance fee for 1 day: $7 per person / free for children under 18 Open 7 days/7 from 9 AM to 5 PM
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Where to eat, where to drink a beer? Microbrasserie du Lièvre
The closest city to the Montagne du Diable regional park is Mont-Laurier, which is also the regional capital of the Upper Laurentians. I advise you to go there before or after your day at the park to eat, and for that, I recommend stopping at the Microbrasserie du Lièvre, which will allow you to taste a new craft beer from the region!
The establishment also offers a pub-style restaurant that highlights producers and artisans of the region as well as their local products. For my part, I warmly recommend tasting the house specialty: the plate of homemade smoked trout ($16 for a starter portion and $24 for a main course portion). Otherwise, the poutine with pulled smoked meat is also quite good ($11 or $15 depending on the size, and for information, the small size is often more than enough for us Europeans).
Microbrasserie du Lièvre 131, Boul. A.-Paquette Mont-Laurier, QC J9L 1J2 Beer prices: glass from $6 and from $20 for a pitcher
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Thanks to Québec Original for this opportunity and to the Laurentians region for hosting us and for this great program!
I hope that with all this, I have made you want to discover or rediscover Quebec and the Laurentians region, and if you too have your tips for this destination, don’t hesitate to share them in the comments!
Find all my articles on Quebec below
(3 trips in 2010, 2013, and 2018):
⇒ All my articles on Quebec
GENERAL INFORMATION ON QUEBEC
⇒ Quebec: practical info, how to get there, general info on Montreal
MY STAGES IN QUEBEC
⇒ The Gaspé Peninsula
⇒ Montreal
⇒ Quebec City
⇒ The Laurentians
⇒ Abitibi-Témiscamingue
⇒ Outaouais
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez Photos not royalty-free, photographer's authorization mandatory before any use
