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SPRING 2OI3
PLAY I EAT I SHOP I RELAX
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I EXPLORE
WECKENOCTS LAURENTIANS, OUEBEC
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Spring Comes
to the Laurentians
Syrup on Everything
Sugaring offis
AS THE SNOW MELTS, THE SAP STIRS IN THE MAPLE TREES
AND SYRUP LOVERS HEAD TO THE SUGAR SHACK
BY SARAH MUSGRAVE
Like most
*" Jl" i ""1"v *i"if r_-"" ,r..r" .on,rurv i"* runollup"l uru
If" g9.n!1" ygLl-gy-t, *990"t rr111s ."J ,"i"r"J r.r"i"1".
of the Laurentians when they're blanketed in snow (preferably powdery, ideal for
Byl
?y lgte M91ch, M: l"s-i9-l: i,:l "9-ill 9l vloltiggl: l-' y9it11-s fo1!n9 1n9w,
-:klilg):
fy91Vo1e-, seem;,
to come out of hibernation. With the melt it's not just
11
1s
19ady
the sap that sra.ts r o*ing: it:, tf
86 SPRING
2O13
rite of spring
ofthe
Laurentians, and that makes it
a rite ofpassage for anyvisitor.
Tramping into the countryside
for a celebratory meal at a sugar
shack- or c ab ane d. s ucr e
-
go
e
s
back to the First Nations practice
leside^ts of cold cl:mes. Quebecers are experts at snif ing out sigrs
o{ so11n9, N"t 1H-i
mofe :.gletg lr-rgl
a
in the outdoor playground
"
l""""il"fi"n tl" orin'. u"J i".
s;oo tirn"r,
i""
of tapping the maple trees for the
sweet sap. Forthe past century
the food served at sugar shacks
has
remainedprettymuchthe
same: crepes, ham, baked beans,
flufliomelets and crisp pork
cr ackling (or eiII e s d e cris s e),
alI
slathered with mapie sytup.
No wonder these seasonal feasts
WCCKCNOCTS LAURENTIANS. OUEBEC
have long been s1mon1'rnous
with
overindulgence.
It took Quebec's reigning king
of excess, celebrity chef Martin
Picard, to put the decadence over
the top. Picard (whose Au Pied
de Cochon is a Montreal favorite)
branched out to the Laurentians
in zoo9, openingtheAu Pied de
Cochon Sugar Shack. There he
updated and upgraded the classics
of cuisine
qudbdcorse,
delivering
heavenly tourtidre (meat pie), pea
soup
with his signature foie gras,
and maple-synrp cotton candy.
Like the many f amily -run
c ab
an e s
nearby, which are equallyworth
a visit, it operates roughly from
late February through April.
Typical sugar-shack dishes are
available year round, however,
atAu Petit Poucet. It's set in
a
Paul Bunyan-esque log-frame
cabinbuiltin
1945
onthe outskirts
of Vai-David. Warm up
with
complimentaryhot chocolate
while youwait foryour name to
be called; then it's on to pigging
out-the
lumberj ack breakfast lets
you try it all. Kids love the treat
NATURE'S
known as frre (pronounced "tier")
LOLLIPOPS:
sur Ia neige, avulable as long as the
weather's chilly enough. A server
pours hot spup onto snow;you
wait for it to solidify, then twirl
it onto a stick like tafri.
Forest to Table
Indigenous ingredients also
inspire chefs at more upscale
Three: Twist syrup
onto stick. Step Four:
Eat the results of your
labor. Below: Chef
R6jean Campeau
at Au Petit Poucet.
kitchens across eastem North
in
a
with
small-scale agriculture. In recent
With such ingredients at the
doorstep, it's no surprise that
the Laurentian dining scene has
among pork
become increasingly sophisticated.
province that loves its pork.
You'll find international inflections
America: It's
a star
Zlbres, a bistro in artsy
The exceptional honey from Miels
at Les
d'Anicet takes on characteristics
Val-David village, and molecular
of its t emoir. The limited-edition
ltArtisan
Culinaire in Mont-Tremblant.
I?Eau )r la Bouche, a Relais &
spring honey, for instance, reveals
hints of early blossoms, like
dandelions andwild cherry.
restaurants. Foragers and farmers
populate this land, whose stretches
of wilderness are interspersed
(above) Step One:
Pour hot maple syrup
onto clean snow.
Step Two: Be patient
(while it cools). Step
Canut Farms. It onlytakes one
bite to get why it's sought bytop
experimentation at Seb
ChAteaux property overseen by
chefAnne Desjardins, is apioneer
of the forest-to-table
a
movement-
blend of refi nement and rusticiw
that brings foodies fl ocking.
years, taiented culinaryteams have
Ieft the ciryto move closerto the
natural bounty of wild mushrooms,
trout and bison, and pristine
organic produce.
Foodlovers swearbyGaspor
milk-fed piglet, raised on Saint-
88 SPRING 20]3
Bottoms Up
Quebec has a long legacy of
artisanal brewing, and many
small-town pubs put their own
fwist on traditional draft beers.
Dieu du Ciel, a reputable
WEeKenderS LAURENTIANS, oUEBEc
regional brand, is headquartered
in Saint-J6r6me, in the foothills
of the Laurentians. Every March
it releases its Spring Equinox, a
maple-accented Scotch ale aged
for two months withwoodsy,
malty and delicately sweet results.
The
t//////t/l//t///z
Microbrasserie du Diable
in Mont-Tremblant pours
a
/ // / / / / / /// / // / / // / /
'
bright
spring pilsner, along with old-sryle
ales served direct from the cask
via hand-cranked pump.
Fresh Air Fun
While the hearryfood and drink
will conspire to keep you inside,
there's no need to get cabin
fever. Spring brings countless
The Laurentian
Mountains are less
than an hour's
drive north of
Montreal. The
region's 9,OOO
lakes and rivers,
frozen over in
winter, start to
thaw by late
(sepaq.com), you'll travel from
some 6o feet above the ground.
Ifthose activities don't get
your hean pumping, there's
always a rejuvenating dip in the
In Maythe park's 5o miles of trails
icy outdoor baths
tree to tree on ropes suspended
forboth
reopen, offering routes
March,
/////////////t,/t//t
////////////////////
ways to commune with the great
Tremblant National Park
Station Baltique
casual strollers and hard-core
opened its
hikers. And ryclingresumes on the
(amerispa.ca) in Morin-Heights,
P'tit Train du Nord, a railroad
offering a Finnish sauna,
steambath and more. Aplunge
under a Nordic waterfall will
quickly reenergize you for more
track turned bike path that gives
cyclists intimate views ofthe area's
charmingvillages, each of which
has its own silver church soire.
outdoors in the Laurentians.
On a zipline adventure in Mont-
ofthe region's
Nordic-style spas. Amerispa just
sightseeing! @
o
z
.U
e
o
z
WCCKCNOCTS
GUIDE TO THE LAURENTIANS
U
o
A
I
EAT
Au pled de Cochon Sugar Shack Celebrity
chef l'lartin Picard is unabashedly overindulgent
at his styllsh Laurentians oulpost 11392 Rang
de la Fresniere, Saint-Benoit de Mirabet
450-258-1732; $59* per person
Au P6tlt Poucet
Dine like a lumberjack
year-round at this log-cabin institution. 1030 Rte
Val-David; 888-334-2246; 925 per person
lll
Cabane a Sucre Famlll€ Ethier A sugar shack
that upholds the traditions, with live folk music
and horse-drawn carrrage rides on weekends.
7940 Rang Saint-Vincent, Saint-Benoit de Mirabel:
450-258-3807; from $20 per person
Les Zdbres This surprisingly modern room
on a rural road shows a respectful use of regional
ingredients, matched by a recherchd wine list.
2347 Rue de I'Eglise, Val-David; 819-J22-3196;
dinner for two, $86
La Grange A new pub that recalls the region's
lrish and English settlers, serving elevated
comfort food under lofty beams of salvaged
barn board.2 Rue Meadowbrook, Morin-Heights;
450-226-5005; dinner for two, $75
Seb lArtisan Culinaire
ln a little house on
a Tremblant side street, chef S6bastien Houle
subtly brings his world travels to the table.
444 Rue Saint-Georges, Mont-Tremblant; 819429-6991; four-course tasting menu for two, $98
L'Eau e la Bouche Chef Anne Desjardins
is a treasure of the Laurentians, as is this luxury
resort. 3003 Samte-Add le Bou 1., Sa i nte-Adeb:
450-229-2991; dinner for two, gl0O
90 SPRTNG 2013
STAY
ygry quiet. Ti'e v,ew of Lac l"lorency was st,perb,"
"lfyou want a quiet place to relax, this is the place,
RCI affiliated resorts
Village
6957
Mont-Tremblant-
)o
Foi complets msmber revlews (as membe? revlews
u
I
o
Mont-Trenbtant
disappoi.rted.'
are
feeling."
Club Privilege Mont-TremblantVoliere 2272
Within walking distance of Tremblant village.
2l4O Chemin du Viltage, Mont-Trembtant
MEMBER REVrEws: We came ir Aoril ano l^ad
some of the best snow or the season."
your spoclflc Club or RCI telephono number
:
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,
"T1e office staff were so f/iendly ano l.e,ofu."
Club Geopremiere at Lac Morency 2O4O
A romantic escape on the shores of Lac Morency.
Rue de la Chaumine,
MEMBER REVTEws:
:
|
Family resort in the heart of the Laurentians.
1482 Chemin du Vitlage,
MEMBER REvrEws: "We looked forward to l.iking
and cycring and were not
''The kitche'r, living room and din,ng roorn
open conceot and give a spacious
42
I
addltlonal rosort llstlngs,
vlslt RCl.com or call 800-338-7777 (Weeks) 01
g7f-968-7416 (Polnts), Club Mambers, please calt
i
Saint-Hippolyte
"Saint-Jerome Shoop,ng
is on y 10 minutes away and Saint-Sauveur
center
(outlets
minutes."
but also the old city) is less than 30
"Reslaurant on srte is excel enl and rated f,ve
Selectior^ of local cheeses is
sta.s.
:
:
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2189
Shares the facilities of the above resort.
42 Rue de la Chaumine, Saint-Hippolyte
MEMBER REVTEWS: "one Of rne besr reSOrtS We
stayed at n this area. Units were comfonaole and
Non-RCl affiliated resorts
Hotel Oulntessence
With 30 luxury suites on the lake and a superb
brunch, it's the gold standard for boutique stays
in the area.3004 Chemin de la Chapelle, MontTre m b I a n t; 866-425-340 0 ; hote I q u in tessence-com,'
doubles from $360 per night
Manoir Saint-Sauveur
Spacious quarters, convenient location and
facilities that include indoor/outdoor pools.
246 Chemin du Lac Millette, Saint-Sauveur;
n a n o i r -sa i nt - s a uve u r.co m ;
doubles fron $149 per night
80 0 -3 61 - 0 50 5;
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Est6rel Resort
l
One of the region's original resorts-dating from
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Relais Saint-D€nis
Cozy rooms and suites with fireplaces make
this a good budget option. 61 Saint-Denis Ave.,
Sa i n t - Sa uveu r; 888-997 -47 66 ; re la i sstden is.com ;
doubles fron $139 per night
extraordinary.'
Geo Group at Lac Morency
havo been condensed) and
:
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The room was very charming and cozy."
in the Laurentians include:
Club Privilege
I
F
the 196Os-was recently redone in streamlined
luxury. 39 Boul. Fridolin-Simard, Estdrel; 888-3783735; esterel.com; doubles from 9169 per night
*Prices have been converted
to U.S. dollars. Meal prices do not include drinks. tax or tiD.
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