Give Your Kids a Real-Life "Frozen" Experience Skiing at Tremblant in Quebec

By Amy Suski

Natural Beauty, Great Skiing  

For a real life "Frozen" experience, its hard to beat a winter trip to Tremblant in Quebec.  From the 2,871 foot summit, as far as the eye can see the landscape glitters magically in ice and snow. With on-and-off gentle snowfall throughout our stay, the skiing conditions were perfect.   Our two beginner skiers enjoyed the long green trails that meandered down from the summit, while our daredevil teenager found a variety of black diamond trails and snowparks to challenge him. Ranked year-after-year as the #1 eastern ski resort by SKI Magazine, this European-styled resort in the Laurentian Mountains more than lives up to its reputation as world-class ski destination.

Après-ski
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In addition to the mountain, what makes Tremblant truly special are its Quebec hosts.  Everyone we met was helpful, cheerful and more than willing to help make our stay special, even if that meant speaking only English to our linguistically-challenged family.   After a day full of winter sports, the pedestrian village at the base of the mountain welcomes weary skiers to the warmth of its outdoor fireplace, charming restaurants, cozy cafes, and colorful shops.  Decorated with holiday lights and snow sculptures, the village is as picturesque as the pages of storybook.  But however tired you are from skiing be sure to save some energy to explore the village -- the uphill walk from the parking lot through the village is "invigorating."  Fortunately, there is a lift (Le Cabriolet) to carry passengers to the top, but it runs mostly during the day, not so much at night.

Super fun activities for families include iceskating by Saint-Bernard's Chapel, nighttime snow tubing at the base of the mountain, indoor water play at AquaClub Source, movies at the cinema, paint-your-own pottery at Le Studio Creatif, building your own teddy bear at Universe Toutou, and  an irresistible little toy shop, Bangles et Bobinette. The kids also especially enjoyed the local treats of maple taffy on snow and poutine -- one of the greatest comfort foods on earth (french fries smothered in gravy and melted cheese).  To experience fine Quebec cuisine, our family favorite is La Forge Bistro Bar & Grille, where you can enjoy fine wine, steaks cooked over a fire, and a great view of the mountain.

​Family Lodging Options 
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Whether you want the full service of a hotel or the added space of a condo, there are plenty of options for families to choose from.  To ease the burden of lugging our kids' gear, we recommend a hotel in the pedestrian village  (such as Sommet des Neiges, pictured below) or any of the ski-on, ski-off condos.  

This trip we stayed at a condo in Etoile du Matin (view from our window pictured below), just steps away from the Soleil lift to the summit.  The added convenience of having our own kitchen, washer/dryer, master suite, and underground parking made the family trip SO much easier. 

​Tremblant Snow School 
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The excellent Learn to Ski or Ride Programs offer half- or full-day ski or snowboard lessons for beginners of all ages.  Mother Nature Camp for 3 and 4 year olds includes 1/2 day of skiing, lunch, and 1/2 day of daycare so that mom and dad can enjoy the mountain.  Parents will also appreciate that the Snow School provides kids under 12 a free Flaik GPS so that they can be tracked anywhere on the mountain.   

School Holiday Breaks

During the month of February Tremblant welcomes kids with special activities including toasting marshmallows, street hockey, and Saturday Night Fever dance parties. This year Washington Week (Feb. 13-20, 2016) is timed to coincide with New England's school breaks and special activities for Quebec's School Break are scheduled Feb. 27- Mar. 6, 2016.

Finding Deals

At press time, Tremblant was offering discounts on lodging up to 30%.  Combined with a favorable exchange rate (currently 1 USD=1.37 CAD), the savings for American visitors can be HUGE: we booked our trip in the fall of 2015 during a 35% lodging discount promotion and with the exchange rate ended up saving around 65% on our trip.  If you have any questions about booking your trip, take advantage of the friendly booking agents to find lodging that best suits your family's needs.   All in all we couldn't be happier with the value, convenience and absolute fun of our stay at Tremblant.  If you're up for an adventure, Tremblant is certainly worth the extra drive or flight.

More Tips:  

• If possible, avoid crowd by doing most of your skiing in the mornings and during the week.  We skied during the week and never had a lift line longer than 5 minutes.  
• Purchase your lift tickets at the time you book your lodging.  That way, your tickets will be ready for you on arrival, you can avoid lines at the ticket window, and take advantage of First Tracks early access to the slopes.
• Kids will especially enjoy the TAM-TAM trail, which is lined with wooden sculptures of local woodland animals.
• Plan your last route home carefully, preferably by consulting the guest desk at the summit. Occasionally a closed trail will require a new descent plan.  Always allow plenty of time  to make the journey before the lifts close (which is usually mid-afternoon).  
• When heading out for dinner at night, bundle up the kids to be prepared for snowtubing and a late night stroll through the pedestrian village.  
• If you have toddlers, a sled on a rope is preferable to a stroller on the steep snowy paths of the pedestrian village. 
• Find grocery items at the convenient mini-mart, Marche du Village, in the pedestrian village or at the full service Metro Mont-Tremblant, a short drive from the resort.
• You'll get the best exchange rate by using your credit card as much as possible and your ATM to withdraw cash.  Avoid local exchange services.  

Other Posts You Might Enjoy:

• Calling All Adventurous Families to Tremblant's Mountain Resort
• Making the Most of a Strong U.S. Dollar by Spring Skiing in Canada
• Lazy Mom's Guide to Skiing With Kids

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The opinions expressed herein are entirely my own and do not reflect those of Tremblant or any of the other businesses mentioned.  All copyrights reserved to Kid Trips.
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