March Break in the Eastern Townships: The perfect family getaway

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With March break just around the corner, I have found the perfect family vacation: The Eastern Townships, in southeast Quebec, just a 6 hour drive from Toronto into another winter wonderland.

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The area has everything you need for a memorable getaway, with four excellent resorts bordering Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire. I love this region for a number of reasons, including its laid-back vibe, wonderful cuisine, luxurious spas, winter activities, picturesque lakes, and historic villages. Plus, there are four beautiful ski resorts just an hour south/east of Montreal, all within an easy drive of each other: Mont Orford, Bromont, Owl’s Head, and Sutton. These Appalachian mountain gems even offer the L’EST GO card, allowing you to ski all four resorts with a single lift pass. This is an excellent marketing strategy that benefits the skiers and boarders giving us great variety as each resort has it’s own character.

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This was my second visit to the Eastern Townships, starting at Mont Orford, the steepest resort in the region at just over 850 meters and average snow fall of 350cm a season. Nestled in the heart of Parc National du Mont-Orford, the resort offers a step back in time, no development with acres of jaw-dropping snow ghosts and trails ranging from heart-pumping steeps to easy flowing groomers. Mont Orford spans three summits — Mont Orford, Mont Giroux, and Mont Alfred-Desrochers — with 62 trails and seven lifts covering 245 acres. The snow ghosts are spectacular and truly a sight to enjoy with some fabulous photo opportunities especially with the view from the peak. We spent most of the day on Okopic and Grande Allée, finishing on the longest run, Four K, which stretches 4 kms from the top to the bottom. Apres is always a lot of fun with Slalom Pub in Rue Principale chalet a wonderful way to wind up your day with a quick bite and a local craft beer. We popped in for lunch and ordered my fav, spaghetti bolognese and a local craft beer. The spirit is lively and food is excellent.

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Here’s where to stay

Accommodation in the area is abundant, from quaint motels and B&Bs to the Verso Hotel on Lake Memphremagog, home to the legendary lake monster, Memphre. Magog, a 10-minute drive to Mont Orford, is a quaint Quebec town with locally owned shops, restaurants, and boutiques lining the main street. Don’t miss Saint Pauls for lunch if you’re a steamie hot dog enthusiast, and for dinner I suggest staying in the Verso Hotel as executive chefs serve creative, unique dishes for breakfast and dinner every night. For unique dining experience there’s outdoor domed pods over looking the lake. Magol is a very active town with people skating on trails along the boardwalk or walking on paved paths. There’s a certain quality of life in Magog and skiing at Mont Orford that only the Eastern Townships can deliver. Mont Orford is a premier, nature-focused destination that won’t disappoint skiers of any level.

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Our next stop was Bromont, another favourite of mine. This four-season resort is famous for having the largest illuminated ski area in North America, with 90 of its 140 trails covered. I’m always looking for Ski-in, ski-out convenience which is now available at the very new Hotel Residence Par Marriott at the bottom of the hill. GM Jean- Fredrick Fortin told me, this new hotel is very busy already for not only families but couples looking for a romantic getaway. It’s a large hotel, featuring 130 suites with mini kitchens, an outdoor pool, whirlpools, and a full breakfast. The hotel’s restaurant, the Cabinn was a total surprise being owned and operated by a famous local chef offering unique dishes like stuffed shrimp rolls and Cauliflower steak. Their French onion soup is another popular and heart warming dish.

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Bromont is perfect for families

Bromont’s ski terrain covers 450 acres with 140 trails and nine lifts, and an annual snowfall of 350 cm. If mother nature isn’t co operating there’s over 1,500 snow guns guaranteeing ideal conditions. The resort is perfect for families, with a large beginner area and plenty of groomed blue and green runs. We enjoyed glade skiing in the sunshine on runs named Toronto and Vancouver then a delicious lunch of home made lasagna in the Soleil chalet atop the peak offering spectacular views. I also suggest a day or night journey to Bromont Village, one of the cutest villages I’ve ever seen, a 10-minute drive from the resort, filled with character, locally owned shops, and restaurants lining the main street, including the popular Le Roux restaurant known for sharing dishes with an urban vibe and DJ evenings. It’s actually a three in one stop as a combination restaurant, wine bar and boutique.

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The Eastern Townships are also known for luxurious spas. Two standouts are the large Balnea Spa, known for its infinity pool and whirlpools overlooking scenic Lac Gale. I was impressed with the size of this spa plus the helpful staff that made our visit enjoyable along with a delicious lunch in the Lumami restaurant overlooking the lake. The other standout is Spa Bolton, which offers a Nordic thermal experience alongside natural Missisquoi River waterfalls. For the brave you can take a quick dip in the river or enjoy their great variety of thermal options. Both spas will make your Eastern Townships visit that much more enjoyable.

Unfortunately our trip to the Eastern Townships quickly drew to a close, but no matter your interests — adventure or relaxation — this region has it all, from romantic getaways to family holidays. There’s no question, I will be back.

Glenn Crouter
Ambassador, Canadian Ski Council / Ski Reporter, 640 Toronto Radio
Facebook or Instagram: @glennskigolf

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