Find amazing winter adventures just outside Montréal

In collaboration with Tourisme Outaouais.

Montebello

Set your sights on Montebello, about an hour and half from Montréal, for a vehicular experience to remember at Expériences BRP. The Can-Am offroad package lets you take the wheel of a two-seater Can-Am vehicle and hit the snowy trails for a good two hours. The Ski-Doo expedition will give you two hours of zooming through the wintry boreal forest on your own personal Ski-Doo. Pick a morning excursion (there are two slots per day) to leave time for a hearty lunch at the Fairmont Le Château Montebello afterward, plus some downtime by their famous fireplace—and maybe squeeze in a treatment at the spa?

Ripon

Ripon is where you’ll find the 17 trails covering a total of 25 km of the impressive Parc des Montagnes Noires de Ripon, a couple hours away from Montréal. Choose your adventure: fatbike, cross-country ski, hok ski, snowshoe, snowboard—whatever floats your toboggan! You can rent equipment onsite. Explore the surrounding 800-acre forest and see the furthest reaches of the Petite Nation valley from atop the 12-metre observation tower at the lookout on Mont Grand-Pic, 426 metres above sea level. Feel free to bring your dog (they’re welcome!) and there are plenty of shelters along the trails for breaks. Refuel with a hot, cheesy wood-fired pizza at Le Café du Bistrot in the nearby town St-André-Avellin before heading home.

L’Ange-Gardien

Embark on a glamping getaway two hours from Montréal at Borefüge, where you can spend the night—even through winter—in a yurt. You’ll have your own spot at a distance from others, so expect a sense of privacy. You can hike, fatbike or snowshoe through a number of trails that start right onsite, or head to Attelage de la Lièvre nearby and get a handle on dogsledding. You’ll meet the dogs, visit the kennel, then learn how to become a musher on your own sled all through this breathtaking mountainous landscape. Pick up some yummy bites to munch in the warmth of your yurt at the Outaouais cheesery La Trappe à Fromage in nearby village Masson-Angers.

Gatineau

Gatineau’s your destination for Le Harfang Fat Bike et Raquettes, specialists in winter fun. Do a light day of wintry exploring along the 2 km of snowshoeing trails or go more hardcore with a fatbike cycling adventure along the 27 km of snowy trails that zigzag the Le Sorcier Golf Course, all at your disposal, ranging from easy to challenging. You can rent your equipment or bring your own and pay only for access. After all that hard work comes the reward: head to Maison Oddo, home to knockout goodies such as speculoos cookies, ham-and-cheese Danishes and perfect scones.

Val-des-Monts

You’ll know it was worth the two and a half hours’ drive from Montréal the minute you reach Arbraska Laflèche. This is no ordinary site: this aerial park is a playground for the insane, where even in winter, you can climb, slip, slide and hopefully make it the other side of suspended bridges, swings and nets. There’s ziplining too, of course—it’s their signature. Each adventure allows you access to the site for 3 hours+ and equipment is provided. For a subterranean trip, take the guided tour into the biggest cave in the Canadian Shield. Before heading back, stop for a bite at Maison Melda, makers of delish sandwiches (think pulled pork or sautéed mushrooms with brie and tarragon). Bonne route!