Partially built over the old rampart, Auberge Saint-Antoine has worked archaeological treasures discovered on the site into its décor. Unearthed crockery, glass, hardware and household items, some dating back to the 1600s, punctuate cozy nooks, room entrances and lobby walls. Fitting then, that Saint Antoine is the patron saint of lost articles.

Vibe: Find classic comfort in every corner with museum-like surroundings and polished, anticipatory service. This hotel is quintessentially Quebec in every way—sophisticated but not stuffy, elegant but not exaggerated. Guests are a mix of well-heeled tourists and regular creative business patrons taking comfort in a refined atmosphere of functional luxury.

Rooms: Ninety-five rooms and suites in eight different categories make for a sound sleep, all reflecting a different style—no cookie-cutting design here. In general, though, a mix of traditional and contemporary styling brings together natural colours, stone walls, tufted or studded textured headboards, low furnishings, faux-fur and velvets, flowing drapery and unexpected patterns. Colourful, bright bathrooms gleam and heated flooring is very welcome in this part of the world. Suites range up to 700 square feet, plus a panoramic room at 750 square feet on the top floor.

DAY TRIP: VISIT THE ICE HOTEL

F&B: Housed in a rustic, reclaimed 19th-century warehouse overlooking the St. Lawrence River, Chez Muffy restaurant uses Old World slow-cooking techniques to produce classic French and Canadian fare made with ingredients grown on its own farm on nearby Île d’Orléans. Expect a farm-to-fork, family-style experience, “simplified gastronomy” in the form of Quebec walleye in a wild mushroom broth, venison striploin or spiced roast duck to share—all rich and comforting. The wine cellar holds more than 12,000 bottles from 14 different countries. The long and skinny lobby lounge bar Artefact is comfortable and cool. A nice pitstop between shopping and your room.

Extras: Top-floor suites are especially charming with original sloping beamed ceilings and harbour views.

Off-Site: The auberge is a short walk from the Musée de la civilization and steps away from the cobblestoned square Place Royale. The historic Old Port is right outside the door, offering up haute heritage, marina and markets, and plenty of shopping.

Rate: $$$
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Vibe: With 44 rooms, the Ice Hotel welcomes an international crowd, who rest their heads in thermal sleeping bags in –5º rooms. You have to be game for the fun of it all, but the unique beauty of the surroundings—thanks to the creations of 15 different ice sculptors—makes it all worthwhile. Expect both local and international traffic here, mostly the curious, the courageous and the canoodling. This is a great honeymoon spot, thanks to the super-romantic fairy-tale atmosphere.

Rooms: The Ice Hotel is open all day for tourists, who can wander throughout the entire hotel, including the rooms, with overnight guests not really “checking in” until after 9 p.m., when the staff has administered turn-down: i.e. rolled out the sleeping bags. Standard rooms contain a wooden-framed ice bed with a mattress and covering, plus an ice side table—that you can’t really use, because whatever you put on it will just melt into it. The sole light is incorporated into the bed frame. Dark velvet curtains cover all doorways, and not that well, so it’s best to bring earplugs, even though it’s far too cold to have sex. Fancier rooms are larger, with ice sculptures carved into the walls and gas fireplaces that are lit for about 45 minutes pre-bedtime. Guests just bring themselves to their rooms, leaving everything else in lockers in the Valcartier Hotel. Outer clothing gets stored in the nylon bags the sleeping bags come in, then you wriggle first into a nylon sheath and then into your mummy-style sleeping bag. Most guests opt for ski underwear—and a toque. Cellphones get tucked alongside your body so as not to freeze, all the better to take those all-important selfies. There are a few portable toilets, but all facilities, including showers, are inside the Valcartier.

F&B: There are nine different eating establishments within the resort area. The food is nothing special, most of it fast-food counters and ski-lodge cafés, with the exception being O’Grill, serving classic Quebec favourites, and Le Chalet Sportif, dishing out elevated pub fare. There are three ice bars furnished with ice tables and adorned with many marvellous ice sculptures and “cozy” seating areas, plus a couple of gas fireplaces.

Extras: A gorgeous ice chapel in the outer courtyard is undoubtedly one of the most romantic wedding-ceremony settings in the world. An outdoor spa area offers a hot-tub experience under the stars.

Off-Site: Ice Hotel guests can also have the run of all the Valcartier facilities, including a day spa, an outdoor tubing park and a gigantic indoor water park.

Rate: $$$

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When life hands Canadians winter, we make it fun. No one knows this better than Charlevoix, which has been doing this for more than 200 years. Tucked up along the St. Lawrence, north east of Quebec City, this resort area still remains a bit of a hidden gem—almost 80 per cent of tourists to Charlevoix come from within Quebec itself. And for good reason: relaxed vibe, friendly locals, exceptional food, great skiing and picture-postcard scenery.

Take le train. Train de Charlevoix is a scenic rail line that runs from Montmorency Falls on the outskirts of Quebec City all the way to La Malbaie. You’re hopping off first, though, at Baie-Saint-Paul.

Hit the spa. Check into Le Germain Charlevoix to take full advantage of the Spa Nordique’s treatments, thermal spa, Finnish sauna, steam bath, snow fountain and indoor-outdoor pools. Paying creative homage to its former life as a series of farm buildings in connection with a nunnery, the hotel also houses one of the town’s hot spots, Restaurant Les Labours, and there’s a skating rink in the middle of the courtyard. Be prepared for impromptu games of shinny.

Hit the slopes. Charlevoix’s biggest draw in the winter is Le Massif ski resort just outside Baie-Saint-Paul, which has come a long way since the days when busses drove skiers from the river’s edge back up to the top of the hill, where the main lodge is situated. The hill has an 800-metre drop and lots of (natural) snow, both of which make for a long, smooth ride.

Wander the town. Baie-Saint-Paul owes its picturesque backdrop to a 56-kilometre-wide crater, the result of a meteorite impact a few hundred million years ago. Due to this anomaly, the whole municipality has been designated a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. A stroll down Saint-Jean-Baptiste will net you a chocolate factory, a microbrewery, a cider shop and an ice cream parlour—all will tantalize, as will the donkey-milk soap shop. Be sure to swing by the Musée d’art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul.

Wander the other town. Charlevoix’s other main centre is 40 minutes up the road. La Malbaie, so named because of the shallowness of the river at that point, which has beached more than a few ships. This wee town was once the playground of wealthy Americans in the summer (including President Taft). The community is immensely proud of the fact that it has been teaching tourists how to fish since the early 1800s—long before Canada was a country.

Bunk down. The Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu, originally built in 1899, can kit you out for cross-country skiing, whale-watching, snowmobiling or stargazing—it has it’s own astronomy classes. The spa also maintains an outdoor, year-round pool.

WHERE TO STAY: IN QUEBEC CITY
WHERE TO STAY: HÔTEL DE GLACE

Go gourmand. Tantalizing food will tempt you at every turn. The gorgeous little Auberge l’Estampilles near Baie-Saint-Paul has just 11 rooms and a bijoux of a restaurant spotlighting regional delights. Laiterie Charlevoix in Baie-Saint-Paul not only has amazing cheddar, they also sell delicacies from across the region. Don’t skip the museum upstairs. Have the duck at Auberge des 3 Canards in La Malbaie. What else?

Go to the dogs. André Heller at Descente Malbaie will have you harnessing and driving your own team of dogs in no time flat, through the heart of the hinterland of Charlevoix, in the National Park of the Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie. This husky pack likes nothing better than to show people around its backyard, but they only take commands in French, so leave the “mush” at home.

LEMASSIF.COM
TOURISME-CHARLEVOIX.COM
GERMAINHOTELS.COM

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