Family Fame

After ex-Cirque du Soleil president Daniel Gauthier left the circus nearly 10 years ago, he bought this Le Massif. Now his show-stopping plans for a bioclimatic hotel, concert site, eco-friendly on-mountain tree houses, 10-km luge run and sumptuous local fare are seeing the spotlight. His first act, a luxury train linking the resort with Quebec City, debuted in September 2011. The entire show should be wowing crowds young and old by 2013.

Top Runs

Photo by Jean-Luc Brassard.

Gauthier hasn’t tinkered much with Le Massif’s terrain, leaving its classically steep runs, bumps and trails that meander toward the mighty St. Lawrence to impress all by themselves. Le Massif has the greatest vertical drop (770 m, 2,526 ft.) and the largest annual snowfall (6.5 m, 21 ft.) east of the Rockies. Some family favourites: twisty intermediate runs drip off the Camp-Boule express lift, double black diamonds roller-coaster their way from the summit nearly into the river and 14 ha (36 ac) of whoopee! glades (a.k.a. hors-piste) are a thrill for all ages.

Family Eats   

Sorry kids, avec plaisir, parents… there are no fried foods at Le Massif! Local chefs believe in balanced meals low in fats and sugar. Affordable: Summit Bistro Cafeteria (10 daily dishes, including soup and beverage plus choice of meat, fish, seafood, pasta or pizza); Base Cafeteria (pastas, focaccias, smoked meat and souvlakis); Camp Boule Crêperie (sweet or savoury crêpes, plus soups and sandwiches); Summit and Base Pubs (après-ski sliders). Splurge: Mer & Monts Summit Restaurant (panoramic three-course table d’hôte with market-fresh, regional fare, including game, poultry, fish and fresh pastas).

Ski School

Trade math schoolin’ for slide rulin’ in three-day ski camps for kids ages five to 15, $269; add a fourth day for $299 total. Full-day child care for kids, ages two and up, includes snacks and lunch, plus some snowy activities.

Real Deals

Four-day Le Massif Cards let you ski four days in a row, or four times Sunday to Friday throughout the season. Buy online for $179 (regular price $268) and skip the ticket window. Not sure of conditions? Ski 45 minutes at Le Massif and, if the snow’s not up to snuff, trade in your tickets for a free pass on your next visit.

Après-ski, Family-style

Ride Le Train return from Quebec City, Le Massif’s latest luxury “rail cruise” feature. Waterfalls, cliffs, the powerful St. Lawrence and artsy nearby towns of Malbaie and Baie-Saint-Paul are all part of the daylong, family-friendly journey. In December 2012, watch for the opening of Le Massif’s new 10-km luge run, fun for all ages.

This month, WestJet flies to Quebec City 10 times weekly from Toronto, Fort Lauderdale and Cancun.

Related links:

Ultimate Ski Guide Survey

Perfect tunes for your skiing and riding soundtrack

Q&A with Travis Rice