Revealed November 5, 2025 01:31PM
Image this: a winter wonderland with miles of snowy trails which are excellent for winter mountain climbing and nordic snowboarding, skies stuffed with stars and colourful auroras, and comfy lodges (or winter tenting should you’re feeling adventurous). That is winter in Québec, a large out of doors playground with infinite alternatives for journey. Whether or not you’re trying to get your adrenaline pumping, chill out in world-class lodges, ice-skate on frozen lakes, or, extra possible, all the above, these are a number of the finest issues to do throughout winter in Québec.
1. Snowboarding in Parc Nationwide de la Gaspésie
Parc nationwide de la Gaspésie in Jap Québec is dwelling to 25 mountains over 3,300 toes excessive, with spectacular views from each vantage level. The Mont-Albert sector, within the majestic Stylish-Choc Mountains, receives greater than 9.8 toes of snow yearly on common, which suggests loads of snow for winter actions all season. There’s one thing for each stage: snowshoeing on trails starting from one to 11 miles, plus nordic snowboarding on quite a lot of brief and lengthy trails, some with warming huts and shelters for spending the evening.
Skiers may also take pleasure in backcountry snowboarding, telemarking, snowboarding, or splitboarding in 4 ski areas that includes snowfields and glades. The park additionally affords winter tenting, rustic huts, and comfy cabins, in addition to lodging in Gîte du Mont-Albert, a powerful lodge within the coronary heart of the park.
2. Village-to-Village Ski Touring within the Laurentians
Discover the lakes, forests, and mountain valleys of Quebec’s huge Laurentian area the standard approach: on a multi-day Nordic snowboarding tour, touring from village to village. As North America’s largest community of off-piste trails (totaling greater than 500 miles), Les Routes Blanches options three most important routes that vary from 6 to 12 miles per day.
Information companies can join charming lodging, arranging meals and baggage transport alongside the best way. Or, take a self-guided journey and uncover the historic ski lodges, chalets, cafes, and microbreweries that spotlight this collection of scenic backcountry corridors.
3. Embrace Wild Winter within the Outaouais Area
Immerse your self within the winter season. The year-round Air-Eau-Bois resort offers a flexible journey base on the banks of the Poisson-Blanc Reservoir (about an hour north of Gatineau-Ottawa). Lodging choices fluctuate from winter campsites and rustic cottages, to cozy micro-refuges and bigger chalets. Benefit from the surrounding forest on backcountry trails for cross-country snowboarding, snowshoeing, or hok skis (which give a mixture between the 2), then return to resort enjoyable with the on-site skating rink and tube slide.
4. Backcountry Snowboarding the Traversée de Charlevoix
The Traversée de Charlevoix covers 79 miles of mountainous wilderness within the coronary heart of the Charlevoix biosphere area. For those who’re up for a problem, attempt a three-to-eight-day self-guided nordic or backcountry snowboarding tour via the boreal forest whereas admiring sweeping panoramas which are distinctive to Québec.
The tour is supposed for self-sufficient superior skiers, with alternatives to traverse from December via March. Anticipate days protecting 9 to 12 miles with 10,800 toes of whole elevation acquire. Lodging is in picturesque log cabins with the choice of getting meals transported at chalets throughout your keep. Expertise much more winter actions supplied by Québec Journey Outside.
5. Nordic Snowboarding with Aventure Rose-des-Vents
Aventure Rose-des-Vents is a pleasant, unpretentious youth hostel within the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean area. A brand new providing this winter is guided nordic snowboarding. This immersive expertise is an opportunity to find the best-kept secrets and techniques of the north shore of the Saguenay as you ski via a number of the most stunning fir and yellow birch forests in Québec. Tools rental is offered onsite.
The hostel additionally affords entry to ice fishing in huts on the Saguenay Fjord, plus an onsite café that usually options dwell music. Visitors have entry to a totally geared up communal kitchen, in addition to heat frequent areas stocked with books and board video games.
6. Winter Tenting in Parc Nationwide de la Mauricie
Parc Nationwide de la Mauricie is the one nationwide park between Montréal and Québec Metropolis, with 150 lakes on greater than 200 sq. miles of protected land. Onsite lodging in oTENTik tents retains you immersed in nature with a contact of consolation. The tents characteristic woodstoves inside and outdoors, barbecue grills, beds, dishes, and the whole lot you want for a snug keep. Want to tough it? Winter tent tenting can also be permitted on the Rivière-à-la-Pêche campground, and backcountry tenting is allowed close to cross-country ski trails.
The park is a perfect playground for cross-country snowboarding fanatics: it options 50 miles of cross-country ski trails within the coronary heart of a protected pure space. Get pleasure from a well-marked community of trails for each basic and skate snowboarding, together with heated relaxation stops each three miles or so. For individuals who choose winter mountain climbing or snowshoeing, eight marked trails stretch over 34 miles. Genuine Québec is a vacation spot of selection in winter.
7. Snowshoeing and Stargazing within the Mont-Mégantic Darkish-Sky Reserve
One of many snowiest spots in southern Québec is Mont-Mégantic Nationwide Park, which affords greater than 37 miles of alpine trails with sweeping views. The 6.6-mile hike to the highest of Mont Mégantic follows the highway to the ASTROLab observatory on the 3,645-foot summit. Because the highway is closed within the winter, the one approach up is to snowshoe. You possibly can lease snowshoes on the park entrance. Alongside the best way, you’ll see Whoville-like timber encrusted with ice and snow. The park was the first designated dark-sky reserve on the earth, so it’s no shock nighttime views are significantly beautiful. Join a Winter Astronomy Night on the ASTROLab, which features a presentation concerning the James Webb House Telescope and a guided star stroll.
For distinctive lodging within the space, the yurts at Hébergement aux Cinq Sens are positioned in Piopolis, on ancestral Fatherland. It affords year-round lodging in conventional Mongolian yurts, every named after a way (see, contact, scent, style, and listen to). A number of different out of doors actions can be found within the Jap Townships area.
8. Snowshoe By way of Phantom Forests
In Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, winter is greater than a season: it’s an invite to discover a wealthy, biodiverse area. It’s one that gives distinctive—even paranormal—adventures, notably in Monts-Valin Nationwide Park’s Vallée des Fantômes. The wind-protected valley’s distinctive microclimate encases fir timber with inordinate quantities of snow (20-plus toes a winter), creating ghostly forests of “phantom” figures to discover on 50-plus miles of marked backcountry snowshoeing trails.
9. Ice Climbing in Parc Nationwide d’Aiguebelle
Parc nationwide d’Aiguebelle, in Québec’s Abitibi-Témiscamingue area, affords entry to just about each winter sport within the e-book, together with snowshoeing, snowboarding, kicksledding, skishoeing, snow tubing, fats biking, and extra. Because the locals say, tout au même endroit (it’s multi function place). The park can also be identified for views, moose sightings, traces of the final ice age, lava flows, and rocks which are 2.7 billion years outdated.
However mountaineering is undoubtedly essentially the most distinctive exercise you’ll be able to take pleasure in right here. Ice-climbing routes within the park are licensed by the Québec Mountain and Climbing Federation. Skilled climbers who have already got gear and know-how can discover on their very own, however the park can also be an important place to be taught the game: introductory climbing packages can be found via Camp de Base Abitibi. True nature awaits you in Abitibi-Témiscamingue.
10. Backcountry Snowboarding Alongside Hudson Bay in Parc Nationwide Tursujuq
Head north for a backcountry snowboarding journey off the crushed path in Parc Nationwide Tursujuq, the biggest nationwide park in Québec. On a guided journey, you’ll discover the japanese coast of Hudson Bay, winding between cuesta mountains, over plateaus and large frozen lakes, and thru breathtaking landscapes on skis, with the occasional assist of snowshoes and snowmobiles. Uncover an enormous territory that was occupied by nomadic peoples for greater than 3,000 years. Right here, you’ll get to know the Inuit of their homeland within the close by tight-knit Indigenous neighborhood of Umiujaq. Probably the most distinctive elements of the journey is the immersion in Inuit tradition. Guests get the prospect to share the Inuit lifestyle and study ancestral traditions and information.
The nine-day itinerary contains all gear, round-trip flights from Montréal, and all meals, lodging, and transportation. Dates for 2023 run from February via March.
Bonjour Québec’s mission is to advertise the vacation spot. We’re proud to spotlight this magnificent land, its inventive tradition, and genuine experiences, and to encourage individuals from close to or far to find Québec as by no means earlier than. It’s a spot you’ll fall in love with at first sight or change your’s by saying it’s a must to come again once more.
