QUÉBEC
Southern Québec’s Winterapy Triangle
A winter road trip between Montréal and the Montérégie and Eastern Townships regions provides both relief and pleasure in surprising ways
BY ADAM BISBY
Winter has a way of sharpening the senses. As I drive through the Montérégie town of Rougemont, the surrounding apple orchards resemble delicate charcoal etches hovering over the snow. At the Michel Jodoin Cidery’s stylish tasting room, a soothing blast of warmth quickly gives way to the clinking of stemware, the aroma of sparkling and rosé ciders, and an invitation to sample local charcuterie inside a transparent dome overlooking the orchards.
It’s here that I realize the true meaning of the “Winterapy” ads I spotted on the 50-minute drive from Montréal-Trudeau International Airport. In Québec, the point of winter is not to escape the cold. Rather, it is to find both relief and pleasure in unique and surprising ways.
My own sybaritic reset starts a day earlier in Bromont. Set at the foot of one of the plump peaks dotting the Eastern Townships, the new Residence Inn by Marriott provides a prime slopeside base for exploring Bromont, montagne d’expériences, one of the largest night-skiing areas in North America.
Within minutes of arrival, I collect rental gear before being whisked uphill. Bromont at night feels cinematic and faintly mischievous. This is skiing as an evening invitation rather than an afternoon finale, culminating in a late dinner at the hotel’s lively CABINN restaurant, where I devour pappardelle with rabbit ragù in the first of several transparent dining spaces I encounter on the trip.
The following morning brings more time on the slopes before I head to Sutton Brouërie for lunch. I’ve eaten plenty of poutine before—perhaps too much—but never a version topped with smoked meat, fried pickles and ranch dressing. Quelle découverte.
That afternoon, Léon Courville Vineyard delivers another form of Winterapy altogether. Sparkling, ice and late-harvest wines are served in a tasting room so charming it feels staged for a Christmas film: rustic wood beams, an antique oven warming mulled wine, and an affectionate poodle-cross named Charly darting between guests.
Then Montréal takes over for a couple of days as I retrace the route back to the airport. Steps from Notre-Dame Basilica, the boutique hotel SonoLux is touted as the city’s first sound-and-light immersive accommodations that layers atmospheric acoustics, experimental video art and exhibition-like spaces. Together with its lobby restaurant Lumi, the new hotel provides a fitting base for a winter weekend in Montréal: history and merriment outdoors, artistry and relaxation within. Lunch at Paparmane eases the transition from countryside to city. Its whimsical take on English high tea refuels me before a stroll through the Quartier des Spectacles. At Esplanade Tranquille, skaters circle beneath glowing lights, while interactive art installations transform the evening into a luminous outdoor gallery.
The following day offers perhaps the clearest expression of Winterapy as a lifestyle philosophy. It begins with snowshoeing in Parc Jean-Drapeau, where a climb up to the top of the historic Tour de Lévis rewards visitors with panoramic views over St. Helen’s Island and the downtown skyline.
Next up is a dramatic tonal shift at Bota Bota. Docked in the Old Port aboard a converted ferryboat, the floating spa turns silence, steam and thermal circuits into a remedy for winter chill itself. Dinner at Buvette Nicole follows with cheese and chocolate fondue suited perfectly to rosy cheeks and thick wool sweaters. But the night’s final act belongs to Igloofest. In the Old Port, Montréal’s famed electronic music festival transforms winter nightlife into an outdoor celebration of neon lights where dancing crowds gyrate beneath the stars.
The journey ends with a decadent rooftop brunch in, you guessed it, a transparent dome at Terrasse William Gray in Old Montréal. It’s an elegant closing image—cozy confines meet snowy scenery, with macarons for dessert—and an apt summary of the Winterapy that’s changed how I deal with Canada’s longest season.
Source Guide
Tourisme Montréal: mtl.org
Tourism Eastern Townships: easterntownships.org
Tourisme Montérégie: tourisme-Montérégie.qc.ca
Bonjour Québec: bonjourQuébec.com
Travel Planner
Getting there: A new Porter Airlines terminal at Montréal Metropolitan Airport serves cities across Canada. Compared to Montréal-Trudeau International Airport, it cuts driving time to the Montérégie and Eastern Townships by about 20 minutes. metmtl.com
