The Snowboard Mom

We don’t get out often. Honestly, my husband and I rarely get alone time, and for the longest time it was a running joke that the only time we left our kid, was to give birth to our second son…. so yeah, it’s rare. As we both love to snowboard, the few times we have been without the kids was to go skiing. And this year was no different. We decided to head east to Beaupré, Quebec.
Located about 30 minutes east of Quebec City, Beaupré is located along the Saint Lawrence River on the north shore and is home to some cute shops, the Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Basilica, and Mont Sainte-Anne.

The reason we chose Beaupré was to be close to Mont Sainte-Anne and to be close Quebec City. It’s a great spot to spend a weekend away.

So what makes Mont Sainte-Anne so special?

First off, the vibe. It is a very friendly (and family friendly) mountain. There were so many kids and families that we even missed our kids a little… but that didn’t last too long! 😉
The runs are so diverse and offer something for everyone. There is a great selection of blue, green and black diamond runs.
Something I don’t think any hill I’ve ever been to has is a Cabane a Sucre (sugar shack) in the middle of a train. Yup. Halfway down the La Pichard trail you’ll find cute cabin that sells tire sure la neige, but also maple syrup products. I was in love! I could have stayed there all day!

Another thing I love about this mountain is the Après ski scene! I love a good Après ski! And Mont Sainte-Anne does not disappoint. The Chouette bar located on the second floor of main lodge has lots of space with a great menu, great drinks and live music! It was so nice to enjoy this time and talk about our day at the hill, what we loved (which trail was our favourite), and generally enjoy each others company without a little person interrupting. There were lots of families and kids enjoying their Après ski which goes back to the vibe of the mountain. There were a few different restaurant and cafeteria options, my tip is to go to The Chouette!

As for amenities at the hill, there are certainly some shops (which we purchased some “hot hands” for our gloves at a reasonable price as it was REALLY cold). There are also some great restaurants and we kept hearing about the fondue restaurant Le Brez.  We didn’t get a chance to eat there, but from what we heard this is the place at the hill!

There are also 2 Nordic style spas within 10 minutes from the hill. One is in Beaupré and the other is closer to the hill. We spent too much time enjoying the slopes and the après ski that we never made it to the spa…. we’ll have to put that on the list for next time!

There are countless ski-in/ski-out hotel options as well. We stayed in Beaupré as the weekend wasn’t just about the skiing (although it played a big part of it). I hope to go back to the mountain with the kids, and if we did, staying at the base would be very important for us.

We also headed into Quebec City

I love Quebec City and in my early 20’s I spent a summer living in the area and spent a lot of time there. If we are in the area, my husband and I always make a stop. It’s nice to walk around, check out a few shops (buy some things for the kids) and as luck would have it, it was the Carnaval de Quebec weekend so photo ops with Bonhomme was high on my priority list!
If you spend some time in Quebec City, you MUST visit La Boutique de Noel. I could have spent a day there… the entire time I kept telling my husband “I LOVE IT HERE!” I wanted to buy every ornament in stock. It’s a Christmas lovers paradise.

Spending a few nights away with your significant other is so much fun, especially when you both love to ski (or snowboard in our case). Embracing winter is what it’s all about and I highly recommend you head out to the Beaupré, Quebec, and take advantage of some great ski days at Mont Sainte-Anne and the beauty of Quebec City in the winter!

Thanks for reading,
Valerie

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