Montreal Laurentians Attractions

The gateway to the Laurentians is the town of St-Jérome. A statue opposite the Cathedral commemorates its famous priest, Antoine Labelle.St-Jérome is a vibrant college town, located a short drive northwest of Montreal.

One of Québec's finest resorts, St-Sauveur-des-Monts is well-known for winter sports.St-Sauveur-des-Monts merged with Paroisse de St-Sauveur to form the current town of Saint-Sauveur. This area is very popular with skiers, offering a variety of skiing options in what is known as the Valley of Saint-Sauveur.

The little township of Saint-Lin-Laurentides, just north of Montréal, is the birthplace of Sir Wilfred Laurier. Maison Laurier, the pretty house where Canada's first French-Canadian Prime Minister spent his childhood, is now a national monument.

Mont Gabriel, a summer and winter resort, boasts one of the biggest and highest priced hotels in the Laurentians.The Mont Gabriel Ski Resort offers a variety of runs with a large number of of them catering to advanced skiiers.

Founded in 1852, the little town of Ste-Adèle on the slopes of Mont Ste-Adèle, is picturesquely located by Lac Rond and has long been a favorite haunt of writers and artists.In the winter the town comes to life with visitors coming here to enjoy the downhill skiing.

Ste-Agathe-des-Monts, the lively and scenic resort on Lac des Sables in the Laurentians near Montréal, is full of town dwellers holiday homes. There are boat cruises around the lake between May and October and a music and folk festival in July.

Mont Tremblant, the highest peak in the Laurentians (960 m (3151 ft)) and about 150 km (93 mi.) north of Montréal, is at the heart of the Mont Tremblant Provincial Park, a particular favorite with visitors in the Indian Summer when the leaves change color and for its skiing in winter.Established in 1894, the park and nature reserve covers about 3200 sq. km (1235 sq. mi.). It has two well-signed trails, and camping and canoeing is allowed.The mountain owes its name to the roar of the rushing streams, sounding like the boom of an earthquake to the Indians. The park's wildlife includes deer, black bear, moose, lynx, otter, mink and beaver.

St-Jovite has merged with with the village of Mont Tremblant, which has increasingly become an important tourist destination in the Laurentians. Many people come to this area to enjoy the skiing at Mont Tremblant, as well as to enjoy summer recreational opportunities such as hiking and biking.

The vast Laurentides wildlife conservation area lies about 60 km (37 mi.) north of Québec City and takes in the Parc de Conservation Jacques-Cartier, the Parc de Conservation des Grands-Jardins, Lac Beauséjour and Lac Jacques-Cartier at the foot of Montagne Camille-Pouliot. The highway passing through this section of the Laurentians, drained by the Montmorency River, is Route 175, with plenty of roadside accommodation where the traveler can stay overnight or stop for a meal.Extending over 7,861 sq km of lakes and forests, with some peaks above 900 m (3000 ft), this park in the Canadian Shield was designated a protected area as early as 1895. It was originally intended as an enormous reserve for the conservation of the caribou, and after they became extinct here in 1930 some were reintroduced in the western half of the park in 1969.The park is also home to black bear, lynx, deer, wolf and many other smaller creatures. Although hunting is forbidden fishing in its lakes and rivers is permitted. There is also kayaking on Lac Jacques-Cartier, and over 50 km (31 mi.) of cross-country skiing trails around Mercier in winter. The reception centers at Jacques-Cartier, Mercier and Grands-Jardins can all provide plenty of information and literature.