Published July 25, 2005 09:40AM
Elevation:
2,871 feet
Vertical:
2,116 feet
Snowfall:
150 inches
Acres:
628
Info:
819-681-5778; tremblant.com
Beta:
True, the Euro-style base village makes you want to light up a Gauloise. Half the adults wear one-pieces. And Billy Ocean plays over the base-area loudspeakers. But Tremblant is also big by East Coast standards; if it ain’t the Whistler of the East, it’s definitely the Whistler of Québec.
First Tracks:
Take the Télécabines Express to the top, skate 30 seconds east to La Garette, and follow it to Versant Soleil, the family of south-facing black diamonds (read: 25-degree groomers and mogul alleys, on most days). Tiguidou and La Jamme are short and steep—and get tracked out last.
Must-Hit: From the top of the Edge lift, duck into the trees between Action and Haute-Tension. The glades aren’t that steep, but Peugeot-size bumps and tight birch trees keep things lively. About halfway to the bottom, cut skier’s right across Action, and duck onto Reaction, an open tree run back to the lift.
Après: Grab a slice and a glass of house red at Ya’ooo Pizza Bar, where the waiters smoke like, well, French waiters. Or try the steak au poivre with fries at La Forge, an upscale, slopeside bar and grill. If you’re still standing after dinner, join the throngs at the always-hopping Le P’tit Caribou, where shot skis and bar-top dancing are nightly occurences.
The Tip: Soak (in two outdoor hot tubs), sweat (in two types of saunas), and plunge into the freezing Du Diable river at Le Scandinave, two miles from the resort. Get a massage (Thai, Swedish, or hot stone) on your way out. Or have a cocktail at the bar in one of their fluffy white robes. C$38 lets you soak, sweat, and plunge (scandinave.com).