Entry FeedBonjour from sunny Quebec! We are half-way through our amazing family vacation in Mont Tremblant and I have JUST figured out the internet connection (at $9.95 USD a day, I hope someone is reading this!)
Day One:
Drive through Ottawa (stop at Dunn's Deli for Montreal Smoked Meat and Poutin (silent e))
We took the quickest ferry EVER across the Ottawa River. I swear it was moving away from the dock before we even had the mini-van in park. The ride here wasn't bad at all. However, we did leave home at 6:30 am and arrived here just after 3:00 pm, so you do the math. GPS messed with our minds. Seriously - dirt roads?
Day One - The Room:
Check-in was painless, and the room is better than expected. We have a full kitchen, one bedroom with en-suite and king-size bed, a second bedroom with full bath and two queensize beds, and a pull-out couch that we haven't opened. Did I mention the in-room laundry facilities? And three TVs?
Day Two - The Resort Activities:
There is so much to do here! We bought these family activity passes. The boys love everything. Daughter isn't sold on the bungee trampoline (if I didn't have to step on a scale to prove my weight, then I may try it...) There is so much to do! Highlights - the gondolas, the luge, the rock wall, beach and pools. Of course, great golfing too. Plus, you can buy and carry open alcohol everywhere!
Day Two - The low-lites:
Opposite of highlights. No free wi-fi... Because of the full kitchen, I have to cook and clean (some vacation!) Some Quebecers (being careful not to generalize here) are pushy, rude and ignorant. But did I mention they sell wine in every corner store?
Day Three:
You can paint pottery here! Yeah! Girls afternoon. There is also great shopping. And LOTS OF DEER! So far, the deer are daughter's favourite. Did I mention we walked down the mountain? No need - thighs sore for days. Ears are sore, too, from Son One whining all of the way down. Son Two was awesome.
Day Four:
Kids are tired. Doing so much is exhausting. I am out of books that I want to read, and now have to rely on the last minute book that I threw into my bad in case I ran out of books (either that of the few English options from La Presse). Also, running low on diet coke. Yes, I know that they sell Diet Coke in Quebec! I am just not sure if it will taste the same...
Day Five:
OK. So far, no mention of food. Poutine - the best - pulled pork! Seriously. But there are 20 different kinds to try (unfortunately some kind of listeria problem means that the Montreal Smoked Meat Poutine is not available). Then the beaver tails - favourite is the maple butter. Also, there is the maple syrup taffy on snow (year-round, how "cool" is that?) and the mountain something chocolate store. Still waiting on the frozen bananas with milk chocolate and almonds. They are always out of stock.
Day Six:
Husband went golfing. I took the kids to the beach, and then McDonalds. Hey - I can't cook every night.
Tomorrow - Family Luge Race Day, and trying to use up our activity passes before we leave the mountain for the capital. Yes, Ottawa is our next stop.
I definitely recommend Mont Tremblant as a great summer vacation spot for the family. The price isn't bad, and neither was the drive from Toronto. The kids are practicing from French, nightly entertainment, and so much to do we definitely won't be getting it all done in a week.