Adventure Travel in Québec Maritime

What did I know about Quebec in winter? Not much. I knew it would be cold and there’d be snow. Combined, that made running the obstacle course at La Forêt de Maître Corbeau that much harder. I sweated through three layers of clothing, I strained, I swore. But I finished!  Personal honor demanded it.

Ironically, my cannonball dive into “adventure travel” and all the physical effort that often connotes was done in a place of near Zen-like quiet and tranquility. With Mt. Comi rising in the distance, the waters of the Lac des Freres asleep under a white sheet of ice, and boreal woodland all around, the Forêt is part of Domaine Valga, the “Log Cabin of Canada.” The moniker is more than just marketing as the grounds are some of the best in the country.

Into the Woods

A family-run affair (“Valga” is a portmanteau of Chantal Vallée and husband Éric Gagné who keep things running smoothly), Domaine Valga is the 120-hectare nexus for Francophile adventure types. Secluded woods, lakeside cabins (hand-hewn), and an adventure park suspended from the treetops that calls your bluff are all part of the package.  Add to that the warm beds, cast-iron stoves, and spectacular desserts that make the day’s wind-down that much better and you get the picture.

Despite being 40 minutes from the college town of Rimouski (and just 20 from the airport in Mont-Joli), this rustic guesthouse could have been in the heart of Sherwood Forest for all the quiet and isolation. In this neck of les bois, 40 minutes (even 20 for that matter) from anywhere is beyond the furthest city light. And that’s what people like about it; this sliver of southeastern Canada sandwiched between the St. Lawrence River and the US border is remarkable for how untouched it is.

Formed by the Chic-Choc Mountains, a final, valiant thrust of the Appalachians before they tumble into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and dressed in alpine forests blown by winds courtesy of Pipinoukhe (the God of Winter in these parts), Le Québec Maritime is not a place for those terrified of breaking a nail. Or getting their shoes scuffed. Or 94-challenge obstacle courses. You’d be amazed how many people that includes.

The Outdoorsy Types

Campers and canoeing in summer, snowmobilers in winter, Valga’s parking lot full is always full. As recreation goes, that’s pretty much it. In fact, if hiking, snowshoeing, or backcountry skiing is not your thing, boy, are you in the wrong part of Canada. But long after the day trippers cleared out, I snuggled up for a long winter’s nap in the main lodge, with the silvery landscape around the Lac des Freres outside singing me a lullaby.

I needed that rest; Domaine Valga was only a layover until space freed up at the Gîte du Mont-Albert, a four-star wonder further east smack in the middle of Gaspèsie National Park. But Pipinoukhe must have known I was one of those oddball types that love the poetics of a snowfall because he dumped 47 inches of the stuff that night.

Let It Snow

Spoiler Alert:  Snowshoeing your way through four feet of virgin powder is like trying to run underwater. What had been a dark green malachite forest was suddenly blasted quartz-white. The effect bordered on supernatural.  As one of the first to hit the trails, I literally had to plow my own path in snow up to my chest. Dressed for a freezing morning, I found myself shedding layers when my outing turned from a simple hike to a full-on cardio workout. Even hardened Gaspèsie-folk were amazed at the snow monster snapping at our heels (“This is a good one,” the Mont-Albert concierge told me). Needless to say, I got to know the bartender well. Did you know there is a gin that starts out yellow but turns clear when you add seltzer?

The Tough Get Going. Sorta.

In other words, the Gîte is more than capable of keeping guests entertained when Snowmageddon hits:  there’s a sauna and a massage cabin, and afterward a killer menu that is forest-to-table (I had venison for the first time; it was outta the park). Colonial Revival on the outside, the hotel took a cue from the Nordic countries during a recent re-do of its rooms and each one is all luxurious lines and smart design, with snowy mountain views that are breathtaking. There’s even a “discovery center” on the grounds to help visitors get acquainted with the park’s wildlife and geography.

But did I come all the way to Canada to be snowed in? No! Did I pack all that winter gear to be stuck inside watching TV? No! Was I going to forgo all that mountain majesty?  No! I did what any intrepid adventurer would do:  wait until somebody else went out and blazed the trails for the rest of us. Which actually didn’t take very long; those of us in the “beginner stage” waited for the experts to head out and clear the paths. After about two hours enough people had given it a go and we able to hit the trails again and do a proper hike.  I was going to enjoy the winterscape come hell or high water and I wound up with some awesome shots.

Winter in Québec means darkness falls early, and after snowshoeing to the lookout at La Lucarne (“The Skylight”), it was back to the Gîte under a sky that went from blue to coral to indigo through a forest seemingly made of confectioner’s sugar. But between you and me, if I ever come back to Gaspèsie, I’m going to keep my big yap shut about what I want the weather to be like.