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Every year since 2000 we've been heading north to this incredibly beautiful part of Quebec. Driving out of Montreal to the
north is a bit bleak on the sometimes traffic jammed Autoroute 15. But just past St Jerome the valley gives way to a low
range of mountains called the Laurentians. If you're looking for an outdoor getaway with a lot of French accents, look no
further. This place is an outdoor lovers dream and there are a few nice surprises for gay guys who make it this far from
Montreal! It's a pleasure to share some of our discoveries from this easy to reach boreal playground. Get ready for loooong
summer days, cool nights, fresh air, starry skies and some serious natural beauty not far off the beaten track.
The most amazing bed and breakfast in the entire world is located here, in Morin-Heights (Just outside of St-Sauveur). It's
called Le Septentrion. Check out the website and brace yourself for luxury. The 5 suites are over-the-top fabulous, and
the setting is quiet and woodsy. The list of amenities grows every year. Pool, jacuzzi, sauna, DVD library, in-room computers,
outdoor shower, and some of the nicest (and sometimes cutest) Quebecois guys you will ever meet, including the hosts. These
guys have been running the b&b, which is exclusively gay in summertime, for a few years now. They have mastered the art
of service, elegance and style. The decor and the grounds are lush, but the atmosphere is far from stuffy. Fun and relaxation
are strongly encouraged! The breakfast experience would require another web page to describe. (Which, incidentally, you'll
find on their site!)
If you can pull yourself away from the b&b there are a lot of outdoor activities to experience. For the guys, there's
Riviere du Nord, known by various other names by locals. This is a clothing optional river area a few kilometers east of
Autoroute 15 on Route 370 between Ste Adele and Ste Marguerite. Its about a 30-40 minute walk from the highway. I'm happy
to give more detailed directions, just ask! It's crowded on warm summer weekends and definitely worth the effort to find
it. Farther to the north is Parc du Mont Tremblant. It is one of our favorite spots. The park has two main sections. The
busiest section is accessed from the south via St-Faustin on Chemin du Lac Superieur. After passing the park entrance you
will eventually come to Lac Monroe, where you can rent canoes for paddling on the lake and access some relatively easy hiking
trails.
North of Lac Monroe on Route 1 (the only road in this area) is the trailhead for Chute du Diable, an impressive waterfall.
In the other main section of the park (accessed from the town of Saint Donat on Highway 125 OR via a gravel road that crosses
the park from the Lac Monroe area) is Chute aux Rats, another cool waterfall that doesn't require a hike to visit. Also in
this section is Lac Provost, which is less busy than Lac Monroe and also has canoe rental in the summer. The roads in this
area are good but our advice is to buy a good local map -- the best are published by MapArt. A road atlas published in the
US just doesn't cut it up here, especially if you're looking for secondary roads that are often marked by their local name
rather than a route number.
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A few helpful links:
Le Septentrion Bed and Breakfast
MapArt Canadian Maps
Official Guide to Quebec's Parks
Nearby St-Sauveur is a tourist town with lots of restaurants and shops. It's busy on weekends. Too busy. St-Sauveur has
lost all the charm it once had and is now overrun with angry bourgeois Quebecois in Hummers and Range Rovers. If you're hungry,
try to avoid Le Vieux Four where you'll find tasteless, moderately-priced Italian food. Papa Luigi, farther east on Rue
Principale, is a step up in menu, atmosphere, and wine list, but still not too much of a splurge. Le Chrysantheme (Chrysanthemum)
is a sleek Chinese restaurant with amazing service (make reservations). Most restaurants you go to will be disappointing
to some degree in this town. Forgive my negativity, but St-Sauveur has been killed by its own success. Of special note,
avoid Le Bistro St Sauveur at all costs! This is the most atrocious place in town. Just to be clear, it's the house with
the terrace on the front at 146 Rue Principale! Also, don't be fooled by Moe's, unless you really need a big plate of deep
fried apathy served up by a blank faced mute.
Newly discovered just a few kilometers from St-Sauveur is Chez Leda, which is a part of the auberge (inn) also called
Leda's. It tends to change names every two or three years but it's been a reliable (and quiet) dinner spot for awhile. It
is located in St Adolphe d'Howard on the west side of Highway 329 just north of the Boni Soir. This tiny town wraps around
scenic Lac Joseph. Further down the road in St Adolphe d'Howard is Restaurant Fleur de Sel. This is a wonderful, high quality,
personal, delightful restaurant that is well worth the effort to find. The chef/owner is creative and friendly as are all
the staff we've encountered there.
Want to shop? A hidden little clothing store with great Euro styles and small town service is up in Ste-Agathe, called
Boutique La Gamine L'Homme en Plus at 75 Rue St-Vincent. The city of Ste-Agathe, once known as possibly the most uninviting
city in the Laurentians, has undergone a major facelift. The downtown area is being brought back to life and the two main
streets in the center have been spruced up. We also had a great french meal here, at La Chaumiere du Village, 15 Rue Principale
Est, Ste-Agathe.
Outside Parc du Mont Tremblant is the Mont Tremblant ski area. This prefab resort offers a few family diversions in the
summer, but the only reason to linger here is to catch the gondola ride to the summit. Well marked hiking trails lead up
and down the mountain and its fun to hike one way and use the gondola to either get up or back down. The resort area is reachable
from St Jovite via Route 327 or the local road called Mtee. Ryan. Use that local map you've bought and you'll have no trouble.
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