Pre-Cruise Excursion in Montreal to the Laurentians (Mont Tremblant)

[MalibuCA]

We are taking the Crystal Symphony in 2010, the Montreal to New York route. We are spending a total of 4 days pre-cruise in Montreal, and I am considering spending one of those days exploring the Laurentians, Mont Tremblant and all villages along the way. I have 3 options:

 

1. To rent a car and explore on our own.

2. To go on Crystal's Excursion (Although I am not going until 2010, I looked at Crystal's cruise in 2009 that is identical to the one in 2010, and they have an excursion called "Glorious Laurentians." I imagine they will offer the same excursion or one similar in 2010.)

3. To hire a private guide/driver to take us.

 

Has anyone done this trip on their own? Has anyone done the Crystal excursion? Has anyone hired a private guide/driver? Which option do you recommend? We generally prefer to stay away from large group tours unless absolutely necessary. Option #1 is certainly more economical than Option #3, but is it difficult to navigate our way around? We do have a GPS system that will help us. However, although we both studied French in high school, that was a long time ago, and we are far from bilingual! Will the lack of French communication skills present a problem? Is it an area where it really is a benefit to have a guide telling us what we are seeing? If we should have a private guide/driver, can you recommend someone that you have used? I welcome all advice.

 

Thanks,

Shelley:)

[maryann ns]

I would rent a car and drive. You have a year to research and plan, but you could also just drive. The road signs will all be in French or international symbols, but there should not be a problem. This area of Quebec is so near Ontario and Montreal that there is lots of English spoken. You should have no trouble. We drove through near there this past spring. It is fun to hear the GPS English voice pronouncing French words as if they were English.

[GTJ]

I've been to the Laurentians many times, having learned to ski at Mont-Tremblant in the days before it became the luxury resort it is now. I've also bicycled the full P'tit Train du Nord trail, 200 km of the former Canadian Pacific Railway between Mont-Laurier and St-Jérôme, staying overnight at Lac-Nominingue and Ste-Adèle.

 

Most of my travels have been by scheduled motorcoach, the route now being operated by Autobus Galland, http://www.galland-bus.com. There are several trips operated daily in each direction between Montréal and Mont-Tremblant, with stops in all the main communities in-between. In addition, local interurban bus service within the Laurentians (between St-Jérôme and Mont-Tremblant) is provided several times daily by the Transport Collectif Intermunicipal des Laurentides, http://www.tcil.qc.ca (there is also connecting local transportation, including commuter trains, between Montréal and St-Jérôme). This is useful if you're looking to travel independently to specific communities without the necessity of renting an automobile. Some communities are walkable, though it may become necessary to use a taxi to visit specific locations off of the main highway, route 117.

 

Throughout the summer Coach Canada, http://www.coachcanada.com, operates a Gray Line sightseeing tour throughout the Laurentians. The motorcoach leaves from Dorchester Square in Montréal at 9:00 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (through the end of October) for an 8-hour sightseeing tours in the Laurentians. I have not traveled on this tour so I cannot provide a first-hand report, but the company is reliable. Compare the Coach Canada fare, CAD 67.70 (USD 65.43) plus GST, with the Crystal Cruises shore excursion price.

 

Should you elect to rent an automobile, it is not especially difficult to drive in the area, so long as you remain aware that some of the roads may not be engineered as well as ones you are used to driving. Any good road map should get you around, and Google Maps can help you plan from home.

 

I don't think you need a guide, especially if you do research in advance. Language may present you with some problems if you don't know at least some French. While English may get you by in the tourist areas (especially in Mont-Tremblant), not everyone outside of those areas will understand English. But in most business establishments you'll probably find at least one person who understands English. Some restaurant menus are bilingual, but if not, ask if the restaurant has an English version.

 

As for restaurants, there are some really fine establishments in Ste-Adèle. One particular recommendation is L'Eau à la Bouche, http://www.leaualabouche.com, where Chef Anne Desjardins puts forward some of the province's most fabulous dishes.

 

The big attraction in the Laurentians is the Mont-Tremblant resort. Originally developed by two Americans, Joe Ryan and Lowell Thomas, for many years the resort was sleepy and little investment was made. When Intrawest took over some 15 years ago the place started to boom. An entire pedestrian village was built at the base of the mountain, and many skiiers park their cars for the entire duration of their stay (if they even brought a car). Some complain that the village is too planned--Disney-like--and while there may be some merit to those complaints, at least the Québec-style architecture is unique among Disney villages. There are at least two restaurants in the pedestrian village that I have enjoyed especially. One is Crêperie Catherine, http://www.creperiecatherine.ca, where my favourites include one with Italian sausage, apples, cheddar cheese, and bechamel sauce, and another with apples, cinnamon, and sucre à la creme (!). The other is La Savoie, http://www.restaurantlasavoie.com/, where not only is the fondue fabulous, but if you've never had raclette before this is a great place in which to try it (we actually bought our own raclette machine for home use after a few trips to Mont-Tremblant).

 

The City of Mont-Tremblant encompasses several communities, including the nearby small village of Mont-Tremblant. This is distinct from the resort's pedestrian village, and it is centered around the former railroad station (and present-day bicycle trail). There are a few shops here that might be of interest. A bit further away in the City is the much larger community of St-Jovite. This has been the main commereical centre for the region, and where you'll find supermarkets and other stores.

 

Hope this is helpful; I can provide additional specific guidance on request.