Skiing
Mont-Grand Fonds. This winter-sports center 12 km (7 miles) north of La Malbaie has 20 downhill slopes (including four recently opened glades in an area called The Lynx), an 1,105-foot vertical drop, and three lifts. It also has 184 km (113 miles) of cross-country trails. Two trails meet International Ski Federation standards, and the ski center occasionally hosts major competitions. You can also go dogsledding, sleigh riding, ice-skating, and tobogganing here. 1000 chemin des Loisirs, La Malbaie, Québec, G5A 1Y8. 418/665–0095; 877/665–0095; www.montgrandfonds.com. Full day tickets: C$46.
Le Massif. This three-peak ski resort has Canada's longest vertical drop east of the Rockies—2,526 feet. Owned by Daniel Gauthier, a cofounder of Cirque du Soleil, the resort has two multiservice chalets at the top and bottom. Six lifts and one gondola service the 53 trails, which are divided into runs for different levels; the longest run is 4.8 km (3 miles). There's also a section of expert glades. Nonskiers can go snowshoeing at the top of the mountain, and there is also an exciting, 7½-km (4¾-mile) sled trail. Equipment can be rented on-site, and the resort offers daycare for younger children and shuttles from Québec City, Beaupré, Baie-St-Paul, and the Montréal area. 1350 rue Principale, Petite-Rivière-St-François, Québec, G0A 2L0. 418/632–5876; 877/536–2774; www.lemassif.com.
Mont-Ste-Anne. Part of the World Cup downhill circuit, Mont-Ste-Anne is one of the largest resorts in eastern Canada, with a vertical drop of 2,050 feet, 71 downhill trails, two half-pipes for snowboarders, a terrain park, and 13 lifts, including a gondola. The mountain stays active even after the sun goes down, with 19 lighted downhill trails. Cross-country skiing is also a draw here, with 21 trails totaling 224 km (139 miles). When the weather warms, mountain biking becomes the sport of choice. Enthusiasts can choose from 150 km (93 miles) of mountain-bike trails and 14 downhill runs (and a gondola up to the top). Three bike runs are designated "extreme zones." 2000 boul. du Beau-Pré, Beaupré, Québec, G0A 1E0. 418/827–4561; 888/827–4579; www.mont-sainte-anne.com.
