Québec City Ski Resorts: Our Tips for a Great Day on the Hill
Enjoy varied terrain, fantastic conditions, and gorgeous scenery at four different ski mountains in the Québec City area: Mont-Sainte-Anne, Massif de Charlevoix, Stoneham, and Le Relais. Between the four of them, you’ll find runs for every style and ability, so take your pick and get ready for a beauty day of skiing or snowboarding at a Québec City ski resort.
Mont-Sainte-Anne
Olivier Croteau
Renaud Gagnon
Mont-Sainte-Anne gives you 625 metres of vertical descent on a mountain with three different faces: one that looks out onto the St. Lawrence River and two more that take you down the back of the mountain. Known for classics like La Super S and La Crête and for its black-diamond runs, this is a big hill with plenty of options for all levels, as well as a nice section for night skiing. With the hill just 40 km from town, you can stay on site or in Québec’s city centre. For those who decide to stay on the hill, there are a variety of accommodation options at the base and nearby.
MontSainteAnne’s TELUS Winter Sports School has a wide range of classes and programs for beginner, intermediate, and advanced skiers, as well as a sweet little daycare for children 18 months or older. Leave your wee ones for a half day or full day and pick up a 10pack for a discounted rate if you plan on making repeat visits. There are also packages that combine daycare with a ski or snowboard lesson, as well as an optional meal and snacks. Just one of the perks that make MSA one of the best places to ski in Québec City. Just be sure to book a minimum of 24 hours in advance.
Tips for skiing Mont-Sainte-Anne
When to go: Mont-Sainte-Anne is known for having some of the best spring skiing in Québec, thanks to first-rate snow-making at the beginning of the season and a microclimate on the north face. The snow stays longer and the fine folks at MSA keep the season going as long as Mother Nature allows, delivering one of the lengthiest seasons in the province, year after year. Go for the cushy spring conditions and stay for the festive après-ski, with shows, DJs, BBQ, and fun events (current public health guidelines permitting).
Pro tip: On cold days, ski the north face in the morning so you can warm up in the sun.
Well-kept secret: The bunny hill and magic carpet are free for everyone at all times (sports equipment not included).
For the best après-ski
- Microbrasserie des Beaux Prés is a craft brewery located just 10 minutes from the hill. Popular with locals, it serves a fine selection of beers brewed on site and a small menu of tasty pub fare.
- Located at the foot of the hill, Chouette Bar has fantastic mountain views and food to satisfy your cravings after a long day on the hill or a bit of night skiing.
Massif de Charlevoix
Le Massif de Charlevoix
Le Massif de Charlevoix
Located some 75 km from Québec City, Massif de Charlevoix is the province’s tallest hill, with a full 770 metres of vertical descent. Known for its abundant snow and spectacular view of the St. Lawrence River, it’s now home to Canada’s first Club Med and is definitely some of the best skiing in the Québec City area. As an extra perk, the hill is accessible from the base and from the top, so you won’t have to wait in a lift lineup before heading down on your first run of the day.
Tips for skiing Massif de Charlevoix
When to go: Massif is a sure bet when it snows, racking up serious accumulations of the white stuff. That’s true even when the weather is mild and verging on rain in other areas. Many swear by the hill, crediting it with their best powder days ever.
Pro tip: This is a big hill with a run layout like a spider’s web, so keep your trail map handy. With good planning and a little luck, you’ll find fresh tracks all day.
Well-kept secret: In addition to extensive groomed runs with lifts, Massif also has a huge backcountry sector, with 100+ acres of natural terrain accessible from the top of Camp-Boule. The sector is unpatrolled and is not recommended for anyone at less than a solid intermediate level.
For the best après-ski:
- The après-ski at Le Grand Duc is legendary. You could even say that a day at Massif isn’t complete without a stop at this mountaintop watering hole.
- For food that gets you off the beaten path, try Café-boutique Forêt Gourmande. This gourmet food truck serves up tasty meals made with wild plants harvested right in Charlevoix. Try it for breakfast or lunch.
Stoneham
Station touristique Stoneham- Stéphane Groleau
Located just 30 km from the city centre, Stoneham is a versatile intermediate hill with 345 metres of vertical descent. This is a great option if you’re looking to ski near Québec City. The resort is known for its night skiing, lively après-ski, excellent terrain parks, and family-friendly amenities. The hill spans three faces, two of which make up one of the most expansive night skiing areas in Canada. When the sun’s up, the hill also offers a nice mix of tree runs for all levels, including a few family-friendly runs (La Casimir, La Biche, and L’Orignal). Freestylers will love the terrain parks and the Olympic half pipe, all of which are lit up at night. There are three parks in total, designed to help you progress from beginner to intermediate to advanced.
Tips for skiing Stoneham
When to go: Stoneham’s third face, know to locals as “the 40,” is a must. It features black-diamond groomed and tree runs and a gorgeous hilltop view of the rest of the mountain and the Stoneham-et-Tewkesbury Valley. Because it needs more snow, it generally isn’t fully open until the end of January. It also isn’t lit, so plan to go during the day.
Pro tip: If you already have your lift ticket, you can park right at the bottom of the 40, near the lift. It’s the place to be when there’s a dump of snow, so get there early and get ready to shred!
Well-kept secret: As with Mont-Sainte-Anne, the bunny hill and magic carpet lift are always free for everyone (sports equipment not included).
For the best après-ski
- Quatre-Foyers, in the main lodge, definitely has the best après-ski on the mountain. This bar has it all: great vibe, comfortable furnishings, cozy fireplace, delicious food, and gorgeous mountain views. Stay late if you’re in the mood to party and get in on the ski shots!
- La Souche is a nice craft brewery located just 5 km from the hill, with excellent beer and a menu to satisfy the hungriest of skiers. We recommend the poutine and the alldressed nachos!
Le Relais
Pascal Drouin
Benoit Rousseau
Le Relais is a family-friendly ski resort located in Lac-Beauport, just 15 minutes from Old Québec, making it a good pick if you want to go skiing in Québec City itself. With 224 metres of vertical descent, this hill is known and loved for its layout, which features three terrain parks of varying difficulty, an extensive area for beginners at the base, and a detachable six-person chair lift. Nearly all of the hill is equipped with lights, making it a popular spot for night skiing.
Tips for skiing Le Relais
When to go: Le Relais has an excellent snowmaking system and the terrain is easy to cover, making it a good early-season choice. It More than 80% of the runs are usually open by the holidays.
Pro tip: La Gaby-Pleau is one of the hill’s signature blue runs. It runs from the top all the way to the base, giving you two times the length of most other runs. It’s also very wide, making it a perfect piste for carving big, easy turns when it’s quiet on the hill.
Well-kept secret: If you’re out with your brood, follow Alpi the Dog, the hill’s mascot, to the four sections with special family features. The tree run (1D) has animals hidden throughout and a golden leaf for making a wish. So magical!
For the best après-ski
- For a warm, welcoming vibe and a nice lineup of craft beer, head to Jack Rabbit, the bar in the main lodge at the foot of the hill.
- One of Lac-Beauport’s most popular watering holes is just down the road from Le Relais. The original Archibald is beloved by locals and features tasty menu items, a fun, relaxed vibe, and of course, a full slate of Archibald beer!
Tips for a Great Day on the Hill
All four hills have equipment rentals, ski and snowboarding lessons with qualified instructors, food services, and ski shops
Ski for Less
If you’re looking to enjoy great skiing in Québec City on a budget, there are a number of packages and deals for trips and activities that let you ski and snowboard for less.
Each hill also has its own ways to help you save on lift tickets and events, like loyalty programs and flash sales. The best way to pick up those deals is to sign up for their respective newsletters.
Have the mountain to yourself
Weekday skiing: If you work irregular hours or have flextime or banked time, skiing during the week is definitely the way to go. You’ll spend less time waiting in lift lineups and end up feeling like you have the whole mountain to yourself. Glorious!
Afternoon skiing: No matter the day of the week, the hills are always busier in the morning, with skiers and snowboarders racing out to get first tracks, whether on groomers or in fresh powder. If you don’t mind leaving that to the early birds, you’ll find the crowd starts to thin out nicely starting at lunchtime.
Where to ski in Québec City
There are four different ski mountains in Québec City or nearby that offer varied terrain, great snow, and fabulous views. From nearest to farthest, they are: Centre de ski Le Relais, Stoneham, Mont-Sainte-Anne, and Massif de Charlevoix.
What are the best family ski resorts?
All four ski resorts in the Québec City area make great family ski destinations. Le Relais is the smallest and has a variety of runs and amenities designed for beginners. Stoneham and Mont-Saint-Anne follow suit with decorated tree runs for family fun, luges to help parents cart around all that gear (subject to current public health guidelines), and free bunny hills. Massif de Charlevoix has two different beginner areas with magic carpet lift and rope tow—one at the base and one at the top. All are located near a ski lodge with services for families.
Where is the best spring skiing in Québec?
The Québec City area gets a lot of snow and is known across the province for its spring skiing. As a general rule, the area is also colder so the extra snow sticks around longer, meaning ski resorts in the area and stay open longer and offer excellent spring skiing conditions.
Which mountain has the best Québec night skiing?
There are three ski resorts near Québec’s city centre with runs lit up for night skiing, each with its own merits. Mont-Sainte-Anne has the greatest elevation in the country for night skiing, Stoneham has a legendary après-ski scene and a ton of lit runs, while the lights at Le Relais cover a full 85% of its runs.
Does Québec have good skiing?
The Québec City area is home to four of the top ski resorts in the province: Mont-Sainte-Anne, Massif de Charlevoix, Stoneham, and Le Relais. That makes it a very popular skiing destination, both for the size and style of the hills and the amount of snow they tend to get. It’s a near-perfect recipe for great skiing.
Where do you find the best après-ski in Québec?
All four ski resorts near Québec City have great après-ski, with fun and festive skiin, skiout bars. Stoneham’s Quatre Foyers is so popular that even non-skiers come to the bar to party. And Le Relais, Stoneham, and Mont-Sainte-Anne all have night skiing from December to March (exact dates vary by mountain and season).
