Regions in Brief

St-Sauveur

Only 60km (37 miles) north of Montréal, the village of St-Sauveur (pop. 8,470) can easily be a day trip. The area is flush with outlet malls and the carloads of shoppers they attract, but a few blocks farther north, the older village square is dominated by a handsome church, and the streets around it bustle with a less frenzied activity for much of the year. Be prepared to have difficulty finding a parking place in season (try the large lot behind the church). Dining and snacking on everything from crepes to hot dogs are big activities here, evidenced by the many beckoning cafes. In summer, there's a tourist kiosk on the square.

In summer, Parc Aquatique du Mont St-Sauveur, 350 ave. St-Denis (tel. 450/227-4671; www.mssi.ca), Canada's largest water park, features rafting, a wave pool, a tidal-wave river, and slides, including one which you go up in a chairlift and ride down in a tube. Admission is C$33 (£17) ages 13 and older, C$27 (£14) ages 6 to 12, C$15 (£7.50) ages 3 to 5, free for 2 and younger.

Ten days in early August are dedicated to St-Sauveur's annual Festival des Arts (tel. 450/227-0427; www.fass.ca), with an emphasis on music and dance, including jazz and chamber concerts and ballet troupes. The schedule always includes a number of free events.

Ste-Adele & Mont-Gabriel

In winter, the ski mountain of Mont-Gabriel is a popular destination. To get there, follow Autoroute 15 to Exit 64 and turn right at the stop sign. In addition to offering downhill skiing, the mountain is wrapped in cross-country trails that range through the surrounding countryside.

The adjacent village, Ste-Adèle (pop. 10,662), only 67km (42 miles) north of Montréal, is a near-metropolis compared to the other Laurentian villages. What makes it seem big are its services: police, doctors, ambulances, a shopping center, cinemas, art galleries, and a larger collection of places to stay and dine. As rue Morin mounts the hill to Lac Rond, Ste-Adèle's resort lake, it's easy to see why the town is divided into a lower part (en bas) and an upper part (en haut).

To get to the village, either take Route 117, which swings directly into its main street, boulevard Ste-Adèle, or get off Autoroute 15 at Exit 67.

Ste-Adèle's main street, rue Valiquette, is a busy one-way thoroughfare lined with cafes, galleries, and bakeries.

Ste-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson

Ste-Marguerite (pop. 2,581), about 12 km (7 1/2 miles) east of Autoroute 15, is alongside the large Lac Masson and home to Bistro à Champlain, one of the region's prime restaurants . To get there, take exit 69 off of Autoroute 15 onto Route 370. Or, if you're driving from Ste-Adèle, look for a street heading northeast named Chemin Pierre-Péladeau (which is Route 370). It becomes a narrow road that crosses the 9m-wide (30-ft.) Rivière du Nord, then winds through evergreen forests past upscale vacation homes. The road dead-ends at the lake, with the restaurant at the intersection.

In summer, information about the area is available from Pavillon du Parc, a kiosk alongside Lac Masson, and across from the restaurant.

Val-David

At exit 76 of Autoroute 15 (and also along Route 117) is Val-David, the region's faintly bohemian enclave (pop. 4,439). About 80km (50 miles) north of Montréal, it conjures up images of cabin hideaways set among hills rearing above ponds and lakes, and creeks tumbling through fragrant forests.

The tourist office is on the main street at 2525 rue de l'Eglise (tel. 888/322-7030, ext. 235, or 819/322-2900, ext. 235; www.valdavid.com). Another possibility for assistance is Centre d'Exposition de Val-David, a cultural center that mounts art exhibits in a two-story wooden building at 2495 rue de l'Eglise (tel. 819/322-7474; www.culture.val-david.qc.ca).

Note that this far north into the Laurentians, the telephone area code changes to 819.

Ste-Agathe-Des-Monts

With a population of 9,024, Ste-Agathe-des-Monts, 103km (64 miles) north of Montréal, has as its main thoroughfare rue Principale, which is lined with shops, restaurants, and cafes. The town marks the end of Autoroute 15.

Exit from the autoroute and follow the signs for CENTRE-VILLE and then QUAI MUNICIPAL. The town dock on the lake, Lac des Sables, and the pretty waterfront park make Ste-Agathe a good place to pause in warm months. If you like, rent a bicycle from Intersport Jacque Champoux, 74 rue St-Vincent (tel. 819/326-3480), for the 5km (3-mile) ride around the lake. Lake cruises, beaches, and watercraft rentals seduce many visitors into lingering for days.

Croisières Alouette (tel. 819/326-3656; www.croisierealouette.com) offers 50-minute lake cruises that depart from the dock at the foot of rue Principale from mid-May to late-October. A running commentary explains the sights (in English and/or French, with Spanish and Italian available upon request), and provides information about the water-ski competitions and windsurfing that Ste-Agathe and the Lac des Sables are famous for. The Alouette cruise costs C$12 (£6) for adults, C$10 (£5) for seniors 60 and older, C$5 (£2.50) for children 6 to 15, and free for children 5 and younger.

Ville de Mont-Tremblant

The Mont-Tremblant region is a kind of Aspen-meets-Disneyland. It's beautiful country, with great skiing and an ever-expanding resort village on the slope -- a prime destination in the province in all four seasons.

In 2005, the villages of St-Jovite and Mont-Tremblant and the pedestrian area at the base of the mountain, which had all been independent, combined to become the single entity called Ville de Mont-Tremblant. Note that many maps, hotels, and residents still refer to the areas as distinct "sectors," which can cause some confusion.

In fact, the abundant use of the name "Tremblant" makes things difficult to keep straight. Here's a primer: There is Mont-Tremblant, the mountain. At the base of its slope is Tremblant, a growing resort village of hotels, restaurants, and shops sometimes called Mont-Tremblant Station or "the pedestrian village". Just adjacent to the pedestrian village is Lac (Lake) Tremblant. About 5km (3 miles) northwest of the resort is a small village which long ago was the region's center and which is now known as the old village of Mont-Tremblant. A cute commercial district about 12km (7 1/2 miles) south of the mountain that used to be called St-Jovite is now called Centre-Ville (Downtown) Mont-Tremblant. Oh, and don't forget the large national park: Parc National du Mont-Tremblant.

Clear as mud?

Getting There -- There are two exits from the main roadway, Route 117. The first is exit 122, labeled MONT-TREMBLANT CENTRE-VILLE. Watch closely: Last time we visited, it was barely marked and consisted of a small, inconspicuous sign directing cars to bear right off the highway onto the small rue de St-Jovite. If you miss it, turn into the gas stations on the right directly after the turnoff and pass through them onto the smaller road.

This exit takes visitors through Centre-Ville Mont-Tremblant, formerly the village of St-Jovite, a pleasant community with most of the expected services. The main street, rue de St-Jovite, is lined with cafes and shops, including the women's clothing boutique Mode Plus (no. 813), the folk-art and country-antiques store Le Coq Rouge (no. 821), and the restaurant Antipasto (no. 855). From the center of town, Route 327 heads to the mountain.

The second exit from Route 117 bypasses Centre-Ville and goes directly to the mountain and most of the properties listed here. Take exit 119 to Montée Ryan and follow the blue signs for 10km (6 1/4 miles). Also watch for signs with the resort's logo, which turns the "A" in "Tremblant" into a graphic of a ski mountain.

Mont-Tremblant International Airport (tel. 819/275-9099; www.mtia.ca) is 24 miles north of the mountain.

Visitor Information -- Tourist information, including maps of local ski trails, is available at tel. 877/425-2434 and two Visitor Information Centres: one in Centre-Ville Mont-Tremblant at 48 Chemin de Brébeuf (tel. 819/425-3300), open daily 9am to 5pm, and another closer to the ski mountain, at 5080 Montée Ryan (tel. 819/425-2434), open daily 9am to 5pm.

You can also check www.tourismemonttremblant.com, an official tourism site, and www.tremblant.ca, the Mont-Tremblant ski resort's website.