Planning a trip to Laurentian Mountains
Tourist offices are plentiful throughout the Laurentians. Look for the blue "?" signs along the highways or in towns. Closed offices are marked with a sign that reads FERMÉ. For an orientation to the entire region, stop in at the major information center, well marked from the highway, at exit 51 off Autoroute 15. It shares a building with a 24-hour McDonald's, and there's a gas station next door. Called Tourisme Laurentides (tel. 800/561-6673 or 450/224-7007; www.laurentides.com), it has racks of brochures and a helpful staff that can, for no charge, make reservations for lodging throughout the Laurentides. It's open daily from 8:30am to 5pm (until 6pm Fri).
Getting There
By Car
The fast and scenic Autoroute des Laurentides, also known as Autoroute 15, goes straight from Montréal to the Laurentians. Leaving Montréal, you just follow the signs to St-Jérôme. The exit numbers represent the distance in kilometers that the village lies from Montréal.
Though the pace of development is quickening, flanking the highway with water parks, condos, and chain restaurants, this is still a pretty drive once you're out of the clutches of the tangle of expressways surrounding Montréal and past St-Jérôme. You'll quickly get a sweeping, panoramic introduction to the area, from lower Laurentians' rolling hills and forests to the mountain drama of the upper range.
Those with the time to meander can exit at St-Jérôme and pick up the older, parallel Route 117, which plays tag with the autoroute all the way to Ste-Agathe-des-Monts. Many of the region's more appealing towns are along or near this route. (Beware in winter, however, when parts of Rte. 117 can become riddled with potholes large enough to seriously damage your car. The extreme weather does a job on the state of the roads.) North of Ste-Agathe, the autoroute ends and Route 117 becomes the major artery for the region. It continues well past Mont-Tremblant and deep into Québec's north country, finally ending at the Ontario border hundreds of miles from Montréal.
Québec's equivalent of the highway patrol is Sûreté de Québec. While enforcement of speed limits is loose, if you're pulled over, remember that radar detectors are illegal in the province (even if they're not turned on) and can be confiscated.
By Plane
Mont-Tremblant International Airport (airport code YTM; tel. 819/275-9099; www.mtia.ca), 39km (24 miles) northwest of Mont-Tremblant, receives direct flights from Newark, New Jersey, through Continental Airlines in winter months only. It also gets direct flights from Toronto through Porter Airlines (tel. 888/619-8622; www.flyporter.com), which flies to Boston, Chicago, Myrtle Beach, and Newark. Car rentals are available from Hertz and Discount by reservation only. An airport shuttle bus delivers guests directly to 17 hotels in Mont-Tremblant and the ski mountain, and taxis are available. The ride takes about 40 minutes.
Aéroport International Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau de Montréal (airport code YUL; tel. 800/465-1213 or 514/394-7377; www.admtl.com), known more commonly as Montréal-Trudeau Airport, is 30 to 60 minutes from the Laurentians, depending on how far north you're headed. Skyport (tel. 800/471-1155 or 514/631-1155; www.skyportinternational.com) runs four daily shuttles to and from Mont-Tremblant in winter and two in summer; check online for schedule and rates. There are also taxis and limousines that will take you to any Laurentian hideaway -- for a price. Ask about the best options when making accommodations reservations.
By Bus
From Montréal, Galland buses (tel. 514/333-9555; www.galland-bus.com) depart from Station Centrale D'autobus, 505 bd. de Maisonneuve est, stopping in the larger Laurentian towns, including Ste-Sauveur, Ste-Adèle, and Mont-Tremblant. The ride to Mont-Tremblant takes just less than 3 hours.
Another option is the nonprofit Allo Stop, an alternative program that coordinates rideshares to help reduce the numbers of cars on the road. Travelers help pay for gas. Call tel. 514/985-3032 for the Montréal office or visit www.allostopmontreal.com.
