Right on the ski mountain at the pedestrian village, there's a downhill dry-land alpine luge run. The engineless sleds are gravity-propelled, reaching speeds of up to 48kmph (30mph), if you so choose (it's easy to go down as a slowpoke, too). Rides are priced by number of descents, starting at C$13 for one ride. The village has other games and attractions, such as dune buggy tours, bungee trampoline, paintball, and outdoor climbing walls that can keep visitors occupied for days.

There are some well-regarded cultural offerings here, too. The Tremblant International Blues Festival (www.tremblantblues.com) hosts nearly 150 free shows for 10 days in July with artists such as Tommy Castro, Buckwheat Zydeco, Keb'Mo, Ana Popovic, and Pinetar Perkins. Five stages are set up throughout the pedestrian village.

No matter the season, the lucky (or brave) can hold ‘em or fold ‘em at Casino de Mont-Tremblant (tel. 800/665-2274 or 514/499-5180; www.casinosduquebec.com/mont-tremblant), which opened its doors in summer 2009. Table games include poker, baccarat, blackjack, craps, and roulette, not to be outdone by 500 slot machines. Admittance is free but restricted to persons over 18. It's open Sunday to Wednesday 11am to 1am and Thursday to Saturday 11am to 3am. Located on the newly developing side of the mountain called Versant Soleil at 300 chemin des Pléiades and connected to the pedestrian village by a gondola, getting there may be half the fun -- unless, of course, you win big.

Mont-Tremblant's Pedestrian Village

The pedestrian-only resort village on Mont-Tremblant's slope (www.tremblant.ca/village) is the social hub of winter (and, increasingly, summer) tourism in the Laurentians. From the bottom of the village, near the parking lots and bus shuttle, small lanes lead up past clothing shops and more than three dozen restaurants and bars. Along the paths and spread off in all directions are hotels.

The village has the prefabricated look of a theme park, but at least planners used the Québécois architectural style of pitched or mansard roofs in bright colors, not ersatz Tyrolean or Bavarian Alpine flourishes. For a sweeping view, take the free gondola from the bottom of the village to the top; it zips over the walkways, candy-colored hotels, and outdoor swimming pools. From there, another free gondola will take you across the side of the mountain, to the casino.

Year-round, the village hosts outdoor concerts, barbecues, and events such as the goofy spring Caribou "Splash" Cup, where skiers dress in Halloween costumes, ski down an alpine trail into a pool of cold water, and then run through the village, stopping for shooters and a full glass of beer. Dude!

Make reservations for lodgings in the resort by contacting the establishments directly, through a central number (tel. 888/738-1777 U.S. and Canada; 514/876-7273; 0800/028-3476 U.K.), or online at www.tremblant.ca. There are options, too, to rent fully equipped condos and single-family residences.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.