Whether you’re an expert or a neophyte, cross-country skiing is one of the most beneficial winter activities there is, both for fitness and for the good mood effect. A sport on the rise that is practiced throughout Quebec in simply exceptional natural sites. On your skis!
Increasingly popular – especially since the start of the pandemic – cross-country skiing does not require special training and is suitable for everyone, regardless of age, fitness level and budget. Another advantage: this very complete sport keeps us warm by working the whole body. No question of shivering in a ski lift!
Good news for those who are not yet equipped: skis, boots and poles can be found without problems in sports shops, which no longer face the shortage of last year. In addition, many Sépaq centers offer equipment rental on site – it’s free for people 18 and under – but you have to reserve a few days before leaving.
SNOW DESTINATIONS
Fancy a getaway (and action) break this winter? Sépaq offers cross-country skiing activities by the day as well as stays in some of the most beautiful destinations in Quebec.
Seven cross-country ski centers to discover
You can get day tickets to access the 450 km of marked, groomed and very carefully maintained trails in the national parks of Mont-Mégantic, Mont-Orford, Mont-Saint-Bruno, Mont-Tremblant, Oka as well as those of the Duchesnay tourist resort and Camp Mercier, in the Laurentides wildlife reserve. These sites offer services that may include equipment rental, waxing rooms, heating relays and catering if sanitary measures permit. To avoid any surprises, check before you go!
Resorts to unwind
Why not combine holidays, the outdoors and cross-country ski trips for a long weekend or more? Head to Parc national de la Gaspésie, where you can stay in luxury in the rooms and chalets of Gîte du Mont-Albert, located in the heart of the Chic-Chocs McGerrigle mountains. On site, cross-country skiers can take advantage of 22 km of impeccably maintained trails. Perfect for families, the Lac-Simon Tourist Center and the Portneuf Wildlife Reserve offer winter experiences combining cabin stays and a menu of outdoor activities, with kilometers of marked trails for the pleasure of cross-country skiers.
Good to know
Access to cross-country ski trails is always included if you stay at Sépaq cross-country ski centres. In addition, you can take the trails of certain Sépaq territories by paying only the access fees in the case of national parks.
TO EACH HIS SKI The “classic” version, which is practiced on a groomed trail with narrow skis favoring the movement of skates and sliding, needs no introduction. But the world of skiing is changing, and it can be practiced in different ways. Lap.
For the whole family: ski-snowshoeing. Want to play outside? This activity combines walking in the forest and downhill. The very wide skis, which allow you to “float” on the snow and slide down small slopes, are equipped with bindings reminiscent of those of snowshoes, which leave the heel free and in which you can wear simple hiking boots. Perfect for beginners, this fun sport is mainly practiced off-piste. To be practiced among others in the national parks of Aiguebelle, Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie, Jacques-Cartier and at the Duchesnay tourist station.
For adventurers: Nordic skiing allows you to cross snowy areas, less frequented and unmarked. It’s easy, regardless of experience level, as long as you know your limits. The skis, wider and equipped with metal edges allowing a better grip on the ice, are designed for hikes in the middle of snow. This sport can be practiced in a dozen national parks (more than 585 km of trails in total), as well as in the Papineau-Labelle wildlife reserve.
For athletes: off-piste skiing is similar to alpine skiing, but with the D system as ski lifts and an almost infinite choice of slopes. In terms of equipment, wide skis are designed to sail on the snow, and they are equipped with special bindings allowing the heels to be mobile during the ascent, then fixed during the descent. An increasingly popular sport in Quebec, which offers fans a combination of cardio and thrills! To be discovered in the Matane and Chic-Chocs wildlife reserves, as well as in Parc national de la Gaspésie and Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier.
For the curious: telemark, originating in Norway, is the ancestor of alpine skiing. It requires a special kneeling technique for turns, made possible by bindings that leave the heel free at all times. After a few hours of training, it can be practiced on alpine ski slopes or cross-country ski trails, whether it is powder, bumps, slopes or flat terrain.
Mission
Backed by the commitment of its team, Sépaq enhances the territories and public assets entrusted to it and ensures their sustainability for the benefit of its clientele, the regions of Québec and future generations. It connects people to nature.
This content was produced by Le Devoir’s special publications team in collaboration with the advertiser. Le Devoir’s editorial team had no role in the production of this content.
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