Posted at 11:30 a.m.
(Réserve faunique des Laurentides ) For many people, the Réserve faunique des Laurentides is a hostile place. You won’t feel good until you’ve completed your crossing, without moose hitting and without storms having to be faced. However, at kilometer 94, about 45 minutes from Quebec, is what should be an obligatory stop for any cross-country skier. And for those who did not plan to go there, a necessary detour. With the Montmorency forest located next door, Camp Mercier, operated by the Société des establishments de plein air du Québec (SEPAQ), is one of the first cross-country ski centers in Quebec to open its trails, usually at the beginning of the month. of December. The season often stretches until the beginning of April.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
In the heart of winter, temperatures are often cold in the Laurentides wildlife reserve. You have to dress warmly.
Located at an altitude of 783 m, the site receives an average of 600 cm of snow, which is double what falls on average in Quebec City. Dry snow that crunches under the ski. For Alexandre Simard, manager of Camp Mercier, this white gold is precious for the future.
With climate change, there will be less and less snow at the bottom. The future of winter sports is happening at Camp Mercier, among other places.
Alexandre Simard, manager of Camp Mercier
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Alexandre Simard, manager of Camp Mercier
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
A new machine was recently acquired for trail surfacing.
It is an argument which weighed, he says, when the time came to get the 10.4 million necessary for the construction of a new reception building. For a long time, it was a former forest camp in Baie-James that served as a cabin where visitors could eat, warm up and change clothes. A building “at the end of its age”, as Alexandre Simard calls it.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
There are many heated refuges along the route. In this photo: the refuge de la Sitelle.
From now on, a brand new pavilion, modern and bathed in natural light, will welcome athletes. Designed by Anne Carrier architecture, the building, mainly in wood, was oriented according to sunshine and prevailing winds and is heated using a biomass system. There is the reception desk and the boutique, a food court with a cafeteria service with liquor license, individual showers, an equipment rental area and above all, a vast waxing room which overlooks the departure area, and where it is possible to wax your skis hot.
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
The new Camp Mercier reception pavilion was inaugurated last fall.
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
A large room devoted to equipment rental and waxing is available to users.
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PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
On a family vacation at Camp Mercier, Alexandre Taillon prepares his skis for an icy outing.
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PHOTO ALMA KISMIC, PROVIDED BY SEPAQ
The food court will be able to welcome visitors as soon as health measures allow.
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With its fireplace and its microbrewery beers (La Souche, established in Quebec), Camp Mercier is focusing more than ever on the après-ski experience. But because of the Omicron variant, the establishment was forced to close its food court last December 31. “We will reopen it as soon as the sanitary measures allow it”, assures Alexandre Simard.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
William Robichaud, SEPAC employee at Camp Mercier, sets off on skates.
Whatever. The real experience unfolds outside. On the 1, 2, 3, 11, 13 or 41. The site has 50 km of classic cross-country ski trails and 20 km for skating. There are also 33 km of snowshoe trails. “Between 80 and 90% of people come here for cross-country skiing,” estimates Alexandre Simard.
There is something amazing about finding yourself out of place in the middle of the boreal forest. Nevertheless, it is the impression left by the narrow and hilly slopes of Camp Mercier with their corridor effect and their opaque walls of conifers covered with snow.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Seasoned skiers will appreciate the challenges posed by piste 13 which leads to Le Pic relay.
If the site is quite well known to seasoned skiers who will enjoy climbing (but especially descending) the summit of the Pic, it is just as suitable for beginners. The loop that surrounds the lake at Christmas is a great way to be amazed without the stress of having to successfully descend.
The 14 chalets located on the edge of the lake can also be reached by this track which passes below. Fully equipped (just bedding to bring), these cabins are available for rent, but are also very popular. There is not a single free night left by the end of March.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Trail 13 offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains.
It is nevertheless possible to ski at Camp Mercier for a day. On weekends, it is better to book your ticket online. The number of tickets is limited by the parking capacity, which was expanded this year due to high demand.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
The Pécan and Lac-à-Noël cabins, located along the body of water of the same name and the cross-country ski trail, are available for rental.
However, this was not a problem during our visit; the mercury below the -30°C mark having retained more than one. “Making the first tracks at 11 a.m. is rare,” remarked a skier who was about to set off. Especially during this pandemic where the attraction for cross-country skiing is exploding, as is the traffic on the trails. That day on the trails, we will have savored our solitude, only deceived by the jays who have made the surroundings of the refuges their neighborhoods.