The Laurentians are Quebec’s winter playground, the perfect spot in Canada for both skiing and spas. Located just an hour north of Montreal, this mountainous terrain has 14 downhill ski centers (Tremblant is the biggest) and the largest night-ski terrain in the world.
For non-down hillers like me, there are plenty of other winter activities in this corner of Canada: 620 miles of cross-country ski trails, snowshoeing, dog sledding and my favorite any time of year sport…spa-ing.
When was the last time you hopped in an icy cold river surrounded by snow? I spent two days spa hopping in the Laurentians last winter; it was both exhilarating and relaxing and the perfect ending to a Quebecois getaway.
Stimulating Scandanavian Baths at Le Scandinave in Mont Tremblant, Quebec
If you want to try an authentic Scandinavian bath in Canada, head for Le Scandinave, located just two miles from Mont Tremblant Resort. Built in 1999, the rustic wooden structures rise above the snowy landscape in a wooded setting,
The baths are a three-step process. First warm up your body inside the Finnish sauna, steam bath or whirlpool for 7-12 minutes. Next, it’s time to chill for 2-30 seconds by rinsing off in the cold water of the De la Diable River, underneath a Nordic waterfall, in a cold shower or even taking a roll in the snow! The third step is relaxing for 10-15 minutes, either in one of three solariums, the terraces or swinging away in a hammock. Repeat the three steps as often as desired and afterwards, indulge in a massage in one of 14 treatment rooms. Treatments include Swedish, Hot Stone and Thai-Yoga massage.
Rates for Le Scandinave baths are $36 CDN and massages range from $99 to $149 CDN. Le Scandinave is for ages 18 and over. There’s a health bar with snacks, juices, beer and wine. There is lodging close by at a variety of bed & breakfasts, inns and at Tremblant Resort.
For more information on Le Scandinave, call 819.425.5524 or visit www.scandinave.com
Japanese Baths at Ofuro Spa in Morin-Heights, Quebec
Perched atop 10 acres in the village of Morin-Heights, Ofuro Spa is an oasis of Japanese tranquility. Its pagodas blend in with the wooded beauty of the area, and as with Le Scandinave, the three-step treatment process is recommended.
After soaking in the outdoor wood-fired whirlpool bath (one of three), I sweated it out in the sauna for as long as I could (there’s also a seven-person steam bath). From there, my friend and I headed to the “river bath” where one of us did the total immersion in the icy water (it wasn’t me!). This quick plunge increases cardiovascular action and makes retiring to the chaise lounges oh, so inviting. After flipping through French magazines, we repeated the process.
The complex of buildings includes 12 massage rooms and four other treatment rooms. Services include a variety of massages (Swedish, Shiatsu, reflexology and polarity), body scrubs and wraps, mud wraps, facials, pedicures and manicures. Packages include the Tao (salt scrub, body wrap, massage and spa for $168 CDN) and the Summo (mud bath, body massage and spa for $98 CDN). Japanese music is played in the treatment rooms.
Rates are $35 CDN for the spa. Massages (with use of the spa) begin at $80 CDN. There are numerous bed and breakfasts nearby. For more information on Ofuro Spa call 450.226.2442 or visit www.spaofuro.com
