CHÂTEAU BEAUVALLON RESORT
IN MONT-TREMBLANT QUEBEC

Story and photos by Barb & Ron Kroll

Mont-Tremblant's only member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, like a diamond, is multi-faceted. It's perfect for romantic getaways, comfortable for families, and ideal for groups of up to 50. The 70-suite lakeside resort is a 90-minute drive from Montreal, two-hour drive from Ottawa, and a two-hour flight/transfer from Toronto on Voyageur Airways flights. The peaceful oasis is less than three minutes from the bustling Mont-Tremblant resort.

Chateau Beauvallon. Mont Tremblant, Quebec.

Photo © Barb & Ron Kroll

One four-bedroom suite, five three-bedroom, 22-two bedroom and 42 one-bedroom suites feature rich floor-to-ceiling wood panelling, gas fireplaces with granite hearths, DVD players, CD sound systems, complimentary Wi-Fi and LCD flat-panel, high-definition televisions in every bedroom and living room.

Bedrooms pamper guests with king-size beds, custom pillow-topped mattresses, duvets and Egyptian cotton sheets. En-suite bathrooms have heated natural stone floors, soaker tubs and rain showers. Children can use queen-size sofa and Murphy beds, which fold-up during the day to save space. All suites have kitchenettes or full kitchens.

Paul Newman visited Mont-Tremblant

Black and white photos, on walls, pay tribute to the original Château Beauvallon, which hosted actor Paul Newman and other skiers, who came to Mont-Tremblant on the legendary Snow Train from Montreal. Joe and Mary Ryan opened the 17-room hotel in 1942. Ryan founded Mont-Tremblant, built Canada's first aerial ski lift and carved the first ski trails.

Joe and Mary sold the hotel to Harry and Isabelle Stokes in 1949. After several other owners, it closed in 1998 and was moved to a new location in 2005, to become a museum.

Three function rooms, the Ryan, Stokes and Bon Vivant, hold up to 60 people in several seating configurations. With hotel takeovers, groups can use the Heritage Salon, which accommodates up to 72 seated, and 100 for receptions. TJ McMasters bar holds up to 20 people.

Marc Laroche, Executive Chef, Bon Vivant Grill. Chateau Beauvallon. Mont Tremblant, Quebec.

Photo © Barb & Ron Kroll

Inviting fireplaces beckon from the Heritage Salon and Bon Vivant Grill (seats 48) in winter. Bon Vivant Terrace seats 60 in warm weather. The horseshoe-shaped hotel faces Beauvallon Lake and encloses a garden courtyard, where up to 120 delegates can gather around the large lagoon-shaped pool and waterfall.

Game and Laurentian food

Executive Chef Marc Laroche's cuisine is a major draw. His menu boasts entrées like lacquered duck breast with maple syrup glaze and fresh tarragon. There's an excellent selection of wines under $40. Laroche will also arrange in-suite meals, picnic box lunches and multi-course, artistically presented dinners based on themes, like game and Laurentian specialties.

Free VIP shuttles bring guests to Mont-Tremblant resort and neighbouring attractions. Château Beauvallon is nestled between the 8th and 11th holes of Le Diable championship golf course, and is close to seven others, including Tremblant's largest, Le Géant.

Guests can visit Spa Scandinave, for year-round outdoor hot and cold baths, steam baths, a solarium, Finnish sauna and massages. In winter, there's nearby skiing, dog-sledding and snow-shoeing. The coolest place for cocktails? Mont-Tremblant's N'Ice Club, constructed from 1,500 tons of snow and 100 tons of ice.

TRAVEL INFORMATION

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Canada's Romantic Quebec City

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Sugar Shacks, Chocolate Shops, Tea Rooms and Unusual Restaurants in Montreal

Jean Paul Riopelle and The Bistro à Champlain Connection

Saguenay – Lac-Saint-Jean Quebec Attractions, Hotels and Events

Golf Quebec – New Website Guide

Château Beauvallon: www.chateaubeauvallon.com