Mont Tremblant at Night: Family Friendly Activities
December 16, 2019From traditional après ski spots offering hot spiced wine by the fireplace to microbreweries offering local beer brewed on-site, the pedestrian village of Mont Tremblant has a little bit of everything for those looking to kick back with a glass or two after a long day on the slopes.
If you’d rather spend the evening doing something a little more adventurous, Tremblant has plenty of that, too. These are two of my favourite off-beat “après ski” activities in Tremblant that the whole family can enjoy once the slopes have closed for the day.
Fondue Dinner With a Twist
Ever wondered what it would be like to ride one of those giant snow grooming machines? If so, you’re in luck, because in Tremblant not only can you ride one, you can ride one to a cozy log cabin in the middle of the forest where a spectacular fondue dinner awaits you!
Le Refuge is Mont Tremblant’s “shelter” in the middle of the Versant Soleil woods. With no running water or electricity (but don’t worry, there is an outhouse!), it evokes the days of long-ago with a wood-burning stove and simplistic decor.
You’ll depart from the pedestrian village after dark and take a 30-minute ride on the grooming machine to reach the cabin. Depending on the guest, the highlight of the trip is the snow grooming ride itself or the mountains of cheese served for dinner. Or maybe the chocolate. Or the wine. You be the judge!
After arriving at the cabin, you’ll quickly warm up by the fire and will be treated to your choice of white or red wine and a salad. The main course, of course, is traditional Swiss fondue, accompanied by sausage, potatoes, broccoli and bread to dip into the oozy, gooey cheese. Before heading back to town, you’ll finish the meal with chocolate fondue. All in all, it’s about a three-hour round trip.
All ages are welcome on the tour, and prices range from $31 for the littlest ones in your group (5 and under) to $138 per adult for the evening. The tour leaves from the pedestrian village a couple of times an evening, with a maximum of up to 11 people per meal, ensuring a relaxed and intimate experience.
Looking for even more adventure? You can experience the exact same fondue dinner at Le Refuge, but instead of arriving leisurely on a snow grooming machine, you can arrive on snowshoes!
The snowshoe tour is a 5-kilometre guided tour for adults and children ages 13 and up, ranging in price from $151 for the tour and fondue, to $166 if snowshoe rental is needed. After taking a gondola up to the summit, your guides will take you on a trek through the woods to reach Le Refuge, where the same delicious fondue dinner awaits you.
While we opted for the somewhat lazy way up, others in our group made their way to dinner on another evening via snowshoes. They reported back that the cheese, chocolate, wine and company was just as fantastic no matter which mode of transportation was taken to reach Le Refuge.
Check out Le Refuge’s website for exact dates and times, as well as to make reservations, as the activities are offered on alternate evenings and spots book up quickly.
Sliding Down the Mountain
Most places shut down for sports and activities at night, but not Tremblant. Every evening, beginning at 6 pm (so there is still time to grab a warm beverage or a cold beer beforehand!), the base of the mountain opens up again for family-friendly snow tubing.
Called “sliding evenings,” adults and children (4 years and older, minimum 3’ tall) can enjoy a few hours of non-stop tubing down the two slopes. The cost is about $26 for adults (13+), and $22 for children 12 and under, although be sure to check with your resort before buying tickets, as some places offer free passes for their guests.
If you’ve gotten the taste of tubing at night and want more, there is an even larger spot about fifteen minutes outside of Tremblant called Aventures Neige where you can spend an entire day snow tubing down eight different slides. We’d suggest checking out the sliding evenings in the village first to see what tubing in Tremblant is all about and then, depending on how much more tubing you want to do (you will want to do more!), heading over to Aventures Neige on a day off from skiing or boarding.
Magical Memories at Mont Tremblant After Dark
No matter your age, Tremblant after dark is a magical place. Riding on a snow groomer or sliding down the mountain after dark – activities I’d always dreamed of doing as a little kid but didn’t think would ever be allowed – are both possible in Tremblant. Try them out and I promise you won’t be disappointed!
Marissa Geannette is an attorney-turned full-time writer based in NYC. A former ski racer from NJ, she now enjoys skiing down the powdery, non-icy slopes of the west or enjoying après ski anywhere. In addition to travel writing, she runs a blog and business called “The Unbillable Life” where she writes all about career change and leaving the corporate world.