Ski-in ski-out parking!

We don't live on the ski mountain, so therefore we never enjoy the delicacy of ski-in/ski-out.  That was until we discovered P2, a rather unceremonious name for such a magnificent ski parking experience. We always passed this lot in favour of what we call the "rock star parking", a pay lot located right beside Place des Voyageurs and the Cabriolet lift that takes you to the base of the South Face.  Read all about this lot in the Where to Park on Ski Day posting.

The third best thing about P2 is that it's free.  The second best thing is that it's walking distance to the skiing.  The best thing is that it's ski-in/ski-out.  Oh, yes...check out the photo on the left.  This is Karen gearing up, poles scattered on the snowbank, and the Port du Soleil ski lift looming in the background.  Hop on this chair and in five minutes, you're in business.

There's a sign beside the lift that declares you must have a valid pass to board.  However, that's not entirely true.  First, nobody is checking, just a nice staffer keeping the snow clear and smiling a bonjour as the chair whacks you in the @ss (this lift is old school so beware).  At the top, you'll see a sign pointing either left or right.  Turn right and you'll ski down to the Versant Soleil chair for which a valid ticket is definitely required.  But turn left, and you arrive at the South Side where you can purchase your lift ticket for the day.  Brilliant!

Local Artisans

Since buying our little chalet near St. Jovite, we have explored the Tremblant area and come across a number of excellent local artisans.  As with many worthy businesses in the area, they're hard to find, in part because they are located off the beaten track and in some cases, have little or no presence on this new thing called the world wide web.  So, we've dedicated this post to these amazing Quebecois masters of their craft.  We'll add to this list as we discover more:

Mr. Moose holds court above the staircase

Michel Poirier, artist
We came across Michel Poirier at the art studio in Place de la Gare, the former train station in Old Tremblant. His paintings stand out among the many excellent painters who display/sell their works in the small gallery.  Michel often staffs the gallery, chatting with visitors while working on his next canvas.  Poirier has pretty much cornered the market on moose, and we couldn't resist a moose painting (although were tempted by a bovine subject as well).  We also have a beautiful landscape, a subtle treatment of haybales on a frosted November morning.  We love these paintings and wish we had the wall space to include more!

Bernard Chaudron, pewter master

Beautiful pewter lamp

Many years ago my wife received a small oil lamp as a gift.  She had it when we met and we still have it, now sporting the dull patina that pewter develops with time.  We've kept that lamp in Toronto, but it was our inspiration to have them at the chalet, for the glow that only oil lamps can deliver.  We searched around and found the Chaudron atelier (workshop) near Val David.  They make all kinds of pewter products, not only lamps but also vases, tableware, candle holders and more.  Unlike many other "out of the way" businesses, Chaudron has a powerhouse web presence with an impressive virtual store.  But the most impressive feature is the quality of their products...we have four of their lamps, three smaller lamps for the mantle on the fireplace, and a large showpiece lamp for the dining room buffet (photo right, or you can *just* see it in the photo below).  While beautiful, these lamps are a welcome source of light during power outages...and they're enough to take the chill off the gazebo on a fall night!

Bernard Lapointe, cabinetmaker (ebeniste)
When we bought our chalet, it was recently renovated and conveniently, it came fully furnished.  The previous owners had purchased tasteful but basic furnishing to fill the space for the purposes of the sale, including a dining table and chairs.  In time, we found Bernard LaPointe on the internet, a cabinetmaker located in St-Faustin Lac-Carre, about a 10 minute drive from St. Jovite.  We saw a table on his website and asked if he could make it in oak...he agreed, and with a deposit cheque sent via post, he started the job.  We met for the first time six weeks later when he delivered the table, and it is magnificent.  Massif was the French word Bernard used to describe it.  We were so impressed with the finished product that we ordered a set of matching chairs that day.  We've since had other work done in the house, and each tradesman has commented on the quality of the workmanship.

Raymond Phaneuf, Estelle Morin, potters
If you're driving from the ski mountain toward St. Jovite along rue Labelle, you'll see a red sign for Poterie just as you're approach St. Jovite Station.  It's easy to miss but at 914 rue des Thuyas you'll find the studio of two master potters, Raymond Phaneuf and Estelle Morin.  They actually live across the street in a small stone house, but more often than not, you'll fine one or both of them hard at work in the pottery studio that adjoins their small retail store.  We outfitted our chalet with some basics...bowls and coffee mugs, but we've also picked up a couple decorative pieces as well, both for our chalet and for gifts.  Both Raymond and Estelle are happy to chat and eager to practice their English, so the experience is quite welcoming. 

Val David

Rush hour on Val David's main street

Any town named after me must be a winner,  I say.  And indeed, Val David is a Laurentian jewel just off highway 15, about a 25 minute drive from St. Jovite.  We have visited a few towns in the area including Ste Agathe, Mont Laurier and St Donat, and none have as much going on even though Val David is smaller than those other three. 

We originally visited because a friend recommended Val David as a nice afternoon visit...he knew of the town as his sister had attended a yoga ashram in the area.  I'm not a big yoga fan but decided to check it out anyway, and we were glad we did.  If I'm going to visit a town, I need somewhere good to eat, and Val Davide offers a number of good restaurants.  Our mainstay is Le Baril Roulante with exceptional food and deep selection of craft Quebec beer on tap. And another block or two further is Restaurant Les Zebres, a higher-end spot that we visited during a 2014 kayak trip in the area. There is also Au Petit Poucet, famous for their Quebecois delights (jams, meats, baked goods) and now features a restaurant.

Dining aside, what brought us to this town in the first place is the annual 1001 Pots, an outdoor festival of pottery attracting dozens of potters from across Quebec.  There are also many artist studios in town, as well as the master pewtersmith Chaudron, from whom we have purchased many oil lamps for our chalet.  And if you don't want to drive to Val David, you can cycle there along the Petit Train du Nord which passes right through town at the historic train station.

Where to buy beer!

This post on the vital topic of "Where to buy Beer" has turned out to be one of my most popular!  Since we first bought our chalet here in 2010, the beer scene has changed dramatically (for the better) and so I have completely rewritten this little beer guide.  I'll focus on two areas: bars and pubs to enjoy quality beer on tap, and retail outlets to purchase beer for home/hotel consumption.  Both dimensions have vastly improved over the past decade.

Bars & Pubs
When I consider a place to grab a pint, it's based on a combination of tap quality, atmosphere, service and food, not necessarily in that order.  Each of the places below are favourites of ours and have been written up separately, so I won't repeat all the details here [not a ranked list].

• La Maison du Brasseur (St Jovite) - the latest entrant to the beer scene in Tremblant, and an excellent one at that.  They don't serve food but you can bring your own or order in from several restaurants less than a block away.  Awesome atmosphere, friendly service and 15 taps featuring all Quebec micros.
• St. Arnould Brewpub (St Jovite) - the biggest microbrewery in the area, selling their beer both on premises and via bottles in retail outlets.  The brewpub is conveniently located right beside the major grocery stores but doesn't lack for charm because of it.  Large space, lovely patio in summer time and great food & service.  About 10 beers on tap at any given time with one seasonal offering (wish they'd do more) and have recently started featuring BrewStar beers.
• La Diable Microbrewery (Tremblant resort) - located in the pedestrian village at the base of Tremblant, this is a popular spot for apres-ski or apres just about anything you can do in Tremblant.  Beers are solid although limited to just 6 taps plus a seasonal.  The summertime patio is perhaps the best anywhere and great for people watching.  Our experience with the food has been mixed so we stick with the basics.
• Au Coin (Old Tremblant) - this place makes the list because of location and atmosphere.  The building is an historic site near beautiful Lac Mercier, wonderfully restored.  It's the closest you'll find to a true Irish pub, and has both a bar side and a nice enclosed dining room.  Food and service are great.   The beer list is serviceable, leaning towards large macros (e.g. Carlsberg) or huge micros (e.g. Boreal) but hasn't changed in the decade we've been here.
• Baril Roulante (Val David) - further afield but an amazing little beer spot, the first we found in the region to offer Quebec microbrews.  They have created a mini empire, expanding into a second location in Val David that features an auberge, and also brew their own beer (which we have had on tap at Maison du Brasseur).
• Baril Roulante (Tremblant) - in December 2019, the very successful Baril Roulante microbrewery opened a new location in the old village near the Lac Mercier beach at 1885 Chemin du Village.  They took over an historic little house that has seen businesses and sandwich shops come and go.  A great addition to the neighbourhood.
• Le Pub St Georges (St Jovite) - the St Georges has been an icon occupying the northeast corner of Rue Labelle and Rue St Jovite for years.  This spot makes the list not so much for their beers (a dozen or so typical macros) but for the cosy interior and the sprawling patio, perfect for people watching.

Retail Beer Stores

• Tite Frette (St Jovite) - a private beer store focusing exclusively Quebec beers.  Fantastic selection organized by beer style.  Tite Frette means something like "a little cold one" in Quebecois French.  This is your priciest option but the selection is spectacular and there are beers you can't get anywhere else.  
• IGA (St Jovite) - yes, the IGA.  A few years ago they installed a series of eight-foot wide double sided beer fridges including a section dedicated to singles (bottle and can).  Selection is principally Quebec and eastern Ontario micros, with some fixed labels (e.g. Unibroue) and some rotating beers so you always have something new to try.
• Metro (St Jovite) - the Metro has really stepped up their game recently, adding shelves in the aisle ways dedicated to micros. Like the IGA, they also have a walk-in beer fridge for 12's and 24's of the major brands.
• Depanneur Proprio Marche (Old Tremblant) - looks

  

  Proprio Marche - nice option close to the resort

  like a variety store from the outside, but inside they have a surprising selection of Quebec micros.  a much closer option if you're staying at the Tremblant resort.  The also sell Labatt 50 in king can format if you want to reminisce.
• SAQ (St Jovite) - this is the provincial liquor store and the one in St Jovite is quite good.  This is where we go for wine.  The beer section is quite limited and focuses mostly on European imports.  
• SAQ (Tremblant Resort) - same as above but an option for those staying at the Tremblant resort and perhaps without a car.



Just one of the beer walls at Marche Vaillancourt

• Marche Vaillancourt (Morin Heights) - beer road trip perhaps?  This amazing beer selection is hidden in the back of a small grocery store in Morin Heights, about 35 minutes from Tremblant.  A massive selection of Quebec, Ontario and European beers stuffed into fridges and shelves.  Wish it were closer.  If you make the trip, they are at 878 chemin du village

Saint-Sauveur

We heard many good things about Saint-Sauveur.  Ski town, nice restaurants, art galleries, cute main street, etc. but because it was so far away, we never made the trip.  Saint-Sauveur is about a third of the way back to Montreal from Tremblant, or about a 40-minute drive.  However, during our September week this year,, we decided to explore farther afield, seeing the small towns of Huberdeau and Arundel, and Saint-Sauveur made this list.

Sure glad we visited as Saint-Sauveur lived up to its reputation.  The main street is dotted with restaurants, cafes and bars, our favourite of which is the historic Ye Olde Orchard Pub & Grill, built in a nineteenth century house.  They offer the best beer selection we've seen anywhere in the Laurentians.  We also stopped in at Bulldozer, a classic old watering hole that Karen remembered from a university ski trip. Bulldozer still DJs using casette tapes!

We only had an afternoon in Saint-Sauveur but it was enough to encourage us to come back.  There was a real Quebecois authenticity to this town.  Our plan is to cycle the P'tit Train du Nord from Tremblant and stay over night in Saint-Sauveur before cycling home via the back roads.

Shopping - Necessities

The SAQ in Tremblant village - so cute!

Yes, shopping should be all about glamourous stuff like fashion, trinkets, baubles and gewgaws.  But sometimes, you just need to find basic essentials, especially when you're on vacation.  So here's your guide to finding the basics in the Mont Tremblant area.  If you're staying in the resort village and don't have a car, you can likely get everything you need.  There's a cute little SAQ (liquor store) right in the village, near the Hilton.  There's also a small general store in the village that offers a wide range of choices...you can read about both on the Tremblant website.

If you're not tied to the resort and can get into St. Jovite, your shopping options are astronomically better.  At the west end of Rue St. Jovite, you'll find the Metro, the Jean Coutu (drugstore) and the SAQ, with a far deeper selection of fine wines, spirits and beers than you can find in the resort location.  On the east end, you'll find several more grocery stores including the amazing IGA.  You'll also find the Canadian Tire if you need it!

Tremblant Ski Village

The slope-side village at Mont Tremblant is sneeringly described by some locals as Disneyland, with its array of brightly coloured buildings, bustling crowds, shops and condos.  They tend to eschew the village in favour of Old Tremblant and St. Jovite, and I don't blame them, because as I've said in other posts, these towns have much to offer and you're missing out if you don't see them.  But I still love the slope-side village, and the Disney label doesn't really work for me.

Place St. Bernard

True, the architecture is trying to emulate the feel of a quaint, historic European town, just as the Disney resorts emulate castles, mountains, etc.  But the Tremblant village has been designed and realized so tastefully, that it's a shame to compare it to anything Disney-like.  Winding lanes, cobblestone walks, elegant terraces and open public squares all add to the European feel.  The Village is also closed to vehicle traffic, making it very walkable and earning it the nickname of the "pedestrian village".  If you don't feel like walking, the Cabriolet Gondola whisks you up the hill from the parking lots to the centre of the village, affording overhead views of the condo pools, outdoor hot tubs and the mini golf course and the kids' zip lining facility.

So why do I love the pedestrian village?  A few reasons:

• It's always alive.  Even on the most quiet days (think April after ski season finishes), there's still life in the village...Tremblant never stops being a beautiful place to visit, so with so many condos, chalets and townhouses on and around the slopes, the village is never deserted.
• Shopping.  OK, I admit it.  I'm a gear hound, and there are many places to get great sportswear year round.  Don't just thinking skiing - think about cycling, hiking, kayaking and running stuff as well. 
• Restaurants and bars.  While the quality is hit and miss, there are so many varied restaurants you could literally feed yourself for a week without eating the same thing twice.
• Music festivals.  During the summer months,there are weekly acts at the permanent stage at Place St. Bernard, as well as large festivals for Blues, Jazz and Classical music.

Shopping - Outdoor Gear

Mont Tremblant is a paradise of outdoor activity. People ask us what we do there other than downhill skiing, and our answer is: "Hmmm...let's see.  Cross country skiing, snowshoeing, skating, hiking, mountain biking, running, swimming, golfing, and kayaking.  (Not to mention fine dining, reading, evening bonfires, hot tub afternoons at Scandinave, drinks on the patio, and naps.)  All outdoorsy stuff.  And if you need gear for this stuff, you'll find it at our favourite outdoorsy store, Atmosphere.

Atmosphere, land of gear

While there are many gear stores in the slope-side village selling the latest brand-name ski and mountain gear, our favourite place is in St. Jovite, and it's called Atmosphere. It's on the east end of Rue St. Jovite, just on the outskirts of town.  This means about a 15 minute drive from the heart of the resort, but it's worth the drive.  We've bought our kayaks here, as well as our cross-country skis, snowshoes, and mound of athletic gear for all occasions.  The selection is excellent and there's always something on sale.

Perhaps the best thing about Atmosphere is the expertise of the staff.  We were professionally fitted for cross-country skis, boots and poles.  We didn't know we needed professional fitting for snowshoes, but are now grateful for the advice.  Same thing with the kayaks...first rate advice all the way.  And, most of the staff are bilingual, so if French isn't your strong suit, you'll be OK.  Qui veut acheter le gear?

Visitor's Centre

Perhaps the cutest Visitor Centre ever...

Got questions when you arrive in Mont Tremblant?  The Visitor Centre can help!  We use the Centre far less now that we've been in the area a couple years, but we always found them helpful.  It's located on Montee Ryan, which is the main road leading to the ski mountain from Highway 117.  You'll find it at the south roundabout, which is the first tgraffi circle you encounter when arriving from the highway.  The staff are fully bilingual and are very knowledgeable, both for official resort activities as well as things to do in the greater Tremblant area.

If you're a mountain biker, you can park here and access the trails.  See our ever-growing article on Tremblant moutain biking for more details.  Once you figure out what you want to do, you're only minutes from everything at the Centre!

Mosquitoes and Black Flies

Every spring we look forward to returning to Tremblant after shelving the skis and snowshoes for the winter.  But of course, with the warmer weather comes the bugs.  Or so we thought.  As natives of Ontario, we're accustomed to the onslaught of moquitoes and black flies that dominate cottage country in May, June and into July.  But in Tremblant, we had never experienced the same problem.

Well, turns out that in the Tremblant municipal area, they introduce a natural biological pesticide.  On our tax bill, there's a small charge for "contre-moustique".  So in this wooded, heavily laked region, you'd expect a ton of bugs but we simply don't get them.  Venture too far from Tremblant, and all bets are off, but it's pretty good closer to town.

So, if you're considering a spring trip to Tremblant, make the trip knowing that you won't need to invest too heavily in Off.

May 18 2012 update: Enjoying Victoria Day weekend up here.   We spent the day transplanting small trees and shrubs in the garden and woods, which is prime bug territory.  No issues!

June 22 2012 update: A quick Porter flight for the weekend.  Same as above, very few bugs!

July 6 2012 update:  OK, the black flies were out.  On our property (in Tremblant proper) the flies were a tolerable nuisance, manageable with bug spray.  We tried hiking in the Domaine St. Bernard, and the black flies were much worse.  Still not as bad as I've experienced in Ontario, but enough that we were discouraged from venturing too far into the woods.  But this experience reinforces my point above: bugs aren't too bad within the municipal region of Mont Tremblant, and worse farther afield.

August 2 2012 update: Bugs gone.

Overall 2013 update:  I can now say with certainty that the Mont-Tremblant area is far less buggy than the outlying areas.  We golfed at a couple of courses south of highway 117 and it was bug city.  I wore zero bug spray on my August hike of Mont-Tremblant mountain, and that was about 2.5 hours in the woods!

June 2016 update: Another un-buggy spring thus far, a fact highlighted by an article in the local Tremblant Express that praised the municipality for spraying the nearby wetland with biological larvicide.

Brrr Cold Weather

Brrr

You may have heard that it can get a bit cold up here in Mont Tremblant.  It's true...we've certainly experienced a few days each winter where the daytime highs are minus 15 or even minus 20 degrees Celsius (that's about 5 to minus 5 Fahrenheit), before windchill!  Our neighbours who have been here for decades regale us with epic stories of even colder weather, and how they skied those days anyway.  But those bitter days are the exception, not the rule.

Of course, cold is a good thing for a ski resort.  There have been a few days this winter alone when it's raining in Montreal and Ottawa, but snowing in Tremblant.  We'd fly into Montreal, rent a car and head north, watching the temperature gauge drop by 5 degrees Celsius by the time we reached Tremblant.  That's why there's so much snow up here and consistently good ski conditions.  But what to do on those unbearably cold winter days?  Our advice:

1. Cross-country skiing.  The constant motion of cross-country keeps you warm, and many of the trails are in the woods, keeping you out of the wind.  And if you use the trails at Domaine St. Bernard, there are warming huts (they call them "refuges") throughout.  Odds are if it's cold, you'll have crystalline blue skies so you'll enjoy the views.
2. Snowshoeing.  Ditto as for cross-country skiing.  Except there's less gear involved.  If you haven't snowshoed before, try it.  It's an amazing way to get into the woods, and you'll get to places you can't reach during the summer.  Our article on snowshoeing shows our experience on an advanced trail at the Domaine, which afforded panoramic views.
3. Try your luck at the casino.
4. Go shopping.  The pedestrian village is lined with shops, as is the main street in St. Jovite.

Old Tremblant

The historic Hotel Mont Tremblant

If there's an "old Tremblant", then logic dictates that there must be a "new Tremblant".  And therefore, the old Tremblant was just Mont Tremblant before the new Tremblant made it Old Tremblant.  Got it?  Whether you call it Old Tremblant, or Vieux Tremblant, or The Village, this is a cute little destination well worth checking out.

Old Tremblant isn't hard to find.  Just look for Chemin du Village, a crescent-shaped road accessible from either of the big roundabouts on Montee Ryan.  The road is about 5 or 6 km long and the Old Village is right in the middle, on the shore of Lac Mercier and just a  few minutes' drive from the ski hill.  It used to be the main ski town, until the early nineties when Intrawest built the pedestrian village at the base of the ski mountain.  Since then, the Old Village has waned, but there's still lots to see.  These are our favourites:

• Lac Mercier.  In the summer, this is a great place to swim.  There is an entrance fee...about six bucks I think.  But never too crowded, family friendly, and the water is clean and warm.  And it's close to the pub (see next bullet).
• Au Coin.  This is the only traditional pub in the Mont Tremblant area.  Au Coin is situated in the street level of the historic Hotel Mont Tremblant, which reopened in 2011 after a brief closure.  See our full write up on Au Coin for more details.
• Farmers' Market.  Every Saturday in the summer, there's an amazing farmers' market in the parking lot behind the library.  Fresh produce, honey, fruit wines, artists, and so much more by artisans from across the Laurentians.
• Place de la Gare.  Formerly the train station from the days of the Petit Train du Nord, the building now houses an art gallery where local artists work and display their paintings and sculptures.
• Milly's. We haven't been here for dinner, but we've been a few times for lunch and a beer. They have a beautiful patio in the summer, and good people watching as they're situated up on a hill.
• Ital Delli.  See our full writeup on this Italian food gem.

Sidewalk art exhibit at Place de la Gare

What makes things confusing is that there is a small collection of old buildings in the slopeside ski village, which has been dubbed "Vieux Tremblant" (Old Tremblant). While these buildings are indeed old, and they are indeed situated within Tremblant, it's a misnomer.  If you want the original, historic town where the loggers lived and the first ski tourists lodged, you want the Old Tremblant I'm describing above.  We'll add to this list as we experience more of Old Tremblant. In the meantime, do consider this quaint historic village if you're in the area!

Parking on ski day

** Article updated Feb 2015 and Jan 2017**
If you're staying in the mountain-side village - and particularly if you're in ski-in/ski-out accommodations - you can skip this article.  You can raise a smug eyebrow and say "we don't have to worry about parking, darling".  For everyone else, read on.

My wife and I keep things simple because we hate schlepping ski gear very far.  Our parking plan:

1. Get to the hill no later than 8:30am
2. Pay the ten  fifteen bucks to use the parking lot off of Chemin des Voyageurs. [Feb 2015 update: They have now instituted automated payment, replacing the staffed booth where the nice lady would take your money and say "Passe une bonne journee!"]

That's it.  You can see the lot at the bottom of this map, marked with P$.  Getting to the hill by 8:30 guarantees you a spot in this lot, and it's a one-minute walk to the Cabriolet gondola that whisks you to the base of the mountain.  Even on weekends, 8:30 is safe.

If you want free parking, you can find a free lot right behind the pay lot we recommend (labelled as P1), but you need to get there *early* for this one...my guess is all the seniors arrive at 7:30 for First Tracks and use up all these spots.  P2 is just a bit further up the street and we used it recently...read about the greatest parking experience ever on the dedicated post that heralds the delightful ski-in/ski-out lot.  The remaining lots are at various spots along Chemin Duplessis, and they're far enough away that they shuttle you in from them. Another idea is to try the lot on the North Side.  Just continue along Duplessis where you essentially drive around the mountain to the north.  We've seen this lot available during the day so it's worth a try, and you can buy your tickets, rent gear and hop on the lift from the north side.

In short, ample parking if you arrive early.  If you arrive late, you can still park, but be prepared for a bit more of an ordeal with shuttle buses.  [Feb 2015 update: We arrived late on a particularly busy day and decided to tough it out in one of the distant lots and take the shuttle.  It was just fine...]

Jan 2017 Update:
Further to the comment above from Feb 2015 where we said it was quite feasible to take the shuttle bus from the remote parking lots, well we did it a few times this past January and it was fine.  The buses are very frequent, every 10 minutes or so, and in fact they drop you at the top of the hill near the Casino gondola station, so you have a shorter walk to the base of the ski hill.  So experience tells us you have many more viable options than we originally thought!

Taxis

Taxis *do* exist in Mont Tremblant.   My wife and I wondered because you could never find one anywhere.  Don't expect to be able to hail one from a street corner or in front of a hotel, as there just aren't that many taxi companies in the area.  But if you need one, you can get one eventually, as long as you call with about 15 minutes advanced notice.  Here are the three companies we know of:

• Taxi Express - 819-429-9119
• Taxi Mont Tremblant - 819-425-3212
• Taxi Local - 819-808-8294

French and English

Zut alors!

My friends all ask whether it's hard to get by in Mont Tremblant if you don't speak French. And considering this is an English blog, I suspect many of you are wondering the same thing. The answer is, most people in the Mont Tremblant area are bilingual, capable of switching to English if they need to. Some are better at it than others, but you generally won't have a problem. If you're in the mountainside village, Vieux Tremblant or the restaurants in St. Jovite, you'll have no problem at all. I have run into some French-only speakers at the grocery store or the Giant Tiger, which is understandable because they cater to the locals and less to the tourists. Go outside the prime tourist areas to places like Val Davide, and the results will be mixed.

If you do speak some French and wish to try it out in Tremblant, it's a very safe place to do so. I've heard many theories about how the French respond to our attempts to speak their language and would offer my perspective:

• Theory #1: the French appreciate it if you try to speak French. I don't know that I've ever sensed appreciation...I have had a couple of wait staff in restaurants compliment me on my French, but they may have just been doing it for tips.
• Theory #2: the French hate it if you try to speak French. I don't know that I've ever sensed hatred...I've sensed confusion, and I've certainly seen a couple people try to hide a grin when I made a pronunciation mistake, but nothing mean-spirited.
• Theory #3: as soon as an Anglo speaks French they switch immediately to English out of disgust. I have definitely experienced the switch, but more in Montreal than in Mont Tremblant. Here, I find they're far more prepared to go along in French with you, or if they hear you're struggling, they ask in French if you'd prefer English. As for switching because they're disgusted with your French, my understanding is that the switch is a courtesy, meant to put you at ease.  I also find that many locals are so comfortable in both languages, they readily switch between French and English without a second thought.
• Theory #4: the French are insulted if you walk up to them and start speaking English. This one I'm not sure about. Again, in the tourist areas, the locals are quite accustomed to English-speakers so it's no big surprise for them to be addressed in English. Personally, if I feel I'm going to need to use English, I prefer to negotiate that with a "parlez-vous Anglais?" before jumping in.

Overall, if you have any trepidation about your lack French language skills, you can leave that at home and enjoy!

May 2014 Update
Inasmuch as my French isn't always the best (and I know I've induced some giggles from Francophones), their English can also be entertaining.  A couple examples:

• See the article in the Tremblant Express (local bilingual newspaper) that encourages you to ski the resort's back country slopes, which they refer to as Tremblant's Backside.
• On one of the showshoe trails in the Domaine St. Bernard, there's a cosy warming hut equipped with a wood-burning stove.  There's a sign next to the stove asking you not to put garbage in the bin..."This is for ashes, not for trashes".  Full marks for the faithful rhyming! 
• A local children's charity announced they were raising money for "infantile causes"

St. Jovite

I grew up in south-western Ontario in a town of about five thousand people. My joke was always that the town was too big to have any small town charm, but too small to have anything really cool. St. Jovite is also a town of about five thousand, and it has the best of both worlds. If you're in Mont Tremblant and only see the pedestrian village by the ski mountain, you're missing out if you don't see St. Jovite.

The principal street is the aptly named Rue St. Jovite and is lined with restaurants, bars and shops. It's a pretty streetscape at any time, although particularly beautiful on a winter evening with the glowing Christmas lights and snow (the Quebecois embrace winter, and they love the Christmas decorations so much that they keep them up for practically the entire winter season). In an hour, you can walk up and down the main street and see everything, although you'd need a full afternoon if you want to stop for a coffee, have a drink and do some shopping. While there are many things I could tell you about St Jovite (and many of my other posts feature restaurants or shops in this town) here are a few key points:

• there are a wide range of restaurants available, not surprisingly as the Quebecois love their nightlife and dining out. Of note, the Maison du Spaghetti is local classic serving affordable, delicious family fare ranging from diner-style breakfast in the morning to burgers and shakes in the afternoon, and huge spaghetti dinners with table wine in the evening. It is always busy but you can always get a seat. A bit further upscale is Le Vieux Four, an Italian restaurant with a wood-burning oven and a great menu of thin- crust pizzas. For fine dining, choose from Resto Seb (whose chef is a bit of a local celebrity), Les Copains D'Abord, or our personal favorite, Le Cheval de Jade. These are fine restaurants, and this comes from a Toronto food snob.
• if you're not staying in a hotel and need provisions, St. Jovite boasts three major grocery stores, a Liquor store, a pharmacy, Canadian Tire, and just about anything else you need. Forgot a key article of outdoor gear? There are many places to get what you need.
• St. Jovite is about fifteen minutes max by car from the pedestrian village, and well worth the trip. You'll find ample parking in town right on the main street. If no car, simply grab a taxi.

Car Rental

Before we even *talk* about car rental options, the first question we should discuss is whether you actually need a car in the first place.  The answer to the question depends on what you want to do.  If your plan is to stay in the Intrawest ski village the whole time, then you don't need a car as everything is easily within walking distance.  Assuming you've flown into the Mont Tremblant airport, you can get to the village and back via the courtesy shuttles. (By the way, don't confuse "courtesy" with "complimentary"...)

However, if you want to see more of what the Laurentian region has to offer without subscribing to an organized excursion, then renting a car is the only way to go.  You can rent cars at the Tremblant airport, who have an arrangement with Discount.  I have been unable to figure out how to book a car for pickup at the Tremblant airport via the Discount website...but no worry, you can arrange a rental by calling the Airport at 819-275-9099.

Tremblant Airport

Mont Tremblant has the cutest airport in the world.  A bold and perhaps reckless claim coming from someone who has seen relatively few airports around the world, but even if I'm wrong, I'm sure Tremblant ranks right up there.  There's so much to love about it:

• The terminal building is a glorified log cabin
• When they unload the plane, they put the bags on two trolleys and tow them to the front of the building near the driveway where you can pick up your stuff (yes, the driveway)
• It appears to be managed by a family, complete with a teenage sister annoyed by her younger brother
• The staff are extremely cordial and get to know you by name if you fly there often enough
• There is no PA system.  If they need your attention for a boarding announcement, they just speak up [Update: they have a mini-PA system but they still prefer to just speak up]
• The airport has a single phone number that you can call for flight status, general inquiries, car rentals, etc. It's also the same number pilots can call to arrange an arrival timeslot.  And if nobody answers, you can leave a message and they *will* call you back

For all of the airport's delights, we found it hard to get info so here are a few key tidbits for anyone considering a flight:

• Location - Mont Tremblant airport isn't actually in Mont Tremblant...it's near a town called La Macaza, which is about a 40-minute drive north of Tremblant
• Ground transport - to get to Mont Tremblant, you'll need to either rent a car or take one of the shuttles to the participating hillside resorts.  If you opt for the shuttle, you do need to book it in advance, and details can be found on the official Tremblant site.  But you can book both rental cars and the courtesy shuttles at the same phone number, 819-275-9099.  If you opt for the shuttle, note that they take the back roads, which are both picturesque and twisty.  If you get car sick easily, consider asking to sit up front where at least you can keep your eyes on the horizon.  My advice: don't consider taking a taxi, as it'll run you about $90 one-way.
• Checking in - this is a small operation so don't worry about arriving two hours prior to your flight.  One hour is generally plenty as you'll be through the check-in and security in no time.  Note that you can't print your boarding pass in advance when departing Tremblant...they will have it waiting for you in an organized pile of passes for everyone leaving that day!
• Food - there is no restaurant at the airport.  Just a couple vending machines for pop, water, coffee and snacks.  Do bring some treats if you need to nibble while you wait for your plane. [Update: there is a small snack counter that serves beer and wine, although it isn't always staffed.]
• Information - see the official Mont Tremblant airport website.