9 reasons to (still) love winter in Quebec
Okay, fine, I'll stop making my "crybaby" in good Quebec for the duration of this article. I grant you that there is still some good in winter in Quebec.
So yes there are plenty of downsides to this intense season, but I'm going to focus here on its beauty.
And thus avoid scaring off new arrivals or those planning to move abroad too quickly 🙂
So here are some reasons to enjoy this time of year (actually half the year to be exact ^^)
Admire the beauty of the landscapes in its white coat
In general (but it depends on the year, I won't beat around the bush), it rains very little in winter. So apart from the days of snowstorms, you often find yourself with a beautiful blue sky. And how beautiful it is to see this blue expanse and this sun reflected in the carpet of fresh snow on the ground.
The brightness can be crazy and you can then enjoy the outdoors with much more pleasure.
You take advantage of this dry weather to go outside and get some fresh air and brighten your cheeks.
Go out and enjoy the many outdoor activities
When you say snow, you say outdoor winter sports of all kinds.
There is something for everyone: snowshoes, ice skating in the city's many parks or on wooded trails in the forest. I recommend the Enchanting Domain, super nice outing day and night.
Fans of outdoor activities, you will have plenty of time to try out downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, sliding and even dog sledding for those who want an extraordinary experience.
(I experienced it during my first winter in Montreal, it was simply MAG-ICAL!
Here is the link to the website of the organization with which I created my turnkey weekend. https://www.aventurespleinair.com/
On the program: –
- dog sledding morning
- afternoon: snowmobile on the frozen lake (we were alone in the world on the lake)
- gourmet dinner and breakfast with a view of the frozen lake and its expanses of trees
- then massage at the hostel's spa before leaving via a shuttle included in the negotiated package, which takes us back to Montreal)
I recommend it to you!!
And for the less sporty, nothing stops you from just making snowmen with the little ones, or acting like an angel by lying down in the fresh snow.
Winter nights can be festive
Yes, with such drastic temperatures, you can quickly tend to lock yourself away at home and hibernate. But Quebecers have understood how to ensure that this season remains festive with a rich cultural offering.
The incredible Igloofest early January at the Old Port with big names from the electro scene, the Quebec Carnival or even Montreal in Lights to name just a few.
So the nights are "hots" even in the middle of winter.
(For more information on the 2023 programming of these events:
https://www.quebec-cite.com/fr/quoi-faire-quebec/evenements/carnaval-de-quebec
https://www.montrealenlumiere.com/
Spend a weekend or more at the chalet with friends or family
What could be better than taking advantage of this season to take a getaway worthy of postcards and the vision of a lumberjack in the forest?
I'm extrapolating a little, but personally, if there's one thing that has become a ritual once a year, it's to go on a weekend at a chalet with my girlfriends.
On the program: raclette, wine galore, singing and dancing at the top of your lungs until late at night without fear of disturbing the neighbors. Or watching movies by the fireplace while it's snowing outside. Going for a walk in the forest and coming back to warm up in the outdoor jacuzzi while the snow continues to fall around you. Indescribable sensations.
With a snowy landscape as far as the eye can see, a clear sky full of stars and a calm that feels good (especially when you're a city dweller, living to the rhythm of work and the noise of everyday life).
A pure pleasure!
Relaxing in a spa
Speaking of chalet jacuzzis, another super enjoyable activity of the same type in winter is to go to a spa and enjoy their outdoor facilities.
The best: The Bota Bota at the Old Port of Montreal
The best of the best: go there when it's dark (from 4:30 p.m. in winter). And enjoy an evening with a view of the old illuminated buildings, whether from one of the outdoor jacuzzis or one of the indoor saunas.
What could be more invigorating than relaxing in super hot water with an outside temperature of -15, -20 on average?
A break from the constant hubbub of city construction
I'm speaking for Montreal here, but with the snow, what a joy not to hear jackhammers all day long!
No longer looking out the window and finding yourself facing the crack of the buttocks of construction workers, mmmm, what a pleasure for the eyes 🙂
And to no longer see these orange cones spoiling the majority of the city's roads.
So yes, you know, it's temporary. Because as soon as the snow starts to melt in April and the temperatures rise, they're back just as quickly...
Personally, I have been surrounded by work around my house for 2 and a half years. When it is not in the street, it is my neighbors next door or across from my garden who are doing it.
So I welcome and enjoy this respite with great pleasure every year 🙂
Make way for guilt-free comfort food
Yes, you are still far from the summer body to maintain (except for a trip to the sun planned to cut the cold of course). Winter and the cold on the contrary lead to making good comforting and heavy dishes as we like them: raclette, fondue, tartiflette, poutine (for the most daring^^). And no guilt to have: The cold burns more calories, in particular the snow removal in front of your door or clearing your car every day or almost. It is a sport in itself.
Walking outside at -30 degrees gives you all the cardio you need, just like an indoor sport. So we're having fun and you'll start paying attention again as soon as the snow starts to melt (you have some time, the season is just starting, see you in 5 months).
Filling your belly at the sugar shack
To finish on comfort food, winter is also synonymous with unifying activities to do with family or friends around large tables: sugar shacks.
At the sugar shack, the meal invariably begins with a generous portion of pea soup with pork shank. Several traditional dishes follow, such as baked ham, omelette or scrambled eggs, sausages, tourtière (the famous meat pie), baked beans, cretons (a type of pork pâté) and "criss ears", fried pork rind.
All of these dishes are prepared with maple syrup. You absolutely must pour syrup on everything, even on your buttered slice of bread.
Spend the end-of-year holidays in a setting of circumstances
For newcomers, of course winter in Quebec brings the possibility of spending the holiday season in the snow, as described and imagined in Christmas films and books.
(Well, we got had several years in a row, I won't hide it, or more and more often at Christmas, it's not " cold " and no snow falling. We are far from the -40 I had during my first winter 5 years ago ^^)
But it still remains a change of scenery for any new expat or vacationer present in Quebec at this time of year.
And you, what are your plans for this winter?
