After a year of trying to get here, and delays due to COVID-19, I finally had the opportunity to experience some of the great activities offered by Aventures Plein Air at the beautiful Auberge du Lac Morency in Saint-Hippolyte, which is approximately 1 hour from the Montreal airport.
I opted to spend one night in Montreal prior to heading to the resort and my included shuttle picked me up on time at my hotel in downtown Montreal (they also do airport pick-ups). My driver, Michel, was on time, friendly and knowledgeable and answered my million question on the areas we passed on the drive to the resort with patience and a smile. And he even stopped at a grocery store so I could stock up on some snacks and wine for the room. Upon arrival, I was greeted by smiles from everyone I met, and I continued to see this same friendly welcome to all guests throughout my stay there. Before checking in to my room, I quickly met with Alex of Aventures Plein Air who gave me the run down of my schedule for my stay as my package included breakfast and dinner, an ATV excursion with a visit to the dogs at the Dog Sled Kennel, an off road jeep ride, a surprise/bonus Canicross experience, a few hours at the adults only spa and a one hour massage.
My room was the Comfort Plus room, and was perfect for me, and even came with a wine opener and wine glasses….very important:) The resort itself is beautiful with numerous room types from one like mine all the way up to multi-bedroom 2 storey condos with full kitchens, and has so many inclusions for you to use free of charge: swimming pool; beach volleyball; tennis; mini-putt; horseshoe pit; giant chess board; basketball board; axe throwing; paddle boats; paddle boards; canoes; kayaks; hiking trails; and of course, the beautiful beach with numerous chairs. There is also an Adults Only Spa area with indoor and outdoor pool; numerous outdoor hot tubs; decking with chairs; steam room; sauna; gym, etc. They even have a wedding chapel right on the beach if a beachfront wedding is something you’re dreaming of.
My 1st day included an ATV excursion, off road jeep ride and pontoon/party boat ride with Erik as my guide, and I could not have asked for a more patient, friendly person to help me experience all of this, especially since I had not done any off-road ATV-ing since I was in my teens so I was a bit nervous. After a bit of a practice run on the ATV, we were off and Eric was great about going my speed, not his, and not once did I feel like I had to keep up, or push myself to go faster than I was comfortable going and because of that, I was able to relax and enjoy the ride the way it should be enjoyed. The ATV or Jeep excursion includes a run through the numerous trails, a stop at Beaver Lake, another stop at the lookout with an amazing view, and a stop at the kennels to meet the 120 sled dogs and one of their handers, Maude, who took the time to take me to meet all the dogs and provide a tour and explanation of all that they do there, how they pair the dogs, etc. – I could have stayed there for days listening to Maude talk about the dogs and her job – her passion for her job was so great to see. **Note: The ATV or Jeep can be driven by you, by your guide, or by whomever you are with. They also do not mix groups, so you will only be with the people that you came with.
My 2nd day included my surprise/bonus Canicross experience which I absolutely loved, and an afternoon in the Adults Only outdoor spa followed by a massage. I won’t go into too much detail on what Canicross is as you can click on the link I included to see, but I will say that I loved every minute of this, and was gifted a harness for my own dog Pia and have since ordered the harness for me so that I can start doing this with her. Anyone that knows Pia, knows that this is going to be the perfect way for me to walk (hike) with her and I am actually looking forward to my walks (hikes) with her now instead of dreading them. The Adults Only outdoor spa area is beautiful, with numerous hot tubs, decks and chairs, a fire pit, access to the lake, steam room, and inside is another sauna, a gym and a pool. They also offer a full service spa which is where I thoroughly enjoyed my one hour massage.
The food! Yum! It’s a good thing this was an active vacation as the food was so good that I’m afraid I had zero control and may have eaten more than I should have. My package came with breakfast and dinners, and all the meals I ate were tasty, and big – I definitely never walked away hungry. The restaurant at the resort, like a lot of places post COVID, was experiencing a shortage in staff and the restaurant was closed for dinner on my last night so I was taken in to the nearby town for a delicious Italian dinner at a local restaurant.
I loved every single minute of this trip and I will definitely be a return customer at this property, and my next visit will be in the winter so I can experience their winter activities like snowmobiling, ice fishing, and most importantly, mushing my own team of dogs.
If you are looking for a quick getaway that is a bit “outside the box,” then this is property has your name all over it. I offer several “pre packaged” trips (see below) to this property, but I can also work with you to build you a package that is exactly what you want…perhaps a longer stay, additional activities, a wedding, family reunion or corporate event…whatever you want for your trip here I can help you plan.
Pre-Packaged Trips
Laurentian Living - 2 Nights **View Trip Here**
Summer Fever – 6 Nights **View Trip Here**
Winter Wonderland Adults Only – 2 Nights **View Trip Here**
Off Road & Spa Adults Only – 2 Nights **View Trip Here**
Interested in booking a package here? Want more detailed information? Use this Contact Form or Email Me to have me call you, or call me direct at 807-476-5957.
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