Le Massif overlooking the St. Lawrence River - photo: Benjamin Gagnon

Late January update: Le Massif has a 330cm base, powder and groomed ski conditions is the latest report. If you are headed to Quebec for Bonhomme Carnivale, this is a great side trip!

What do Le Massif (french for “The Massive”) and the Cirque du Soleil have in common? Le Massif, a ski hill east of Quebec City is owned by Cirque du Soleil co-founder, Daniel Gauthier. Through my volunteer work with a large Canadian travel media association, I had the pleasure of meeting Dany Gauthier in Quebec City earlier this year. He’s good looking and fit as a fiddle and I couldn’t resist asking him if he had once been an acrobat (thinking Cirque du Soleil). He chuckled and told me that no, his role with Cirque had been more as a bean counter.

Helicopter ride over the St. Lawrence River

Later, my colleagues and I flew in Dany’s private helicopter. Flying just above the icy St. Lawrence, the pilot hugged the mountainous shoreline all the way to Le Massif. It’s popular with Quebec City area skiers, but few outside of Quebec have ever heard of the place. That’s about to change. Le Massif and nearby Baie St. Paul, a picturesque town on the St. Lawrence, are about to become Canada’s next big ski destination. But not just any ski destination. With Gauthier at the helm, this one is expected to have a creative flair not seen in the ski world before. Baie St. Paul is, after all, the birthplace of the Cirque du Soleil. Gauthier and his busker buddies hatched the Cirque idea in a youth hostel here while performing at a local buskerfest. If Dany Gauthier has his way, Le Massif and Baie St. Paul will not only deliver great skiing but will be a feast for all the senses.

Town of Baie St. Paul, Quebec

93 kilometers (58 miles) from Quebec City may seem like a crazy distance to get to in the height of winter (this region gets a ton of snow) but Gauthier has negotiated a deal with a railway. A new tour train will run along a stretch of existing track that hugs that same shoreline we flew over from Quebec City to Baie St. Paul. The scenery is drop dead gorgeous and I’m willing to bet the train will become an instant hit. Other forms of transportation planned for the project include dogsleds and electric cars. The Farm, a unique resort complex being built in Baie St. Paul is lean in terms of size and that’s for a reason. Gauthier is committed to sustainable development so, the resort is slated to be low density and energy efficient with spectacular views of the St. Lawrence River and the Farm’s working fields. There will also be a spa, a Farmer’s Market selling locals’ fare year round and of course, a new, spectacular train station. The Farm opens in summer 2011 and the entire operation is expected to be fully operational by 2013.

But the Cirque du Soleil and Dany Gauthier’s connection to Baie St Paul are not the town’s only claims to fame. This was a favourite destination of Canada’s famous Group of Seven painters too. Le Massif and Baie St. Paul sit on the doorstep of Charlevoix, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The 6000 square kilometre region is Canadian Shield, the oldest rock formation on earth. 350 million years ago a 15 billion ton meteor slammed into the earth here creating a crater 56 kilometres wide. Besides its beauty, Charlevoix’s reputation as  a foodie destination was around long before everyone in the tourism business starting pitching destinations as such. The Quebecois are like their cousins across the Atlantic. Their ability to prepare great food comes naturally.

Late-season calm at Dorset on Lake of Bays

We did a road trip to the northeastern part of Muskoka near Algonquin Park, Ontario in September. Our base was the Foxwood Resort on Lake of Bays, a big lake with five hundred kilometres of shoreline. Canadian Thanksgiving is this weekend and at Foxwood, it’s possible to cook your own turkey. The resort has cottages with fully equipped kitchens. This is the perfect time to travel Canada especially if you love a good road trip. Resort rates are lower than the busy summer season, especially in mid week, and the traffic is light.

Some serious fly-in transportation at Bigwin Island Golf Club

Lake of Bays is crystal clear. Its headwaters are the rivers and lakes of Algonquin Park. We toured a good portion of the lake by boat. It is beautiful and I hope it remains that way. Some summer residents seem bent on building HUGE “cottages” but at least the bulk of what we saw were tasteful in design. Many have also built elaborate boathouses. We saw several of these on our tour. We also passed the Bigwin Island Golf Club and its signature 18th golf hole. I was amazed at how much of the old Bigwin Inn is still standing, but Rob, our guide, says it has been condemned and will likely be torn down. Too bad. During the big band era, it was THE place to be. The old Bigwin water tower will likely stay and that’s a good thing. The tower is a reference point on this lake of many bays which we discovered is easy to get turned around on. The Dorset Fire Tower is another landmark you can see from the water. It’s popular with road trippers, especially in fall.  You can actually climb the tower and if you can handle heights, it’s worth the small price of admission. The view is out of this world.

One of many trophies at Robinson’s General Store in Dorset – 41 inches, 35 pounds, caught by Jack Bramm on Lake of Bays in 1966

We also stopped in the little village of Dorset and had an ice cream cone and checked out Robinson’s General Store. It has been operating since 1921 and sells everything under the sun.

The Bigwin steamboat being renovated

Dorset is photogenic, so if you like snapping pix, this is one town not to miss. While we were there we caught up with Bruce Davidson, a boat builder/local carpenter at the Lake of Bays Marine Museum. He’s helping restore The Bigwin, a 1920s steamer yacht that once ferried passengers across the lake from Dorset to Bigwin Island. The Bigwin sat on the bottom of  the lake until a short time ago. You can see its restoration in progress at the museum and if you feel so inclined make a cash donation to help the local heritage boat society complete its project.

Lake of Bays is Canadian Shield country – craggy outcrops of rock, towering white pine along rocky shoreline, all set against brilliant blue skies. My kind of place.

This post is supported by canada boat operator card.