Only an hour north from Mont-Sainte-Anne, in the Charlevoix region, is Le Massif Ski Resort. Le Massif. is spectacular - you will see the St. Lawrence River from the high points of this resort, as many of the runs have a vantage point to give you an incredible view. It appears that the water lapping at the shoreline lies directly below the base of the mountain.
In actuality, it is a few kilometres away. However, you can certainly get a good view of commercial tanker ships going up and down the St. Lawrence River as you plunge down the slopes. This mountain is the highest in Québec and one of the most popular in eastern North America. It has a vertical drop of more than 2,500 ft. with the longest run taking you along 2.36 miles of trail in deep snow. Le Massif also has unlimited runs for snowboarding.
Make sure you bring a good pair of sunglasses, as the sun shines brightly and creates a sparkle on the bright blue water in the St. Lawrence River. There is also a strong glare coming off of the snow when the sun is out. The river does have ice floating in it, but it does not freeze over.
Le Massif stands in the area of Charlevoix, which is also a great region for cross-country skiing. There is plenty of snow here and many kilometres of trails that require beginner to intermediate skill levels. The trails begin very close to Quebec City and wander for long distances, both close to the banks of the St. Lawrence River and points north and northeast. Where cross-country skiing is possible, you will also find dog-sledding, snowmobiling and snowshoeing.