Host to several national cross-country championships and boasting Canada’s highest night skiing vertical, Mont Sainte Anne ski resort also has 56 commendable pistes and a top rate snow park. The resort is situated near old Québec City, North America’s only walled city and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Mont Sainte Anne isn’t a huge resort in terms of facilities, but it does have an excellent ski school, childcare, accommodation and shopping, whereas those who prefer a lively après-ski and more of a choice of accommodation should head for Québec City.

Mont-Sainte-Anne’s 56 runs are rated 23 per cent for beginners, 46 per cent for intermediates, 18 per cent for the advanced, and 13 per cent for experts. The longest piste is 5.8kms, and 13 assorted lifts move 18,500 people per hour up the 600-metre vertical. Cross-country skiers have the bulk of the terrain, with 223kms of groomed trails for classic striders and a further 125kms for skaters at Mont Sainte Anne Cross Country Centre.

Other winter activities and facilities at Mont Sainte Anne include: snowshoeing, dog-sledding, ice-skating, skidooing, snowmobiling and paragliding. A sports centre and bowling alley are also available; while the après-ski comprises 26 restaurants and several bars.

The November to April ski season at Mont Sainte Anne has its best natural snow conditions in February, as well as snowmaking facilities throughout the season. A combination of flying to Québec City’s Jean Lesage International Airport and taking advantage of quick transfer times by share taxi is the most practical travel option to Mont-Sainte-Anne.