In my high school French textbooks, I’ve read about the Winter Carnival in Quebec. Since then, I’ve wanted to experience it and see the famous Bonhomme, the mascot of the festival. I’ve also always wanted to see the Ice Hotel because… well it’s a hotel made completely of snow and ice! Chris and I jumped on the opportunity when we saw a groupbuy for $350 a night (regular $600+). We booked the flights, a car rental and made our three day trip itinerary.

Day 1 – Saturday February 4, 2012

We flew early Saturday morning and arrive in Quebec at 10am. We checked into our hotel early and went to Hobbit Bistro Cafe for brunch. I had the Duck Confit Apple Omelette and Chris had the Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict. Both were good and filling.

We walked to the carnival grounds after and paid $13 for admission. There were lots of winter activities; dog sledding, snow rafting, snow tubing and ice slides on site. However, the line ups were long since it was the weekend. Chris and I managed to try the ice slide after a half hour wait. I was beating him from the push I got but his weight made him finish before me. Super fun!

We explored a ground looking at the amazing snow sculptures and snacked on frozen maple syrup and BeaverTails.

We also saw the Ice Castle and explored the inside which was semi-disappointing! Just a basic plastic walled dome but had some impressive ice sculptures and a fake Bonhomme to take pics with.

We drove to dinner in Old Quebec at ‘L’Échaudé. I got the steak and Chris got the beef tenderloin. Good but nothing super impressive. However, the Crispy Hot Smoked Salmon with Marinated Oyster Mushrooms was amazing!

We drove to Charlesboug to see the parade and I was determined to see Bonhomme. It was cold, crowded, loud with annoying vuvuzelas and McDonald’s took forever to make drinks but Chris and I stuck it out and got to see him. He’s kinda creepy like a serial killer.

One last stop before we called it a night! We went back to the festival to see the Ice Palace. Way less crowded and there was a outdoor dance party going on. We took a few pics and grabbed another BeaverTails pastry before calling it a night.

Day 2 – Sunday February 5, 2012

We got some yummy croissants from La Boîte du Pain and made way towards Mont Sainte Anne for a day of snowboarding. Along the way, we stopped at Montmorency Falls for a scenic stop. The falls were iced and it was neat to see. If we had more time, Chris and I would have walked to the bottom for a closer look.

Snowboarding at Mont Sainte Anne was amazing and so different from Ontario. The runs were longer, the snow was real and there were no crowds or human obstacles.

Chris somehow managed to wipe out on his last run. He was fine and having the time of his life.

We headed to Le Beffroi for a steak dinner. It was good but it didn’t blow me away. We drove around Old Quebec for a bit to see the streets decorated with lights. It was freezing cold and shops were closed so not many people were wandering around.

Our hotel for the night was the Hôtel de Glace. The carvings and sculptures were beautiful and impressive. Not to worry, the check in lobby, breakfast and washrooms are all indoors and heated.

We checked in at 9pm and was told our orientation would be 11pm. So we explored the hotel and took pictures everywhere. Our room was spacious and beautiful. I’m glad we got a themed suite because the basic room has nothing but plain snow walls and a bed.

 

We had our orientation on how to sleep in the mummy sleeping bag and keep warm. Definitely important to follow their instructions.

We headed to the ice bar after to get our free cocktails in an ice glass only to find it closed early. Bah! So, we went to the outdoor hot tubs and then got ready for bed. Sleeping was effortless at first but I woke up twice from being chilly! Maybe I didn’t follow the instructions properly or it was Chris’ snoring… But next time I’ll be more prepared with an extra sweater, face mask and wool socks/gloves.

Day 3 – Monday February 6, 2012

We woke up and explored the hotel during the day. What a difference! The hotel sparkled in the sunlight.

We had some extra time so we roamed around and saw all the other suites. Each of them was unique and just as impressive.

The ice hotel is a unique experience and totally worth it even with disturbed sleep. I highly recommend everyone to see it, even if you don’t sleepover.

Our plan was to go the Village de Valcartier, a snow tubing park with over 40 runs. Since it was a Monday, the park was quiet and there were no lines. It was a blast!

Chris kept falling while trying to get on the tube lift. It was jokes. Too bad I didn’t get a photo.

Before heading to the airport we went for smoked meat at Brynd. It was okay but it wasn’t even close to Schwartz’s from Montreal. We picked up macaroons and croissants from Pillard’s. The croissants were great but the macaroons were not comparable to Point G in Montreal.

In summary, it was the perfect winter escape to Quebec City. We made use of the snow and cold to the fullest. Such a great time with my love. Now I’m gonna see how Ottawa’s winterlude and Mont Tremblant stacks up during Family Day long weekend.