In all fairness, we had never even heard of Mont Tremblant until our friend Sylvia, better known to our boys as "Oscar's Mom," invited us to visit their summer haven for the weekend.
What? Visit our fancy Canadian friends in their fancy summer ski resort town? Yes, please!
We arrived hungry and ready for fun! First up, dinner at La Maison De La Crepe. Andrew dove right into a pizza crepe, while Max opted for the dessert variety. Whatever... we're on vacation!
The Canadians really have things figured out in this town, placing a variety of playgrounds outside of their many restaurants. No sooner had the boys polished off their crepes than they spied Oscar and brother, Henry, on the playground. Let the school buddies reunion begin!
Oscar is an honest-to-goodness Rubik's Cube genius. Want him to solve one blindfolded? Behind his back? No problem.
Bellies full and friends reunited, we accepted Sylvia's gracious invitation for a tour of the Mont Tremblant Village. First up, a mini-hike to a waterfall!
Next, a visit to Hatley for a few pairs of their famous pajamas! Max passed on the jammies at first, but took full advantage of their Adirondack chairs. From his comfy location he finally asked us to throw some bear pajamas and a fuzzy robe on the pile of our things at the check out counter... "Because bears are my spirit animal, Mama." Huh. Ok, then.
PJs in hand, we took the Panoramic Gondola over to the Casino, watching the sun set over the mountains along the way. Relaxing, right? Wrong. Somehow all of our kids, Sylvia's kids, and Sylvia's friend's kids ran into our Gondola right as the door closed. They laughed, one cried, and they all found it hysterical to scream at the top of their lungs. It was a loud, long ride.
Upon landing, the other adults felt badly/laughed hysterically, and offered us 10 minutes of free time in the Casino to make up for our Gondola babysitting. Mark got a kick out of blowing into the Breathalyzer at the front door... even though he was completely sober.
The next morning, we continued the Crepe theme with a visit to Catherine's Creperie. The crepes were delish but the best part was watching the chefs make them right before our eyes!
Having had his fill of crepes, Andrew spied waffles on the menu and ordered up his very own combination of both: A Waffle with Ham and Cheese. The staff giggled, but made it happen.
After breakfast, we headed over to Domaine Saint-Bernard Park to once again meet up with Oscar and Henry. As we approached the parking area, a very nice man speaking only French welcomed us with great enthusiasm. He excitedly pointed out different sections of the park, and provided us with a variety of information... none of which we understood. When he finally stopped talking, Mark asked "Parlez vous Anglais?"
The man, having realized he had spent all of his kind energy for no reason, quickly offered us a response.
Man: "Grilled cheese?"
April: "What?"
Man: "Grilled Cheese?"
Mark: "Yes, Grilled Cheese!"
April: "Mark, I'm sure he doesn't mean that."
An English speaking parking attendant overheard the conversation and, laughing, stepped in.
Man 2: "He'd like to know if you're here for the family picnic."
April: "No, just the playground."
Mark: "Picnic?"
April: "Mark, stop. There is no grilled cheese."
Disappointed, Mark was waived into the open parking area and we headed to the playground. More than your par-for-the-course swing set and slide, this utopia offered multiple play stations along a lakefront hike. Zipline, anyone? Labyrinth? Delightful!
April: "What?"
Man: "Grilled Cheese?"
Mark: "Yes, Grilled Cheese!"
April: "Mark, I'm sure he doesn't mean that."
An English speaking parking attendant overheard the conversation and, laughing, stepped in.
Man 2: "He'd like to know if you're here for the family picnic."
April: "No, just the playground."
Mark: "Picnic?"
April: "Mark, stop. There is no grilled cheese."
Disappointed, Mark was waived into the open parking area and we headed to the playground. More than your par-for-the-course swing set and slide, this utopia offered multiple play stations along a lakefront hike. Zipline, anyone? Labyrinth? Delightful!
For our last night in the mountains, we checked out the much-discussed fondue at La Savoie. Believe us when we tell you that this is much more than a few loaves of bread to dip in, what they refer to the American version as, "powdered cheese." This real-deal wheel of cheese, or Raclette, is placed beneath a giant toaster-like cheese-heater and then drips down onto whatever delightful vehicle you choose. Bread, yes. But perhaps you'd like to choose roasted or boiled fingerling potatoes? Wild rice? A selection of sliced meats? Vegetables? The list goes on an on.
Not to disappoint, the playground back at our campsite held its own as well. Who doesn't love a pirate-themed fort?
Au Revoir, Mont Tremblant! We're on our way to Montreal!
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