Skating is one of the cheapest and most accessible activities for children and adults. Put on your skates and follow us on the ice.
By Frédérique Sauvée, outdoor activities contributor
By far the most magical rink in Quebec is the “Domaine de la Forêt Perdue” in Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel. This ice labyrinth leads you through a beautiful pine forest with more than 10 km of icy trails maintained by a real Zamboni. While the parents explore the maze together, the children stop and feed the deer and pet the small farm animals.
For those who do not like to skate in circles, make your way to the ice trail on the Assomption River in Joliette. Known as the longest skating rink on a river in Quebec, the permanently frozen river lets you skate for a 9km roundtrip accessible from multiple entry points and bordered by a snow path, for those who prefer to keep their walking boots.
And for the city people who want to skate close to home, there are several classic rinks in Montreal: the Beaver Lake skating rink on top of Mount Royal, the skating rink at Park Lafontaine or the refrigerated and festive skating rink at the Basin Bonsecours. For residents of Quebec, we think of the lovely skating rinks at “Place D’Youville” and “Lac Beauport”. And in the Gatineau and Ottawa area visit the immense Rideau Canal and its long ribbon of ice in the heart of the city’s historic district.
Info:
www.domainedelaforetperdue.com
Frédérique Sauvée is never far from her suitcase or her walking boots. She travels through North America, her adopted continent, from the borders of Alaska to New Orleans and this, of course, by passing through Quebec in search of destinations and inspiring stories.