Laurentians, road trip in Quebec and a nature break among friends

Final stop of our winter road trip in Quebec: the Laurentians. After experiencing thrilling emotions and some romance, we conclude this journey by visiting friends. A warm atmosphere, marked by shared laughter and logs in the fireplace...

That's what these deer seemed to tell us as they awaited us by the roadside! As François slowed the car before reaching their level, one crossed first, leaving the other three behind. Completely stopped, we waited for the stragglers to follow suit, but they appeared frozen, if not from the cold then by the fear we inspired in them. We moved slowly to give them a clear path and parked a bit further down the road, out of their sight. No sooner had we exited the car without making a sound than we saw all three leap gracefully over the snow mound at the roadside. Eagerly, they joined the first deer. As a complete family, we stayed for a few more minutes to observe them discreetly, with François camera in hand... Until I couldn't hold back a joyful exclamation:

My version of the story is that these words slipped out between my lips despite myself, pushed by an overwhelming inner joy at this adorable scene. François has a totally different version. Excited as a flea, apparently, I was unable to stay still for more than 10 seconds, and those few words were far from a discreet whisper but closer to a shout... I'll let you choose your version!

Nonetheless, after that, the deer all lifted their heads at the same time, looked in our direction, and dashed in the opposite direction, down a narrow path into the forest. The moment of magic was already over. But what a beautiful introduction and warm welcome in the Laurentians!

The first friends we are going to meet are new friends, met in Brussels thanks to a mutual friend. It's Chris and Lena, who are in Canada for several months. They are spending the winter in a large house in the middle of nowhere, with the garden overlooking the frozen lake. What a beautiful playground! A house, as they will explain to us, that they are watching over during the winter, the owners having preferred to spend the season warm in Florida. It's the principle of house sitting, which we had already discovered through other blogger friends like Lucie and Alizé and Max. A concept we would be quite tempted to try ourselves...

Anyway, we arrive at Chris and Lena's, leaving the well-plowed main road to take a less traveled street. I sense François's jaws tightening and his hands gripping the steering wheel more firmly. Senses alert, I watch for both the house number and any suspicious noise or sliding... When we finally find the path to the house, François is far from relaxing. If the color of the street until then was a strong white, that of the path is even more immaculate. You can see the light powdery snow not yet packed on what seems to have been covering the ground for months. We enter, skate a bit, but make progress, until we reach the parking space in front of the porch. Maneuvering, reversing to get in the right direction... and then everything stops. The car has decided it won't go any further. Stuck in the middle of the passage, it seems to tell us that it has already made enough effort and we're not going to argue over a few last inches. I am so happy to see this welcoming large house in front of me that I brush aside this annoyance like chasing away a fly. Yes, of course, that can wait. François struggles more to let go but eventually follows me grumbling under his breath.

Ding dong. Hugs. Snow-filled boots left at the entrance. Warm cup in hand. We're good!

We spend a few days with Chris and Lena, following the rhythm of the sun, meals, drinks, brunches, conversations, whistling kettles, movie nights, or board games... A few rejuvenating days, as if nothing else in the world mattered except the present moment, the dazzling light over the snow covering the lake, and the pleasure of chatting.

After a few days and a brief stop in Montreal, we head back to the Laurentians with our friend Jennifer and her boyfriend. We will spend the night in Saint-Sauveur at Domaine Nymark, at the foot of Mont Saint-Sauveur. I admit, this last stop of our Quebec road trip was entirely planned by Jennifer. So we confidently let her drive us to our cabin, which turned out to be more of a beautiful ground-floor apartment with a stunning view of the estate and ski slopes.

As we were comfortably settled in cozy chairs, a steaming cup of tea in hand, the fire crackling in the fireplace before us, we watched little colorful dots skiing down the slopes until nightfall and even beyond. A thought crosses my mind:

Chit chat by the fire, laughter, and conversations to change the world. A schedule that could have lasted a few more days...

What better way to end this trip to Quebec?

To book and compare prices for staying at Domaine Nymark, check out these links on Booking and on Agoda.

This pause in the Laurentians was our last stop before heading back to Montreal and then home. The last stage of this grand road trip in Quebec preceded by a stopover in Iceland and its memorable 3-day road trip...

A journey that felt both long and short, as it was filled with intense emotions and stunning images. Thank you to our friends who allowed us to finish this road trip on a warm note, leaving the country with smiles and the promise of seeing each other again...

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