Quebec City Plus Skiing at Mont-Sainte-Anne

- like a mini-trip to Europe, plus a ski holiday

So near, and yet so far: Quebec City is just a few hundred miles from many places in the northeast US, yet travelers can feel as if they've crossed the Atlantic and landed in France.

"Old Quebec" has 400 years of history, and is the only walled city in North America; in fact, the town's a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Admire the massive stone gates, wander down lanes lined with shops and restaurants with names like Le Cochon Dingue ("The Crazy Pig", a good place for hot chocolate.)

French Canadian History, English Speakers Welcome: Quebec City was founded by a French explorer in 1608, and was an important part of France's vast holdings in North America. By 1763, however -- after a key battle in Quebec City-- the French territories in Canada came under British rule (as did most of the other French lands.)

French continued to be spoken, however, and today the province of Quebec is the only French-speaking province in Canada. Don't let language hold you back: the "Quebecois" (kay-bek-waw) extend a warm welcome, and those who work in tourism speak English.

For history buffs -- and Canadian schoolkids: several companies offer tours that includes the Plains of Abraham where the French and British fought (-- sounds biblical, but the fields simply belonged to a man named Abraham.)

Quebec City's tourist areas are compact; visitors can do most of their exploring on foot. When strolling in Old Quebec, don't miss this imaginative and interactive (and bilingual) Museum of Civilization, designed to fascinate kid visitors. For instance, one exhibit looked in-depth at dragons: from myths, to paleontology, to fantasy fiction. Admission cost to the museum is modest, and free for kids under 12.

Also fun, and just a few minute's walk from Old Quebec: take the short ferry ride across the St. Lawrence River and back. Especially fun in winter, when the river's full of ice!

A great time to visit is during Quebec Carnival: with Ice Palace, night parades, slides and snow rafting, concerts, snow sculptures, dogsledding, skating, and the beloved mascot of the Carnival, "Bonhomme".

Good Eats: Be sure to give your kids a chance to try poutine: french fries topped with cheese bits and covered with gravy; most fast food places serve poutine (-even chains like McDonald's.)

And as a treat for grownups: Quebec City has sophisticated restaurants, such as l'Utopie, with the latest trends such as "molecular gastronomy". (Sounds like a science lab, but dishes are visually impressive, imaginative, and delectable.)

When you're ready to hit the ski slopes, they're just a half-hour drive away. The route to Mont-Sainte-Anne is on flat roads, past farms and views of islands in the St. Lawrence River. A shuttle bus takes skiers from several Quebec City hotels for day trips. Some hotels have ski packages-- such as the charming Hotel Manoir Victoria (which also has a "Family Plan", with discounts on kids' meals, and kids under 18 free in parents' room.*)

Also within day-trip distance is Stoneham Ski Resort, with 30 trails just 20 minutes from Quebec City.

Mont-Sainte-Anne Ski Resort

Mont-Sainte-Anne is a mid-sized ski resort with over fifty runs; its 2065 feet of vertical drop is a good size for eastern Canada. Boarders can try the snow park and half-pipe. Cross-country skiers, meanwhile, can bliss out on Canada's largest cross-country area: 223 km of ski trails plus 125 kms of x-country skating trails.

A few nice features at Mont-Sainte-Anne:

• gondola - so nice in cold or snowy weather, especially when on the slopes with kids
• maple sugar shack, mid-way down an easy run: a big dollop of pure maple syrup gets poured onto a slab of snow; wait while the syrup hardens, then wrap it onto a stick. Sweet.
• free tours with Mountain Guides
• on-mountain restaurants with great views

Stay at Mont-Sainte-Anne

Visitors can stay right at the mountain, at the family-friendly Chateau Mont -Sainte-Anne: ski-in ski-out lodging, at the base of the lifts; loft-style rooms; and upscale high-design condos coming soon. Check the web site updates, and for packages.

At every ski resort these days, parents expect great programs for young skiers and boarders. Mont-Sainte-Anne has half and full-day programs for kids and teens 6 to 14, including multi-day camps during school break weeks; and for kids 3 to 6, a day-care camp with an introduction to skiing. (Always check web site for the latest programs.)

Mont-Sainte-Anne - Extra Fun

Mont-Sainte-Anne tends to open early in the ski season, and to stay open into April, so skiers and boarders get an extra couple of weeks. Also on the slopes, adventurous types can try paragliding ("parapente") from the top of the mountain; it's fun just to watch the daredevils take off. Other activities in the area include dog-sledding, ice-canyoning, ice-skating, snow-mobiling.

Also in the area -- and a highly recommended and unique experience-- is a "Nordic Spa". (You'll need to find a babysitter for the young'uns, though.) First, get hot in a steam bath or sauna, then plunge into cold water; afterwards, rest in a quiet room or rustic yurt with wood-stove; repeat the process three times. Guaranteed relaxation! The Zonespa Nordic Spa is a fine combination of rustic plus spa-type amenities.

*Always check web sites for updates!

As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accommodation for the purpose of review. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.