In this series, I’ll introduce one fabulous destination and show you where to stay, savor, and play on two different budgets. Splurge-worthy picks are all about luxury resorts, fine dining, and individualized experiences while budget-friendly ideas offer bargain digs, cheap (but good) eats, and free or inexpensive activities to enjoy. I’ll provide money-saving tips (even for the splurges) and ensure that whatever your budget is, you’ll be able to make the most of your vacation.
Highlights of a Montebello, Quebec Vacation on Two Budgets
Wildlife encounters and immersive nature experiences combined with a bon vivant Quebecois culture add up to a vacation adventure to remember no matter what your budget.
Luxury
- Stay: A modern, luxurious chalet with two bedrooms, floor-to-ceiling windows and a balcony with a jacuzzi looking out to a panoramic view of the forest and the creatures that inhabit it. ($600)
- Savor: A gourmet, multi-course dinner at a quintessential French restaurant that serves up seasonal and local offerings. ($200)
- Play: A guided nature experience at a pristine 65,000-acre nature preserve. Options include clay shooting, ice fishing, dog sledding, fly fishing and canoeing. ($275)
Total cost: $1075 US for two people
Budget
- Stay: A kitted-out yurt in a beautiful, secluded wilderness setting with a BBQ, wood stove, and fire pit along with free access to paddle boards, kayaks and hiking/cross-country skiing trails. ($120)
- Savor: An elevated version of a classic Quebecois dish served with a local craft brew at a popular eatery. ($40)
- Play: A safari drive through a 2,225-acre reserve to marvel up close at some of Canada’s most iconic wildlife. ($65)
Total cost: $225 US for two people
Stay: Where to sleep in Montebello, Quebec
Our splurge-worthy choice is a Panoramic Chalet at Parc Omega ($600), the newest accommodation offered at the property. Floor-to-ceiling windows take up the entire back wall of these beautifully designed chalets. Outside each of the 14 units is a large patio with a hot tub looking out at the forest (we saw a herd of five deer foraging on the shrubs when we arrived). The design is modern yet comfortable with two bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, and a living area with a fireplace. Amenities include a Nespresso machine, BBQ, hot tub and a fire pit.
A bucket-list luxurious option at Parc Omega is a wolf cabin ($700), whose panoramic windows allow close observation of a pack of these elusive animals.
SheBuysTravel Money-saving Tip: With these spacious accommodations, consider sharing with friends. The price includes admission to the driving safari for all guests, which means that the cost to stay in luxury per person can be very reasonable.
An alternative splurge-worthy choice is the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello. Dubbed the world’s largest log cabin, this historic resort overlooks the Ottawa River. It offers a smorgasbord of year-round activities including swimming, curling, ice-skating, mountain biking and cross-country skiing.
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Our budget-friendly recommendation is a yurt at Kenauk Nature, a 65-000-acre private nature reserve in a pristine wilderness setting. A yurt may seem rustic, but these roomy dwellings are more glamping than camping with two levels, a propane stove for cooking, a wood stove for heating, a BBQ and even an indoor composting toilet. Outside are Adirondack chairs next to a fire pit that looks out at a bubbling creek. The star attraction though is the wilderness that surrounds the secluded accommodation with its miles of multi-use trails and 60 lakes for boating and fishing. Guests also have complimentary access to the center’s paddleboards, canoes, and kayaks to enjoy it all ($125).
If yurting is too much outdoor adventure for you, another option in town is the Motel Bel-Eau, which offers clean and comfortable basic rooms in a prime location ($115).
Savor: Where to eat in Montebello, Quebec
A French life’s-too-short-not-to-enjoy-good-food attitude prevails just as strongly in Quebec as in France. This translates to delectable culinary experiences from fine dining and divine pastries to creamy cheeses and rich comfort foods.
For a splurge-worthy dinner, head to Le Napoleon Bistronomie Quebecoise, where you’ll find exceptional cuisine in an intimate atmosphere. The menu highlights local and seasonal ingredients in dishes that are as creative as they are flavourful ($100).
Another decadent splurge though more in terms of calories than your wallet is the Le croissant au S’mores ($5) at La Belle Patisserie. Owner Sabrina Sigouin, whose artistic and mouth-watering creations have won multiple awards, serves up all kinds of delicious goodies in a bright and colorful cafe. But trust me on the S’mores croissant.
Sunday brunch at Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello ($70) is a massive spread of sweet and savory goodness, with regional specialities like roast bison, smoked salmon, local cheeses and charcuterie and maple crepes.
Budget-friendly options are numerous here in Montebello, especially if you’re visiting from the US with the current exchange rate. Restaurants on the main street like Le Zouk and Le Bistro are local favorites. The latter serves up Quebec’s signature concoction of fries, sauce, and squeaky cheese curds but adds an extra gourmet touch with its ‘Fois Gras Poutine’ ($15).
Speaking of cheese curds, Fromagerie Montebello is a family-owned business that uses a local farm to supply milk to produce their award-winning cheeses. Pick up some of their specialities at their shop along with other local artisanal products for a feast to go.
SheBuysTravel Tip: Though English is spoken widely in this area, especially in the shops and restaurants, a cheery ‘bonjour’ and a few polite phrases in French go a long way.
Play: What to do in Montebello, Quebec
Surrounded by the Laurentian Forest and countless lakes and rivers, it’s up to you how you want to enjoy this glacially sculpted playground.
For a splurge, join one of the guided adventures at Kenauk Nature. Adventurers can mush through snowy trails on a ‘Runner of the Wood Dog Sled’ tour ($140). Or test your reflexes with clay shooting on a nine-section course that simulates hunting small game ($90). For those seeking more tranquil pursuits, there are guided canoeing, fly-fishing and ice-fishing excursions.
Also worth the added expense is the VIP morning tour at Parc Omega, which allows entry before opening hours accompanied by a naturalist guide. You’ll learn more about native animals like wolves, bison, moose, and deer as you observe feedings and experience the inside operations of the reserve ($65).
But the self-driving trail safari ($32) also lets you experience the wonder of the wildlife up close. There are deer of all sizes from massive elk that are double the size of the cars to tiny Bambi-like fallow deer. Not shy at all, these does and bucks amble right up to the vehicles and happily accept carrots out of the window. I recommend bringing at least one bag of carrots for each person (they’re $3 a bag at the park or you can bring your own). But you’ll have to roll up your windows when you drive through other sections to observe the other native animals.
SheBuysTravel Money-saving Tip: Though Parc Omega has restaurants and snack bars, it’s also a perfect spot for a picnic. When you buy carrots for the deer, pick up your own provisions and enjoy them in the First Nations rest area, where there are tipi-shaped shelters near the water. Kids will also love the farmhouse with play areas and picnic tables. You can easily spend the whole day here with activities like hiking and snow tubing (no extra cost). Be sure to walk the scenic Indigenous trail, which features wooden sculptures and interpretive signs about the history and culture of Quebec’s First Nations.
Many of the best attractions in and around Montebello are very budget-friendly – -they’re free or have nominal costs. Plaisance National Park ($7 for adult day pass; free for youth under 17) offers multiple hiking and biking trails, including a marsh boardwalk. The star attraction at the park is Moulin Falls, a spectacular waterfall with a 120-foot drop.
Note: The park is fully operational only during the summer months. Trails are open in the winter but not maintained and passes are only available online.
In town, there are walking trails around Manoir Papineau, a National Historic Site, right in the center of the village. The paths also lead to the grounds of the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello and the Ottawa River.
Right next to Manoir Papineau is the Montebello Tourist Office, housed in a log building that was the village’s former train station. You’ll definitely want to stop by. Not only does it provide information for visitors and have interpretive displays about the town’s history, it’s also a chocolate shop.
Continue to walk down Notre Dame Street and pop into its many galleries and artisan shops. But whether that’s budget-friendly or splurge-worthy depends entirely on your purchases.
SheBuysTravel Money-saving Tip: Pay in local currency and use a credit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. The average charge for US credit cards for international purchases is between 2% and 3%, which adds up.
Did you know…
- The town of Montebello bills itself as the log building capital of the world and the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello is the jewel in the wooden crown. Over 10,000 red cedar logs were used to build the world’s largest log cabin.
- Before becoming a hotel, it was an exclusive hunting and fishing club whose patrons included the likes of Joan Crawford, Bing Crosby, and Harry S. Truman.
- The forest at Kenauk Nature reserve along with the entire village of Montebello was once part of a seigneurial grant from King Louis XIV of France in the 17th century.
- There were only four seigneurs (lords) of the domain, including Louis-Joseph Papineau, a politician and one of the leaders of the 1837 Rebellions.
- Because the parcel of land was maintained as a single entity with minimal human operations for 350 years, the wilderness at Kenauk is remarkably pristine with a rich flora and fauna biodiversity.
- You can see six species of deer at Parc Omega: fallow deer, white-tailed deer, red deer, caribou (also known as reindeer), elk, and moose.
When you go: Located between the Ottawa River and the Laurentian Mountains in the belle Outaouais region of southwestern Quebec, the best way to reach Montebello is by car. The closest airports are Ottawa (a 60-minute drive) and Montreal (a 90-minute drive).
Note: All prices are in US dollars.
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