GREAT SNOWMOBILING AT SAINT RAYMOND, QUEBEC!
The people of Quebec have a passion for the sport of snowmobiling. It was fun for me to travel to the town of Saint Raymond for three exciting days of riding on their comprehensive trail system. It was very easy to fly to Quebec City from my hometown of Thunder Bay. You have your choice of many flights on Air Canada, West jet or Porter. After leaving at 8 am I was in the beautiful Quebec City terminal building at 12:30 and ready to begin my adventure.
Annie Martel of the Development Office of Saint Raymond was there to meet me and we began our 40 minute drive east to Saint Raymond with lots of snow evident on the ground. Our first stop was to the Hotel Roquement which features 44 rooms including 17 brand new with a recent addition, as well as dining area, bar and even a gated compound to store your snowmobile. This hotel caters very much to the snowmobiler and offers packages that feature breakfast and dinner included. This very nice property is located right on the trail that allows you to explore 500 km in Saint Raymond alone!
Our first ride was to Lake Edward, 160 kilometers one way up into the mountains to Demain Lake Edward. The day was bright and sunny, about -9 degrees Celsius and our group of 11 was ready to put on some kilometers! The first thing I noticed riding was the excellent marking of the trails. You had signage everywhere you needed and this makes you feel more comfortable riding in a new area. Of course our guide today was the local Snowmobile Club President who knew the trails like the back of his hand and also had a GPS mounted on his sled!
“We are in Port Neuf Capital National, the 03 region which used to be called Quebec. In Saint Raymond we have 500 kms of trail and the district has 7 or 8 clubs. The snow conditions have been excellent and were open before Christmas time. We can get 250 cm to 400 cm of snow per year,” said Christine Clouthier, General Manager of Development for Saint Raymond- Residential, Commercial and Tourism. “The trails are groomed 4 times a week and kept it in good condition with 10 volunteers and 4 groomers. In the town the trail is on the old railroad track and in the summer becomes a bicycle trail. We have people coming here to ride from Ontario, Vermont, Maine and New York. They come back year after year because we have lots of snow and they like the conditions. Also they can do some loops and come back to the same hotel every night if that is what they prefer. There is even a storage location for snowmobiles you can rent near our town offices. We have Americans who store their sleds there and come here 5 or 6 times a year, buy a trail pass and ride.”
Our next day’s ride was to include an overnight trip to Lac St Jean and the Mont Valin but the rain meant we decided to stay closer to home. It was fun to ride the trails near Saint Raymond and one stop was to an ice fishing area, which is a passion here. It was a carnival atmosphere on the ice and the beaver tail sugary treat was excellent.
My last riding day included a ride to Duchnesnay Station Touristique that is a 5 star hotel that used to host the famous ICE Hotel operation in Quebec. Their buffet breakfast is well known and was a real treat to experience. The food options are great in Quebec and the people are very passionate about their food.
My last night’s stay in Saint Raymond would be at the historic La Bastide bed and breakfast. This 110-year-old property features 7 rooms each with their own bathroom and fine dining at it’s best. It is located in the village setting of Saint Raymond and snowmobilers can ride their sleds right to the back door. La Bastide offers snowmobiler packages including breakfast and a 5-course fine dining experience if you choose. It is a fun place to stay and offers a contrast to the traditional hotel setting of today.
My trip to Saint Raymond was excellent and included 600 Kilometers of great snowmobiling. The people here were a highlight of the trip. The small town nature of the area meant everyone you met was very genuine and ready to help at all times. Their goal is to make your time there special!