Saint Hippoliyte, Canadá

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Located in the Laurentian Mountains, Saint Hippolyte, Québec, is Canada’s answer to the French alpine resorts that Royal Holiday members have seen in film for decades. However, Saint Hippolyte is a quarter of a day’s drive from Boston and features modern comforts alongside the rustic luxury that vacationers expect from a mountain getaway. Providing fun throughout the year and across the seasons, the Laurentian Mountains offer every kind of outdoor adventure, and the comfortable resort life will bring true relaxation. For those looking for more excitement, Saint Hippolyte is located less than an hour from the bustle of Montreal and the nearby European-flavored town of St. Sauveur, which makes it an excellent home base for any Royal Holiday member looking to experience the unique charms of Québec.

Royal Holiday affiliates with one of Saint Hippolyte’s finest resorts, Auberge du Lac Morency, or the Inn of Lake Morency, which provides members with the opportunity to experience French-style resort comforts without the need for a transatlantic voyage. With accommodations featuring separate living rooms complete with roaring fireplaces and kitchen facilities, as well as the in-hotel restaurant La Chaumière, guests will have all the comforts one can expect from a mountain retreat. One can take in the magnificent views of the nearby lake while dining at the on-deck barbecue or enjoy the comforts of a luxury spa that the Auberge du Lac Morency provides.

If one can escape the comforts of the hotel, however, a world of natural adventure awaits, as the Laurentian Mountains are a year-round wonderland. In the summer, Royal Holiday members can take in the sights from a paddleboat or kayak on Lake Morency, fish from the docks on the shore, or relax on freshwater beaches. Sporting, either wakeboarding on the lake or taking a guided hike through the mountain, is easily available for those looking for more adventure. Winter brings snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, as well as downhill and alpine excitement, while the icy lake provides an excellent venue for ice skating and, at a nearby rink, hockey.

Those looking to enjoy creature comforts off-mountain will want to visit St. Sauveur, a nearby town that may have been plucked from Europe and relocated to Canada. The trip from Saint Hippolyte to St. Sauveur itself, which takes place on winding roads through the French Canadian countryside, makes the journey worthwhile, but St. Sauveur has many delights for Royal Holiday members looking for resort town fun. Featuring excellent dining options, charming shopping opportunities, and Parisian-style outdoor cafes, St. Sauveur brings the sophistication of France within easy reach of tourists.

Meanwhile, urbanites looking to reconnect with their inner city-dweller would do well to take the road from Saint Hippolyte to Montreal, Québec’s largest city and one of the biggest urban centers in North America. In addition to all the happening nightlife spots, top restaurants, and major event spaces that one expects from a major city, Montreal has a number of unique charms. Visitors will want to see the world’s largest inclined tower at the city’s Olympic Park, explore the Musée des Beaux-Arts Montreal or McGill University’s Musee Redpath, and take a trip to the Basilique Notre-Dame de Montreal.