The abundance of lakes and rivers in and around Mont-Tremblant ensures that there is always a place for summertime paddling. In a community like ours, focused on enjoying the outdoor life, even if you don’t have a canoe or kayak … your neighbor does.

Warm weather

My husband and I live in Brébeuf on the edge of the Rouge River. A dozen or so cottages share nearly a kilometre of sandy beachfront. A few of us are full-time residents, others come and go throughout the season. It’s the same families that have been sharing the quiet and solitude of Domaine Alarie since my husband was eight years old… just about six decades ago.

From the end of May through late October, a cluster of canoes and kayaks litter the shared shore. And while it is always an adventure to canoe during the spring thaw when the river swells, there is nothing quite like time spent on the river as the summer temperatures soar.

Nature’s gifts

Unlike my husband, I am not a skilled canoeist. But that’s part of the joy of the sport. You don’t have to have a Ph.D. in paddling to enjoy time on the water. I prefer to paddle upstream to start. That way, you get the work in first and the return home travelling downstream is more relaxing. What’s more, I have time to ooh and awe at nature on the way back.

The lush green landscape of our short summer is nothing short of breathtaking. Wildlife sightings from the water are always a treat. I’ve watched beavers at work, a long-legged heron taking a break, geese making an almost-choreographed landing on the water, and fawns bounding in the shallows on a hot summer day.

Give yourself a gift, and spend some time paddling for pleasure this summer.

More from this author by clicking on her photo below.