Hand-sewn trails in Mont-Tremblant

“I gave your name to try out the new double diamond trails in Mont-Tremblant,” my editor-in-chief simply wrote to me. I admit it, I got a little scared when I learned that there would be these jumps, gaps and other outcrops of rock...

This article first appeared in the excellent magazine Vélo Mag, August 2021 edition.

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The name Tremblant has been synonymous with downhill skiing for decades. But the excellent work of developing the mountain bike network by the City of Mont-Tremblant is changing tourism in the region. “Summer is now as busy as winter!” testifies Marie-Josée Labbé, the owner of the MontTremblant hotel, located in the heart of the old village. We do not look long for the reason: half of the cars have bike racks. With good reason: the mountains are criss-crossed by no less than 70 km of trails maintained by the City.

Maxime Dorais and Marc-André Gagné – respectively director of communications and culture and leisure manager – welcome me with open arms to their huge playground. The day will truly be one of discovery since the duo even unearthed us – for my sweetheart, who jumped at the chance to accompany me, and myself – two electric fatbikes to better explore the many miles of mountain bike trails. This is the first time we'll try the plump tires paired with pedal assist.

Gabrielle and I, with our hosts Marc-André and Maxime, on the Jackrabbit bridge.

rapid rise

The engine in mode Eco – the first of the four functions –, we approach at full speed the turns and bumps of the pleasant and horizontal Les Pins Est track from the parking lot of the tourist office, located on Montée Ryan, to the intermediate sector a little further north. In no time, we have already climbed the kilometer of climbing leading us to the summit via the Les Pins Ouest and Deer Mountain trails. Hearing our guests in the distance running out of breath on their bikes without assistance, we realize all the effort made by the engine rather than by our calves. 

There is not one type of bike better than another, rather various uses. And electric bikes, once looked down upon by purists, certainly have their place on the trails as well as on the road. The motor acts like a great equalizer, and I've seen couples, families, and friends ride their bikes at the same pace despite their difference in VO₂max.

scrapie

Our single suspension mounts do not allow us to hurtle down the new Tremblante track, the famous new double diamond. At least that's the version I unsuccessfully try to make the brothers believe. Billy et James Bezeau-Tremblay. The two daredevils have agreed to serve as models for the ten obstacles decorating the 600-meter descent built by the company MSS Bike Park based in Saint-Sauveur.

A reconnaissance descent is normally preferred, but the brothers skip this stage, considering that James himself worked on the layout. Crossing the multiple jumps easily and gently, Billy, all smiles, congratulates his younger brother on the flow of the path, even taking the time to give a victory sign with his fingers in mid-flight over a ditch. To see them fly away on the shark's fin (sharkfin), the flagship module of the Tremblante combining jump and elevated turn, is highly poetic.

James at full speed in a hairpin bend.

Billy Bezeau-Tremblay perfectly masters the jumps of Tremblante.

along the river

We leave the Bezeau-Tremblay up towards the coast in Cody and the Envoye down, two other expert trails starting from the same place as the Tremblante. The Jazz, classified as intermediate, is less steep and allows almost everyone to take advantage of this drop.

On our side, my three companions and I continue north for a completely different section of the great network. We follow a few tracks towards the wide wooden Jackrabbit bridge, where a good number of cyclists and walkers converge and stop to admire the noisy waters of the Devil's River. To the west of the bridge are several intermediate caliber runs: the Boneyard, the Cachée, the Sciotte. The Lynx, on the other hand, seduces by the fact that it closely follows the soothing river.

An artist's work

While driving, Maxime Dorais and Marc-André Gagné talk to me with passion and pride about their network. Not without reason. Not only is this one extremely well designed and varied, but it's free. It is the organism Cycling Mont-Tremblant who oversees the maintenance and creation of trails on city land. “In addition to growing demand, one of the reasons for the creation of double diamond tracks, they explain to me, is that cyclists were already using “pirate lines” on the network. » By controlling development, trails are safer and more respectful of the terrain. The water is better drained, the lines are more rolling and natural obstacles such as rocks are put to good use.

Among other things, I notice that most of the steeper trails end in a few tight curves before returning to the busier trails – an effective way to avoid collisions. In fact, the meticulous craftsmanship is everywhere noticeable. Many orientation arrows are placed on the trees so as to dispel any ambiguity about the direction to take, even in the fall when the dead leaves pile up in a thick carpet on the ground. You never waste time here looking at your map or phone to find out where to turn.

In too short a day, we only flew over all the cycling potential winding through the forests between lakes Tremblant, Ouimet and Mercier. Whether for a first experience or for the benefit of enduro experts, Mont-Tremblant is becoming resolutely synonymous with mountain biking.

Landmarks

Trail map, group outings, list of bike rental shops: velomonttremblant.com.
The municipality also uses the Ondago application, on which it regularly updates its extensive network.

MY GOOD ADDRESSES

All located on Chemin du Village, in Mont-Tremblant.

• L'Hotel Mont Tremblant and its charming restaurant-pub Au coin, located at no. 1900, invite you to stay more than a day, just to enjoy the place.
• The café + bistro sandwich shop, at no. 1918 in the center of the village, offers exquisite lunches that are perfect before or after an outing.
• The rental of electric fatbikes is done at Cycling, at No. 1944.