There's no need for an F-bomb ... you just hop into the golf cart, track down your golf ball and hit your next shot. Tremblant is a place to go to get away from the rat race -- to get close to Mother Nature.
With flights from Toronto now up and running, getting to Tremblant, an hour and a half north of Montreal, is much simpler and quicker than a seven-hour road trip.
Porter Airlines is now offering summer service to Tremblant, with two flights per week, until Sept. 6, between Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and Mont-Tremblant International Airport.
"It really is the summer's best-kept secret," says Catherine Lacasse, public relations and communications supervisor for Tremblant, which has built itself a reputation as an outstanding ski resort. "It's like an outdoor playground. People think we are just skiing, but there really is so much to do. And it really fits all types of budgets."
Le Giant and Le Diable are the golf course crown jewels. For variety, there's also La Belle and La Bete. And nearby Le Maitre is an extraordinary Club Link course.
Le Diable, put together by Michael Hurzdan and Dana Fry is a "grip it and rip it" kind of course. Just don't go left, with waste bunkers lining that side. The fairways snake through the heart of a huge red pine forest, creating an Arizona type of feel. Le Diable, named Score Magazine's Best Public Golf Course in 2003, also hosted the 1999 Skins Game, with John Daly, Mike Weir, Fred Couples and David Duval.
Le Giant, a Thomas McBroom creation, is more for the social golfer. There's plenty of scenery and some wildlife. Don't be surprised if you encounter deer, who have grown quite accustomed to golfers. The course is tight in spots, so leaving the driver in the bag is an option worth considering at times. In 2003, Score rated the 18th hole the best par-4 in Canada.
"The golf courses are among our biggest assets," says Lacasse. "You can see that the quality of the courses is very good. And they have that outside-the-city feel to them."
There is a mini putt course in the Tremblant village which is a replica of Le Giant. A recent addition to the area is the Casino de Mont-Tremblant, which you can access by a gondola, with a panoramic view of the mountain, or buses, which leave regularly from the village.
The nightlife is vibrant with entertainment a regular part of the village life. You can go alone, take your buddies, make it a romantic getaway or take the family.
And there are plenty of choices of places to stay, with a price point to fit every budget.
Flights from Toronto will begin again on Dec. 21, with 12 a week, for skiing season.
For more info, check out tremblant.ca.
tim.baines@sunmedia.ca
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