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Scenic Loop drive · Québec
Laurentians Weekend Escape
An hour from Montréal, and a different century.
Overview
The Laurentians are Montréal's mountains: a compact range of lakes, villages and ski hills that has been the city's escape valve for a hundred years.
Route 117 and the parallel back roads link Saint-Sauveur, Sainte-Adèle, Val-David and Mont-Tremblant, with the P'tit Train du Nord linear park running alongside on a converted rail bed. Roughly 320 km as an estimate for a full weekend loop, including the Mont-Tremblant national park road.
This is the rare Canadian route that genuinely works in all four seasons — skiing and snowshoeing in winter, colour in late September, and lake swimming in July. Winter driving requires the province's mandated winter tyres in the posted season.
Distances and driving times on this page are planning estimates measured door to door without stops. Confirm ferry sailings, seasonal road openings, park access, fuel availability and weather with the operator or provincial highway service before you leave.
Distance
≈ 320 km
Estimate, loop from Montréal
Seasons
All four
Ski, colour and lake summers
Linear park
P'tit Train du Nord
Converted rail bed
Pace
3 days
Weekend-friendly
The route
From start to finish
An approximate path through 5 key waypoints along the drive.
Driving times
Leg by leg
280 km across 4 legs. Times exclude stops, ferries, and weather contingencies.
| # | From → To | Distance | Driving time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Montréal → Saint-Sauveur | 60 km | 0h 50m | — |
| 02 | Saint-Sauveur → Val-David | 30 km | 0h 30m | — |
| 03 | Val-David → Mont-Tremblant | 50 km | 0h 45m | — |
| 04 | Mont-Tremblant → Montréal | 140 km | 1h 45m | — |
| Total | 280 km | 3h+ | Drive time only |
Day by day
The itinerary
A suggested route designed to balance driving time with the stops that matter.
Montréal to Val-David
Drive north to Saint-Sauveur, then Val-David for its artisan studios and the linear park.
Mont-Tremblant
Explore the pedestrian village and old Saint-Jovite, ride the gondola, then drive into Mont-Tremblant national park.
Lakes and return
Circle the lake roads via Lac-Supérieur and Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts before heading back to the city.
When to drive
Month by month
Best window: Year-round. Plan around shoulder months for fewer crowds at the cost of variable weather.
Budget
Three ways to drive it
Smart
$190–$300/ day
- Drive days
- 3
- Lodging
- Campgrounds, motels and small B&Bs
- Food
- Groceries, bakeries and roadside diners
- Experiences
- Self-guided hikes, beaches and viewpoints
Mid
$340–$570/ day
- Drive days
- 3
- Lodging
- Inns, lodges and mid-range hotels
- Food
- Regional restaurants and one standout meal a day
- Experiences
- One guided tour or ticketed attraction most days
Premium
$890+/ day
- Drive days
- 3
- Lodging
- Boutique hotels, resorts and premium lodges
- Food
- Chef-led tasting menus and producer visits
- Experiences
- Private guides, charters and small-group tours
Editorial picks
Where to stop, sleep, and eat
Stop
Val-David studios
Val-David
Ceramics, bakeries and trail access in one small village.
Stop
Parc national du Mont-Tremblant
Lac-Supérieur
Sépaq park with lakes, falls and easy family trails.
Stop
P'tit Train du Nord
Laurentians
Rail-trail cycling or snowshoeing along the whole corridor.
Signature stops
Don't miss
Val-David artisan village
P'tit Train du Nord linear park
Mont-Tremblant pedestrian village
Parc national du Mont-Tremblant
Before you go
The prep checklist.
Practical things to lock in before you leave the driveway.
- Winter tyres are legally required in Québec during the posted season.
- Book weekends ahead in ski season and peak colour.
- Sépaq park access may need a day pass — reserve online in busy periods.
- Midweek stays are cheaper and far quieter.
Where this road leads
Related destinations
Good to know
Frequently
asked.
Practical answers from travellers who have driven this route.
- Is it worth it without skiing?
- Yes. Summer brings lake swimming, cycling the linear park and hiking in the national park; autumn colour here is excellent and closer to a city than Algonquin.
- How busy does it get?
- Very busy on winter weekends and during peak colour. Midweek stays are noticeably cheaper and calmer.
- Do I need French?
- Not for tourism services, which operate comfortably in English, though French is the working language of the region.
Planning the bigger trip?
Read our full guide to Canadian road-trip itineraries.
Along this route
Parks, camps, and cities on the drive
Every place below is within a comfortable side-trip of the route waypoints — surfaced automatically from our national-park, provincial-park, campground, and city datasets.
Nearby national parks
Nearby provincial parks
Cities along the way
Curated trips
Related packages
Travel styles
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Nearby events & festivals
Events along the Laurentians Weekend Escape route — worth timing your trip around.
Ready to go?
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