Visitors - What to Do

Outdoor Activities | Family Activities | Cultural Experiences | Other Attractions | Gourmet Experiences

Outdoor Activities

Canot / Kayak

The Rivière du Nord offers 7.5 kilometres of calm, navigable waters between Val-David and Val-Morin.  A ramp provides access to the river on Ste-Olive Street, so you can put your non-motorized craft in the water and follow the current down to Lac Raymond.

Pause Plein Air and Aventure Nouveau Continent both offer cycle-canoe packages with the possibility of a descent by canoe and pickup and return by shuttle van.

Cycle touring

Le P’tit Train du Nord linear park goes right through the centre of the village and is a must for cyclists.  With its 200 kilometres of cycle paths linking St-Jérôme and Mont-Laurier, the trail offers an extraordinary cycle touring experience.  The Val-David sector is particularly interesting because it follows the Rivière du Nord and is close to all services (food, lodging, etc.).

Rock climbing

Val-David is the birthplace of rock climbing in Eastern Canada.  More than 500 routes within the Dufresne Regional Park have been listed and rated.  Great climbing challenges are close at hand for all comers, from neophytes to experts.  If you want to enjoy some of the best rock climbing in Québec, Val-David is the place for you.

The Passe-Montagne climbing school offers beginners’ courses at different times of the year.  Please contact them for more details.  Roc & Ride also offers equipment and information.

Golf

Académie de golf de la Falaise is a unique golf practice centre set on four levels with six real target greens!  There is also a putting green and a family-oriented mini-putt on the premises.

A surprising number of 18-hole courses are located within a
20-minute drive from Val-David.

Mountain biking

Close to 15 kilometres of trails in the Dufresne Regional Park network are open to mountain biking.  There are trails to appeal to cyclists of all levels.  Le Club de Vélo de Montagne de Val-David (mountain bike club and school), whose mandate is to promote and develop this sport, organizes races and holds training camps and theme days. The mountain biking school is run by Serge Desrosiers, many times a winner over the years of the Mérite sportif des Laurentides, an award for the trainer of the year.

Roc & Ride also provides equipment and information for mountain bikers (sales-rentals-repairs).

Skating

There are two open-air skating rinks in the village centre.  One is reserved for free skating, while the other is for the exclusive use of hockey players.  There is a changing room and place to warm up nearby at La Petite Gare.

Walking tours

For those who love to go on rambles and hikes, the trails in the Dufresne Regional Park are accessible in springtime, summer and fall. Reserved exclusively for hikers, the trails wander through an often dramatic landscape, with extensive views available from the heights.  It’s a place to discover in any season!

Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing

In winter, many kilometres of trails in the Dufresne Regional Park are reserved for snowshoers. You can access the Mont Condor Needle (L’Aiguille), an impressive geological formation from which you have one of the most beautiful views of the village and surrounding area.

The Dufresne Regional Park includes 80 kilometres of marked and groomed trails for cross-country skiing, a network of natural Nordic trails, one heated refuge and a shelter.  Trails of all levels await cross-country skiing enthusiasts. There is a modest daily fee to use the Park and season passes are also available.

Park trails connect with Le P’tit Train du Nord linear park, which is reserved for cross-country skiing between Val-David and St-Jérôme.

Downhill skiing

The ski stations of Belle Neige and Vallée Bleue are great places to take the whole family.  There is a variety of trails for all levels, equipment rentals and courses for both skiers and snowboarders.  Further north towards Ste-Agathe, Mont Alta ski station is in annual operation on a base of natural snow.