4
UniqUe
StayS
Snuggle up
in an ice hoTel
Sleep in a TreehouSe
rope bridges surround
les toits’ treehouse
despite the chilly environs, you’re sure to be
received warmly at the
hôtel de Glace. North
America’s only inn made
entirely of snow and ice
is open from January to
late March, with 40-plus
igloo-like rooms. sip
a cocktail from an ice
glass and unwind at
the outdoor spa before
tucking in beneath cozy
comforters. curious but
less inclined to brave
the cold? The hotel, just
outside quebec city,
also offers guided architectural and behind-thescenes tours.
By SeAttle DreDge
36
FALL 2016
CAA MANITOBA
Brought to life by owners Dior Fall
and Sylvain Neuenschwander, former
computer engineers with a passion for
the great outdoors, the Les Toits site also
boasts a tipi, Mongolian yurt and even
a hobbit house.
Four of us had spent the previous night
hanging out in the spacious main floor
of the treehouse, beneath its second-level
loft. We put together a rustic feast in the
small kitchen. After dinner, we enjoyed
a couple of drinks, roasted marshmallows
on the woodstove and ran with sparklers
across the house’s bouncing rope bridges,
celebrating our seemingly enchanted night.
Eventually the wide porch beckoned: we
sunk quietly into our chairs to gaze into
the starry night.
Now I’ve finished breakfast and we’ve
all packed our bags. As we drive away I
indulge one last look at the Laurentians,
our lush, scenic home for one night, and
promise myself that I’ll soon return to the
backcountry wonderland that is Les Toits
du Monde.
go glamping
A number of quebec’s
wilderness refuges now
encourage reconnecting
with nature without giving up modern comforts.
so-called eXp cabins, like
those at Mont Mégantic
National park, are chic
yet sustainable “microhabitats” designed for
couples seeking a more
convenient camping trip.
cabins are equipped with
a kitchen, bathroom and
sleeping quarters, but
panoramic floor-to-ceiling
windows bring the outside in.
Ice hOTeL: Luc rOusseAu; cABIN: MAThIeu chArLANd/sepAq
I wIggle my toes from beneath a cocoon
of blankets and pull the sheets from
over my eyes. Sunlight streams through
nearby windows. It’s morning, but I’m
too comfy to move. The promise of tea,
however, rouses me; I climb down the
chunky wooden ladder from my loft and
pad across the sun-bathed room.
Opening the front door, I’m met by a
full basket of homemade waffles, bread,
fruit, jams, maple syrup, butter, juice, and
hot tea and coffee. It’s being hoisted by
a rope and pulley system from the ground
below. Breakfast has arrived.
I’ve just spent the night at Les Toits
du Monde (“The Roofs of the World”),
a beautifully constructed treehouse deep
in the woods of Nominingue, two hours
north of Montreal. Hovering almost five
metres above the forest floor, between
swaying maples and rustling birches, the
elaborate, eco-friendly lodging recalls
childhood fantasies but adds grown-up
amenities, including a stove, shower and
composting toilet.