Staying Close To Home – Exploring Sentier des cimes Laurentides – The Treetop Walk, Mont-Tremblant, Quebec

This is a 2-part article that started out as a single article, but we felt it would be doing the Sentier des cimes Laurentides a big injustice if we didn’t do a stand-alone article on it, complete with plenty of pictures… so here it is…

Located roughly 2 hours north of downtown Montreal and less than 20 minutes from our stay in Mont-Tremblant, Sentier des cimes is a great adventure that the whole family can participate in – young or old, with a maximum slope of 6% it’s easily accessible to strollers and wheelchairs alike. The round-trip can be completed in less than two hours

* Disclaimer: Opinions are our own. We were not paid for this article, nor were goods or services received for free/discounted *

Located on the grounds of the former Saint-Faustin fish farm, it’s very easy to get to off the Trans Canada Highway. The fish farm closed in 1992, but the buildings and tanks are still in place on the 90 hectares of land that has a mixed forest environment, waterways and wetlands.

The site has been completely renovated to include beautiful landscaping, a restaurant and gift shop as well as Sentier des cimes Laurentides. The only way to the tree top tour is in and out is through the building. On the way in – you don’t see the gift shop, but on the way out you have to pass through it to leave (smart thinking there). If you’re not there for the sunset or the Treetop Tour, there’s plenty more to do than just the tree walk, there’s the grounds to explore that are perfect for picnics etc. and there are cycling paths around the area too – all for free.

If you’re not like us and actually enjoy relaxing while on holiday, there is a restaurant and lovely outdoor patio called Chez Émile (it offers fresh, healthy, local cuisine), just outside the main building where you can relax and enjoy yourself whether taking the tour or not.

We planned expedition for the late afternoon/evening specifically to take in the sunset on top of the trees. We had no idea how long it would take to get to the top, so we got there for 4pm and our timing couldn’t have been better.

What is it?

Stroll amidst the treetops and make your way across a net 40m off the ground, in complete safety
Soak in the breath-taking Laurentian scenery for as far as the eye can see
It’s a new, unique ecotourism destination for families, seniors and nature lovers, nestled in the heart of the Laurentian forest
Located on the heritage site of the old fish farm in Saint-Faustin
Construction began in April 2021
Opened July 2022

We spent way more than 2 hours there, but we were there for the sunset, so that stretched it out a bit.

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There’s plenty to see and do on the way to the tower (720m / 1.35 km roundtrip) before you actually get to climb the tower, such as crazy steps (pictures) and numerous info spots that help you understand the region and the reason for building the Treetop Walk at that location. (pictures)

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At the top of the 40m tower is a huge net spanning the entire middle of the structure for the brave (and terrified) to run, crawl or jump across to the other side. Gail was terrified, but eventually went on it with much fear, whereas I’ve swum with sharks – this is nothing!! I just jumped on and ran across, bouncing all the way as other people looked on like they were going to throw up. Some people stayed for a while and others for just a few minutes then left.

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The view from the top is quite special – you can actually see for miles and miles (or many kilometres). It doesn’t look like it, but it’s very windy up there. As the sun started to descend, the temperature plummeted even faster – it was freezing within just a short period of time – the weather people got that part right! More and more people arrived for the sunset, and after waiting for what seemed forever, the sun eventually went down with a resounding burb – uneventful and uninspiring, what a disappointment. Oh well, sprint to the exit and the car to warm up!!!

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Tips:

Use the washroom/toilet before embarking on the adventure – you won’t get another opportunity until you return
Take a backpack or something similar. We took coffee with us on the way in, but there are no garbage cans anywhere along the way so we had to stuff the empty cups into our pockets and dispose of them when we got back. At times it’s very windy and cold. If you have a backpack you can take your sweater out that you brought with you
Everyone congregated to the front of the top floor for sunset pictures. The view was just as good and no one was on the second from top pathway
Parking is plentiful, but it’s also extra – about $5
There are cycling paths around the area, but you can’t take bikes on the tour
No dogs allowed

Website: https://www.sentierdescimes.ca/en/laurentides/
Address: EAK Treetop Walks – 737, rue de la Pisciculture Mont-Blanc Québec J0T 2G0
What3Words: ///collectively.botanists.hooves ~ https://w3w.co/collectively.botanists.hooves

Admission Prices: https://www.sentierdescimes.ca/en/laurentides/plan-your-visit/admission-fees.php
Adult – $29 // Under 6** – Free // Ages 6-17** – $19 // Student with ID (up to age 25) – $23 // Senior (65+) – $25
Family pass (1 adult with own children under 18) – $56
Family pass (2 adults with own children under 18) – $80
*Taxes not included **Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult

Final Thoughts
Sentier des cimes Laurentides was definitely something we’d recommend if you’re in the area. There are eleven similar towers throughout Europe, this is the only one in North America at the moment. Now we have to search them out next time we’re in Germany! Each tower and walk is unique with different options at the peak. The best we could figure is the Sentier des cimes Laurentides is the only one with the net across the top of the tower, making it truly special.

More Pictures Below…..

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Click this link… https://surfshark.club/friend/kMgzcVbw

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About TravelBloggers…
Iain & Gail started blogging in order to inspire and motivate people to travel the world from their perspective – specializing in having the most fun while using the least amount of money…travelling on the cheap without sacrificing comfort.

** In the end you will only regret the things you didn’t do **