You don't need to go far to ski: around Montreal, several hills welcome beginners and families, some until late in the evening. Here are six options for a day on the snow, from small nearby hills to big resorts, plus a cross-country trail on the island.
- Ski Saint-Bruno — a hill close to town, lit up at night. On the South Shore, Ski Saint-Bruno is 20 km from Montreal. It has 18 runs, 10 of them easy, all of them lit, so you can ski after work or school. It offers a beginner route, a snow school with group lessons for ages 5 to 12, and equipment rental.
Date: winter season depending on snow; the evening ticket is valid from 5 pm to closing.
Address: 550 Rang des Vingt-Cinq East, Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, QC J3V 0G6.
Getting there: Highway 20, exit 102, or Highway 30, exit 121.
Cost: for the 2026-2027 season, a 6-hour ticket costs $71 for ages 13 and over, $65 for ages 6 to 12 and $32 for ages 5 and under, plus taxes; a reloadable access card at $5.25 plus taxes is required, per the official rates.
Tickets:
Status: a downhill ski hill 20 km from Montreal, on the South Shore.
Specialty: 100% of the runs are lit, for evening skiing.
Culture: the hill relies on about a hundred volunteer ambassadors to welcome skiers.
Why go: for a first ski experience without a long drive.
Our pick: ★★★★★ — beginners, families, night skiing.
Nearby sights:
- Hors Piste — on site · the hill's café and resto-bar.
- Mont Rigaud — a small mountain you can reach by public transit. West of the island, Mont Rigaud is 70 km and about an hour from downtown Montreal, according to the hill. It has a dedicated learning area, easy runs to keep practising, and every run leads back to the same chalet, which makes a family day simpler. Without a car, exo bus line 695 links Vaudreuil station to Rigaud; the Hôtel-de-Ville / Saint-Pierre stop is about 3 km from the hill.
Date: winter season depending on snow; the day ticket is valid from 9 am to 9 pm.
Address: 321 des Érables Street, Rigaud, QC J0P 1P0.
Getting there: exo bus 695 from Vaudreuil station, then about 3 km to the hill; a large parking lot at the foot of the slopes.
Cost: for winter 2026-2027, a day ticket costs $57 for an adult aged 18 to 59, $54 for a junior aged 6 to 17 and $15 for ages 5 and under; the evening ticket, from 3 pm to 9 pm, is $49 for an adult, per the official ticketing.
Tickets:
Status: a human-scale family mountain, just off the island.
Specialty: one chalet at the foot of every run and a separate learning area.
Culture: the hill calls itself “the kindergarten of skiing”: several generations of skiers made their first turns here.
Why go: to learn to ski in a simple setting, at a reasonable price.
Our pick: ★★★★☆ — beginners, families, no car.
Nearby sights:
- Sucrerie de la Montagne — in Rigaud · a sugar shack open year-round, in the middle of a maple grove.
- Sommet Saint-Sauveur — the Laurentians classic. In the Laurentians, Sommet Saint-Sauveur is known for night skiing: the mountain has 28 lit runs, 5 glades and 9 lifts. For a first time, the “Learn to ski” package is an all-inclusive deal with the lesson, the lift ticket and equipment rental.
Date: winter season depending on snow; detailed hours on the official website.
Address: 655 chemin Louis-Dufour, Saint-Sauveur, QC J0R 1R3.
Cost: prices and packages on the Les Sommets website.
Tickets:
- Tickets, lessons and packages online on the Les Sommets website.
Status: one of the mountains in the Les Sommets network, along with Sommet Morin Heights, Sommet Olympia, Sommet Gabriel and Sommet Edelweiss.
Specialty: night skiing on a big mountain.
Culture: with one network, you can switch mountains from one outing to the next in the Laurentians.
Why go: to move up from a small hill to a real mountain, without going too far.
Our pick: ★★★★★ — beginners, night skiing, groups of friends.
Nearby sights:
- Village of Saint-Sauveur — next to the mountain · cafés and restaurants for après-ski.
- Bromont, montagne d'expériences — day and night skiing in Montérégie. At the edge of the Eastern Townships, Bromont offers day and night skiing, plus introductory packages for a first time on the snow. Its snow school offers ski and snowboard lessons for children and teens, adapted to all ages and skill levels.
Date: winter season depending on snow; the evening ticket is valid from 5 pm to closing.
Address: 150 Champlain Street, Bromont, QC J2L 1A2.
Cost: in 2026-2027, a day ticket bought the same day at the ticket office costs $142 for an adult, $120 for a student aged 13 to 25, $84 for a child aged 6 to 12 and $16 for ages 5 and under; the adult evening ticket is $79. Tickets bought in advance cost less, per the official rates.
Tickets:
Status: a large downhill ski resort in Montérégie.
Specialty: introductory packages and a snow school for all ages.
Culture: for fixed-date tickets, prices vary with demand — the earlier you buy, the better the price.
Why go: for a big mountain that stays open after sunset.
Our pick: ★★★★☆ — families, night skiing, regular skiers.
Nearby sights:
- Bromont — in town · the village of Bromont, at the foot of the mountain, for après-ski.
- Mont SUTTON — a paradise for glade skiing. In the Eastern Townships, Mont SUTTON bets on an “authentic” ski experience and glades it describes as the best in Canada. The hill also has a family zone and a ski and snowboard school. On weekends during the ski season, a free shuttle links the village to the mountain from 7:55 am, per the Contact page.
Date: winter season depending on snow; ski conditions updated on the official website.
Address: 671 Maple Street, Sutton, QC J0E 2K0.
Cost: lift tickets and season passes on the Mont SUTTON website.
Tickets:
- Online ticketing on the official website.
Status: a mountain known for its glades.
Specialty: tree skiing, for skiers who already have a few outings behind them.
Culture: the hill puts forward an authentic atmosphere and warm human contact.
Why go: for a wilder day out, once you have the basics down.
Our pick: ★★★★☆ — intermediate skiers, nature lovers.
Nearby sights:
- Village of Sutton — linked by the weekend shuttle · cafés and restaurants for après-ski.
- Cap-Saint-Jacques — cross-country skiing without leaving the island. In the west of Montreal, Grand parc de l'Ouest – Cap-Saint-Jacques offers 14 km of cross-country skiing, 5 km of snowshoeing and a sledding hill. The welcome centre has a cross-country ski and snowshoe rental counter and tables to eat your lunch, and it can be reached by public transit.
Date: winter facilities depend on snow; the welcome centre is usually open 8 am to 5 pm.
Address: 20099 Gouin Boulevard West, Pierrefonds, QC H9K 1C6.
Getting there: by public transit to the welcome centre; paid parking.
Cost: free access to the trails; equipment rental and parking have a fee.
Tickets:
- No ticket needed — rental on site at the welcome centre.
Status: a City of Montréal nature park, in the west of the island.
Specialty: classic-style trails from 2.4 km to 10.9 km, easy or intermediate, and a 1.75 km skate-skiing trail.
Culture: cross-country skiing is an inexpensive way to enjoy winter, and many Montrealers do it without leaving the island.
Why go: to try cross-country skiing with rented gear, without a car or a lift ticket.
Our pick: ★★★★☆ — budget, outdoors, no car.
Nearby sights:
- Welcome centre — on site · tables to eat your lunch indoors.
Good to know for newcomers. For a first time, rent the equipment and take a lesson rather than buying: most hills offer introductory packages that bundle a lesson, a ticket and rental. If you drive, winter tires are mandatory from December 1 to March 15 in Quebec, per Québec.ca. And check the ski conditions the day before: hills open their runs depending on snow and weather.
