A family hits the slopes in this child-friendly Canadian winter wonderland, where cheap lift tickets and lessons mean learning the sport is affordable and fun.

It's French, it's snowy and it's very welcoming, with children of all ages giggling on the slopes and beaten-snow paths around the tiny village. It's Mont-Sainte-Anne, Québec, one of Canada's top ski resorts, and one of the best kept secrets in the Northeast.

At our recent visit over Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, we met other Americans who had discovered that there were no 'holiday rates' in effect here; in fact, our very large, balconied room with kitchenette in the four-star Chateau Mont Sainte-Anne was priced as a 'winter special'.

We had a two-night package for just 199$CAN per adult (kids sleep free in parents' room) for two days of posh ski in/ski out accommodations including lift tickets and breakfast. Throughout the resort's mid-November to early May opening, Americans will find similar unexpected opportunities for very good skiing and boarding at great rates.

The downside is a long drive (about 575 miles from New York City or 400 miles from Boston), but it's only 30 minutes by bus from the charming Québec City (served by air and Amtrak.) Though the tiny spa area was disappointing, the modern, convention-catering Chateau Mont Sainte-Anne hotel does have other perks, such as two family films shown daily (one in English, one French), an unkempt toddler playroom, an arcade with shuffleboard, ping pong and inexpensive video games, and periodic organized family activities like marshmallow roasts and hot chocolate breaks around the lobby fireplace. 

Best of all was our view from the balcony over the slopes each evening, as Mont-Sainte-Anne lit up to accommodate hardy night skiers and boarders.

Friendly Mountain

Our first day there was like it is so often on family ski weekends: a rough time waking up; a hearty but quickly consumed breakfast; an hour's wait at the well organized Sports Alpins (418/827-3708) rental shop, an anxious registration for our 10-year-old's snowboarding clinic, then way too much fun skiing for us.

Mont-Sainte-Anne, with its main south face overlooking the frozen-crusted St. Lawrence, and smaller north and west sides facing the forest, is large enough to provide a weekend of varied expert and intermediate runs and small enough to be manageable for young skiers out on their own.  The lift staff is accommodating, there's a charming log cabin 'sugar shack' for maple treats, and the runs are well groomed, manmade powder over an ice base that wore well in this snow-starved season.

After much exploration, our family's six out-of-shape legs cried, "Stop!" for the day about 4pm.

Après Ski

Tired but delighted, we returned to the Chateau's large, functional lobby to play billiards and video games. While our damp snow gear toasted over the room's hearty radiator, we took our bathing suits down to the basement level pool, longing for a swim and a hot tub.

This was certainly the least classy of the Chateau experiences: the little pool was chilly and crowded; the hot tub was shoulder-to-shoulder with a family of 12 who wouldn't leave; the small sauna was jammed. You had to slosh barefoot around the "spa's" slippery tile floors to find a tiny changing stall, no lockers and soap-less showers. Is this a typical first-come, first-serve experience at the spa on weekends? Sadly, since the Chateau serves many groups and small business conventions, it's probably the case weekdays, too.

Lovely & More French by Night

When we got back upstairs, thousands of flakes twinkling on the illuminated slopes beckoned us back outside. Still sore, we suited up and strolled out to the boot lockers. Avoiding the small crowd at the gondola, we timidly took the quad up and began a wondrous run, all alone down the Chemin du Roi, carving through fresh snow surrounded by thick evergreen stands.  This delicious taste of night skiing, new to all of us, was just enough to make our legs wobble and our bellies growl.

Although the resort's base cafeteria was bustling with Saturday-Nighters, we chose the contemporary, country-French Bistro l'Aiguille de Midi (418/827-2888) in the small base Village Touristique.  Even our son, tempted by the drone of rap music from the cafeteria, enjoyed the Aiguille's gracious service, glowing glass-rimmed fireplace, thin-crust Euro pizza and amazing desserts.

This café was one of the few 'French' touches we found at Mont-Sainte-Anne. Frankly speaking, the resort's casual, fast-food style and functional decor recall local American slopes more than chic Chamonix. The good news is, if you don't think of Mont-Sainte-Anne as exotic and European, you won't have to worry about not speaking the language or understanding the currency.

And, it remains a total bargain for the elevation (800m/2625 ft), size of terrain (173 ha/428 acres), vertical drop (625m/2050 ft), number of runs (66, with only 41 open at our visit during a snow-less season) served by 18 lifts, and daycare and ski school facilities.

Kids Care & Schooling

Mont Sainte-Anne has a modern garderie in its Centre des Enfants, where infants 6 months to 2 years are tended by women trained in 1st Aid and annual early childhood education courses. It's a quiet and bright area, with two cribs, play mats and feeding stands, where up to 10 babies are cared for. A ratio of 1 caregiver : 3 infants is maintained at rates ranging up from $59CAN/day, with discounts for other siblings or longer stays. Reserve early, as many babies return on 'season tickets' bought by local parents who enjoy skiing each weekend. Another larger room filled with crafts and art areas, building blocks and toys, and a TV lounge caters to those 3 to about 6 years who aren't skiers.

The best is the Star Camp and Kidz' Clinic, which puts bright green vests and helmets onto dozens of children; rates for the youth camp (ages 3-6, 9am to 4pm daily for one hour lessons) are $52CAN/day, with discounts for longer stays. The 6-14 years group of snow lovers can ski or ride the mountain, with lessons for $109CAN full-day or $59CAN half-day; alternatively, snow-shy kids can spend an entire day in the daycare facility and receive a 1 hour semi-private lesson with expert teachers like my son's, for $99CAN.

Details, Details

Contact Mont-Sainte-Anne Resort (418/827-4561 or 888/827-4579), located at 2000, boulevard Beau Pré, Beaupré (Québec) G0A 1E0 Canada for reservations, information and daycare bookings. Their list of screened babysitters is available to hotel guests as well.  At the Chateau Mont Sainte-Anne (418/827-5211; 500, boulevard du Beau-Pré, Beaupré, Québec G0A 1E0 Canada), there are 240 rooms and nice suites with fireplaces in the main lodge. This place is a bargain; two-night packages range from $189CAN for a family of four and include breakfast.

Terrific four- and five-day ski or surf (French for snowboarding) packages occur throughout the season, sometimes during US holidays that are not celebrated in Canada.  Additionally, the Reservations Central office (800/463-1568, 418/827-5281) for the Québec region handles reservations at more than 60 hotels, condos and B&Bs in all price ranges, another way to save.