The best gifts are the ones you didn’t even know you wanted. Our most recent example of such a gift were the passes we received to Parc Omega for Christmas, along with a one night stay at the nearby Fairmont Le Château Montebello (thanks Kyle’s mom and dad!). We were vaguely familiar with the Fairmont Le Château Montebello (herein FCM for brevity) but we had never even heard of Parc Omega before. Our interest was piqued after a quick visit to both websites where we learned that FCM is the world’s largest log cabin structure and that all kinds of wonderful wildlife roam (mostly) free across the rolling hills of Parc Omega.

As soon as the holidays were over, we booked our winter getaway to the Outaouais region for February, which happened to coincide with our 8th wedding anniversary. Not normally ones for big birthday or anniversary celebrations, this was a memorable way to mark the occasion.

Winter road-tripping is a little more challenging than summer excursions, but the closer we got, the more beautiful and mountainous the scenery around us became. As we drove through FCM’s beautifully carved gate and pulled up to its even more impressive front entrance, we realized that we had no idea how much more imposing it would be in person.

Walking into the lobby was like stepping back in time to the early 1900s. Essentially a large luxurious log cabin designed to host hundreds of guests, the centre-piece of the strangely cozy structure is a 3-storey high, six-sided stone fireplace that almost appears to hold the entire arched ceiling up like a big wooden tent. Sofas, armchairs and coffee tables are positioned around it for guests to relax in front of its warm and welcoming fires. Less relaxing is the search for a seat, given the high demand! However, the view from the sofas and game tables on the second floor was no less impressive and the atmosphere just as tranquil.

Although the hotel is undergoing some modern updates, we were in no way inconvenienced by any of the construction that may have been going on during the weekdays that we stayed there. The room we stayed in had not yet been modernized but this was more fun anyway, allowing us to see the original early 20th century log cabin-chic decor in all its rustic Canadiana glory.

After our challenging day of driving, a relaxing evening by the fire seemed the most logical activity, so we ordered a couple of local beers and took our seats. Intrigued by our first taste of Montebello beer, we were inspired to venture out into the town later in the week to explore their full offering. More on that later.

In terms of dining at the FCM (because you “dine” in an old-fashioned French log cabin resort), you can either pop down to the more casual restaurant located beneath the grand fireplace, or you can make a reservation for the more posh and polished restaurant which includes a beautiful view of the Ottawa River. The dishes in both restaurants are interesting and impressive, though we would have been better off sitting out at least one dinner and/or breakfast – we’re no health nuts, but we are not definitely not accustomed to such rich food.

However, with the temperatures staying below -20C and the variety of fun outdoor activities to choose from, perhaps there is something to be said for high-calorie breakfasts and lavish dinners. From snowshoeing to cross-country skiing to curling, there are lots of ways to burn off extra energy. After taking advantage of all the good old fashioned Canadian cold weather pastimes, we headed over to the luxurious pool and hot tubs to sooth our cold, achy muscles. The only offerings we weren’t able to enjoy were the Land Rover experience and the spa, both due to a lack of planning on our parts, so plan ahead if you want to prioritize these experiences.

We spent one evening just exploring the town itself, since it was just a couple hundred metres from the front gate. While the town is quite small, they have managed to fit an interesting collection of shops and restaurants into the small strip to support the local tourist trade. Namely, the Brasseurs brew pub, a delightful little cheese shop with award-winning creations, freshly baked breads and gourmet groceries, and a chocolate shop with more varieties of chocolate bars than you can shake a ski pole at. If you do end up visiting Montebello, here is a handy list of recommendations to refer to as a starting point:

• Brasseurs de Montebello – A loud local watering hole, the atmosphere was a fun counter-point to the more sedate FCM scene. Classics include KENAUK Pale Ale, LE FANTÔME D’ÉZILDA Strong Beer, while more novel brews include LA CHOCO-BELLO Chocolate Amber, LA GRAND FEU Smoked IPA and LA MISS BEETY Beetroot Ale and then a whole bunch more that you can only get at the bar.
• Fromagerie Montebello – A neighbourhood cheesemonger quietly creating delicious varieties, namely TÊTE À PAPINEAU Cow’s milk semi-soft, REBELLION 1837 Cow’s milk semi-soft blue-veined, MANCEHBELLO Ewe’s milk firm, ADORAY Cow’s milk soft wrapped in spruce bark (!)
• ChocoMotive – Everything that you know goes well with chocolate and then everything else you would never have thought of.

And now for something completely different.

PARC OMEGA!!!

While we enjoyed being spoiled in the lap of FCM’s lavish luxury, the wild was calling us! On our way out of town, we stopped at the local grocer to stock up on some bags of carrots to bring along for the afternoon’s adventure through one of the most interesting and scenic attractions we’ve been to here at home in Canada.

Pulling up to Parc Omega was as awe-inspiring as pulling up to the FCM with its beautiful carved wooden gate and signage, a theme throughout the region and park. The main guest centre is warm and inviting and feels like walking into a classic Quebecois cottage from days gone by.

The concept is simple – just grab a map, hop in your car and go! Along the roads you will find plenty of North American woodland residents, such as boar, deer, turkeys, elk and other small-to-mid size animals, all eagerly awaiting your arrival, or more specifically, your carrots. The larger herbivores – moose, buffalo, etc. – live in gated communities further along the way, a fortunate fact for visitors and their cars. However, we did come across one rogue buffalo, though our little car did not seem to impassion or infuriate him, much to our relief.

Named for the lone outcast wolf, Parc Omega is not only home to herbivores but also a number of accomplished hunters. Before you imagine a woodland Jurassic Park, we should note that the carnivorous populations are well-secured and monitored within their own gated communities.

Towards the back of the route, there is an area where you can park your car and pop out for a little break, maybe buy a souvenir and pet a deer or ten along a little path towards one of the main attractions, the observation centre for Parc Omega’s resident wolf pack. The lower level is a glass room that allows you to get up close but not personal with the wolves, while the upper level is perfectly built for the information sessions with the trainers.

Other highlights included very sweet little arctic foxes, a traffic jam of turkeys, some impressive musk oxen and a rather imposing elk that came by for a carrot or 3. We were disappointed to miss the bears, but in hindsight, they hibernate in the winter so it was our own fault.

All in all, our little Montebello adventure was a great way to get the most out of winter. A unique and thoughtful Christmas gift, we are grateful to have interesting locations like FCM and Parc Omega in Canada and definitely have plans to check Montebello out during the summer months.