THE VIBE Relaxed and refined. There are several small resorts for alpine-adrenaline junkies, but Gatineau, with its more than 50 groomed trails, is really geared to the quiet elegance of cross-country.

SIGHTSEE Gatineau’s charming villages are overrun with galleries, cafés and boutiques built for browsing. In Chelsea, check to see if Le Local is still running a pop-up shop. (If not, don’t despair—you’ll find the store and its chic collection of Canadian-made clothing and accessories in nearby Gatineau.) Pull up a stool at the Chelsea Pub if you’re craving craft beer; for something sweet and hot, Biscotti & Cie is a must. Or, if your muscles are stiffening up after some strenuous snowshoeing, a 30-minute float in Nordik Spa-Nature’s Källa pool is not to be missed. (There’s only one other floating saltwater pool like it, and it’s in Switzerland.)

STAY In Gatineau, you can literally cross-country ski from one boutique hotel to another. After a night of laid-back luxury at Wakefield Mill, a leisurely three-hour ski takes you to the glossy red front door of Wakefield Mill’s new sister hotel, O’Brien House. Once you’re chilling in front of the fieldstone fireplace in the Canadiana room, rousing yourself to do much of anything will be unthinkable. Eleven rooms lend an air of exclusivity to the lodgings—an effect heightened by a gallery on the ground floor, where every wall is hung with fine art on loan from the Crown Collection. Meanwhile, PEI-made MacAusland woollen blankets scattered invitingly about and custom La Pensée mattresses (you can choose soft or firm) add the perfect finishing touches.

THE VIBE Fast, furious and fun, whether you’re on the slopes or hitting the village’s bumping après-ski scene.

INDULGE Fresh air makes fresh food taste even better, like that on offer at La Forge Bistro-Bar & Grill. For a cozy après-ski tipple, stay downstairs at the bar; a Bourbon Chai will warm you up. Or, if you’re in a white-tablecloth mood, shed your ski boots and head up to the steak house on the second floor, where your sirloin is grilled over a maple-wood fire in the open kitchen.

CHILL There’s no better reward for surviving the slopes than sinking into a soft couch in front of a fire with a glass of champagne in hand. That’s precisely what I did when I returned to my suite (one of 30) at Hôtel Quintessence—but first I enjoyed a soothing soak in the room’s sunken spa tub while watching the sun set over Lake Tremblant. Personalized service is a hallmark at this boutique hotel: You can ditch your gear at the door and don a pair of slippers, and your ski boots will be returned to you the next day—pre-warmed.

This article first appeared in the February 2019 issue of ELLE Canada.