Le Massif
164 hectares, 53 runs in Charlevoix. Considerable vertical drop, St Lawrence River views, Mountain Collective.
Season 2026 - 2027
Opens
5 Dec 2026
Closes
11 Apr 2027
Days open
127
Annual snow
3.5m
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Le Massif's summit reaches 806 metres, dropping 770 vertical metres to a base at just 36 metres above the St Lawrence River, across 53 runs spread over roughly 164 hectares in Charlevoix, Quebec. Terrain splits 35 per cent intermediate, 32 per cent advanced, 23 per cent beginner and 10 per cent expert, with average annual snowfall of roughly 3.5 metres. The resort carries Mountain Collective affiliation. Seven lifts, including three quad chairs and two gondolas, serve the mountain alongside two surface lifts.
Le Massif holds a genuinely distinctive place among Eastern Canadian resorts, marketed as having the highest vertical drop east of the Rockies and offering a summit-to-river skiing experience with genuine views over the St Lawrence. Its considerable vertical for the region, combined with the Charlevoix landscape, has built the resort's reputation as one of Quebec's more dramatic ski settings.
Skiing at Le Massif began informally in the late 1970s, with snowmobiles towing groups of skiers up the mountain, before commercial operations started in the early 1980s. By 1983-84, school buses were pressed into service to drive skiers from the base to the top, and two chairlifts were finally installed in 1992.
Daniel Gauthier, co-founder of Cirque du Soleil, purchased the resort, then known as Le Massif de la Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, on 23 September 2002 for 9 million Canadian dollars after selling his stake in Cirque. He invested more than 25 million Canadian dollars immediately, adding a second and third high-speed quad chair, and the resort has since partnered with Club Med, which opened its first North American mountain village at Le Massif in December 2021. Adult daily tickets run from 135 to 166 Canadian dollars.
770m
Vertical
53
Runs
406 acres
Skiable
3.5m
Annual snow
Mountain Collective
Pass
The Terrain
53 runs across 406 acres skiable
Le Massif de Charlevoix is the standout vertical among the Quebec hills, dropping 770 metres from 806 metres down to a base only 36 metres above the St Lawrence. Across 53 runs and about 164 hectares, the grading is 23% beginner, 35% intermediate, 32% advanced and 10% expert. That advanced share is high for the region, and the long, sustained pitches feel closer to a mid-sized Alpine mountain than a typical eastern hill. Two gondolas and three quad chairs, plus two surface lifts, move skiers up from the water's edge, and the river views are constant.
La Charlevoix, designed as an Olympic racecourse, is the run to carve on a freshly groomed morning, and it delivers a proper sustained descent. The wooded sections beside the trails hold numerous glades, from tight and steep lines to roomier family-friendly options, so strong skiers have plenty to explore. Cold, windy days and firm hardpack are part of the deal here, so edges matter. The resort is part of the Mountain Collective and sits in Charlevoix, east of Quebec City. It suits confident intermediates and advanced skiers chasing real vertical, plus anyone after scenery with their skiing.
Terrain split
53
runs
53 runs across 4 grades
Beginner12 runs · 23%
Intermediate19 runs · 35%
Advanced17 runs · 32%
Expert5 runs · 10%
Time it right
When to visit Le Massif
The 2025-26 season at Le Massif ran from 4 December 2025 to 12 April 2026, a roughly nineteen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 3.5 metres. Season dates can shift depending on early and late-season weather in the Charlevoix region.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to Le Massif's advanced-and-intermediate-weighted terrain. As a Mountain Collective resort, Le Massif draws pass-holding visitors alongside destination travellers seeking the resort's considerable vertical and river views.
Le Massif's partnership with Club Med, which brought a dedicated mountain village to the resort in December 2021, continues to support strong destination visitation throughout the season. School holiday periods bring family visitation to the resort's more moderate terrain sections.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Since Daniel Gauthier's 2002 acquisition, Le Massif has continued building on more than four decades of history since informal skiing began there in the late 1970s. The resort's considerable vertical and Charlevoix setting remain central to its enduring appeal.
Season 2026 - 2027
5 Dec 2026
Opens
11 Apr 2027
Closes
127
Days open
3.5 m
Annual snow
The record
Historical snowfall at Le Massif
Daily snow reports at Le Massif go back to 2025, 2 winters on the books. Open the record to compare winters, lifts and piste.
14 cm
Snowiest day
15 Jan 2026
1 cm
This winter · 2026-27
so far
283 cm
Typical winter
average of complete seasons
Winter totals
cm
Past wintersThis winter
Getting there
Getting to Le Massif, and where to stay
Le Massif sits in Charlevoix, Quebec, with a base elevation of just 36 metres above the St Lawrence River and a summit at 806 metres across a 770-metre vertical drop over roughly 164 hectares. This setting gives the resort a genuinely distinctive summit-to-river skiing experience uncommon among Eastern Canadian resorts.
The village of Petite-Rivière-Saint-François and the broader Charlevoix region offer lodging and dining within a short drive of the resort, while the on-site Club Med mountain village provides considerable accommodation directly at the base.
Route 138 provides direct access to the resort along the St Lawrence River. Winter driving conditions on this scenic route can include snow and ice, and travellers should carry appropriate equipment given the region's coastal exposure.
Quebec City Jean Lesage International Airport, roughly a one-hour drive away, is the primary gateway for visitors flying into the region, with Le Massif's considerable distance from Quebec City drawing a genuinely dedicated destination visitor base.
Where to stay
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Hotels and lodges near Le Massif, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Sierra Nevada Halloween Storm: Dodge Ridge Forecast to Lead With 19 Inches
Halloween weekend brings a wet, windy storm to the Sierra Nevada. Our five-day forecast has Dodge Ridge on top with 19 in, followed by Bear Valley at 15 in and Mammoth Mountain at 12 in, with most of it landing on Saturday. A winter weather advisory covers the Tahoe Basin and Mono County until 7 AM Sunday, gusts could reach 47 mph and the freezing level swings between 4,900 and 8,700 ft, so some bases will see rain. A dry spell follows from Monday.
31 Oct 2026
Lake Louise Opens Early on 1 November With Juniper Express and Easy Street
The Rockies get their first lift-served turns of the season early. Lake Louise opens Sunday 1 November, five days ahead of schedule, after a cold October and round-the-clock work from the snowmaking and mountain crews. Terrain is limited to Juniper Express Chair and Easy Street, with two small terrain parks and the beginner area for lessons. Opening-day tickets are over 60% off, with prices rising as more lifts open. First chair is at 9:30 am under the resort’s new lift hours.
31 Oct 2026
Kitzbüheler Horn Summit Cable Car to Be Replaced After 70 Years
A Tyrolean summit lift that has been carrying guests up the Kitzbüheler Horn since 1955 is on borrowed time. Its licence runs to 2045, but a new inspection rule has made refurbishment uneconomic, so Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel will spend around €15 million on a replacement on the same line. It should hold roughly 100 people and keep running in winds that would stop today’s lift. Building starts in autumn 2027, which makes this winter and next summer the last chances to ride the old one.
30 Oct 2026
What’s New in Japan Skiing This Winter: Niseko Gondola, a Private Resort and a Bigger Ikon Pass
Niseko Village is replacing a lift from the early 1980s with an eight-person gondola, Tsugaike gets a six-person chairlift, Madarao joins the Ikon Pass and Togari opens Asia’s first private ski resort. Here’s what is actually new in Japan skiing for 2026/27, plus what is still a year or two away.
30 Oct 2026
Wolf Creek Opens on Halloween Weekend as Colorado’s Early Season Gathers Pace
Colorado’s early-season dominoes keep falling. Arapahoe Basin opened on Wednesday, Keystone follows on Friday, and now Wolf Creek is joining in on Saturday 31 October, just in time for Halloween. A storm on 23 and 24 October left 20 inches of natural snow in the San Juans, and three lifts will turn from 9:00 am, covering about 30% of the mountain. Expect rocks, unmarked obstacles and open water, but also Local Appreciation lift tickets at $73 for adults.
30 Oct 2026
Keystone Resort Opens for 2026/27 With More Than Two Miles of Skiing
Keystone is next. After Arapahoe Basin claimed the first chairlift skiing of the season on Wednesday, Keystone opens on Friday 30 October at 9:00 am with more than two miles of snowmaking-built terrain on Schoolmarm and Silver Spoon, plus free donuts, coffee and a live DJ. Last year the order was reversed, when Keystone squeezed in a three-hour afternoon session to beat A-Basin by a day. Snowmaking has been running since 15 October.
29 Oct 2026
Beaver Creek Installs 16 Automated Snow Guns on Birds of Prey Ahead of Record World Cup
Beaver Creek is getting ready for the biggest Birds of Prey ever, and this time it is not leaving the snow to chance. Crews started making snow on 27 October with 16 newly installed automated guns on the lower third of the course, after last December’s warm spell forced a downhill off the schedule. Seven races across two weekends run from 3 to 13 December, the most the course has hosted since its 1997 debut, and the guns start themselves whenever the weather allows.
29 Oct 2026
Arapahoe Basin Opens First for North America’s 2026/27 Ski Season
Winter has officially started in North America, and it is one blue run long. On Wednesday 28 October, Arapahoe Basin fired up the Black Mountain Express at around 10:30 am after a surprise announcement just hours earlier, becoming the first major North American resort open for 2026/27. Cold nights, a dusting of natural snow and a lot of snowmaking made it happen in the resort’s 80th winter. More terrain is promised as the snow guns keep running.
28 Oct 2026
Le Massif Lift Tickets
Le Massif lift tickets & passes
Opening day for the winter 2026 - 2027 season is scheduled for Dec 5, 2026 (subject to change). Lift tickets at Le Massif typically go on sale well before the start of the ski season.
Day passes start from CA$68, with peak rates up to CA$166.
Mountain Collective8 pass options
Single-day passes
Adult 18–69
Adult Full Day Ticket
CA$135up to CA$166 peak
Le Massif de Charlevoix offers the highest vertical drop east of the Canadian Rockies with 53 trails across 406 acres. Experience spectacular views of the St. Lawrence River with access from both summit and base.
Buy passSenior 70–99
Senior Full Day Ticket
CA$121up to CA$149 peak
Le Massif de Charlevoix senior discounted lift tickets for guests 70+. Enjoy reduced pricing while experiencing Quebec's most scenic skiing with breathtaking river and mountain vistas.
Buy passYouth 13–17
Youth Full Day Ticket
CA$95up to CA$116 peak
Le Massif de Charlevoix youth lift tickets for ages 13-17. Access diverse terrain from beginner slopes to advanced off-piste playground with an average 254 inches of annual snowfall.
Buy passChild 7–12
Child Full Day Ticket
CA$68up to CA$83 peak
Le Massif de Charlevoix child lift tickets for ages 7-12. Perfect for young skiers exploring family-friendly terrain with stunning Charlevoix landscape views and excellent snow conditions.
Buy passChild 0–6
Child 6 & Under Ticket
Free
Free lift access for children 6 and under at Le Massif de Charlevoix. Must be accompanied by paying adult. Perfect introduction to skiing in the spectacular Charlevoix region.
Buy passAdult 18–99
Accommodation Guest Rate
CA$110up to CA$130 peak
Le Massif de Charlevoix exclusive accommodation rates for guests staying in mountain lodging. Enjoy preferential lift ticket pricing starting at $110 with on-mountain stays.
Buy passHalf-day passes
Adult 18–69
Adult Half Day Ticket
CA$109up to CA$133 peak
Le Massif de Charlevoix afternoon lift tickets starting at 12:00 PM. Experience half-day skiing with full mountain access including the highest vertical drop east of the Rockies.
Buy passMulti-day passes
Adult 18–99
Multi-Day Consecutive Ticket
CA$255up to CA$315 peak
Le Massif de Charlevoix consecutive multi-day tickets offer savings up to 19% off regular lift ticket prices. Flexible options for 2-6 day stays with full mountain access.
Buy passLift tickets FAQ
How much does a Le Massif day pass cost?
Le Massif day passes range from CA$68 to CA$166 depending on the date and advance booking.
Can I buy Le Massif lift tickets online?
Yes, you can purchase tickets directly from the resort website or at the resort ticket office.
Are there discounts for multi-day passes?
Yes, multi-day packages typically offer significant savings compared to individual day passes. The per-day cost decreases with longer stays.
What is included with a Le Massif lift ticket?
Full access to all lifts and trails at Le Massif, including mountain safety and patrol services.
What is the difference between Le Massif lift tickets and ski passes?
"Lift tickets" and "ski passes" refer to the same thing at Le Massif - your access to the mountain's lifts and trails for your chosen duration.
When should I buy Le Massif lift tickets for the best price?
Purchase tickets at least 7 days in advance for the best rates, and consider weekday visits for further savings over weekend rates.
Does Le Massif offer group discounts on lift tickets?
Group discounts are typically available for parties of 10 or more. Contact Le Massif directly for group booking information and rates.
How can I check current conditions before buying tickets?
Before purchasing, check the live snow report and mountain webcams to see current weather, snow conditions, and lift operations at Le Massif.
More Le Massif intelligence: snow report, webcams, resort overview.