The Gîte du Mont-Albert Hotel: An Oasis of Calm

Aurélie Resch is a journalist, writer and director. Born in Toronto, she moved back there after growing up in France and living in Africa. Although she lives in English Canada and is perfectly bilingual, she mostly works in French.

Aurélie Resch visited Gaspésie National Park during a winter press tour. She was researching destinations to recommend to readers wanting to leave behind the stress of city living and enjoy fresh air in the great outdoors. She wasn’t familiar with this part of Gaspésie—the Gîte du Mont-Albert hotel was just another stop on her trip.

Aurélie said she found exactly what she was looking for at the Gîte: a place of “mineral calm”, with buildings that face the mountains designed to induce relaxation. She was able to fully relax on this trip, even though she was there for work. She was very pleased with the food because, as she said, “Everything I was served was prepared with care using the finest regional products.”

The cottages that surround the hotel are spacious and functional. They have everything needed to accommodate families or groups (up to 8 people). In fact, the park is set up to meet the needs of all types of visitors. Several winter activities are possible, from snowshoeing and cross-country skiing to alpine skiing. According to Aurélie, the Gîte offers something for everyone from the most experienced winter sports enthusiasts to visitors who just want to relax. Twenty-five peaks over 1000 metres high offer trails of varying difficulty as well as pristine slopes for skiers and snowboarders. Snowshoers have the option of exploring the trails along the nearby river or climbing into the mountains.

In addition, everything is done to make life easier for visitors. For example, you can rent all the equipment you need at the Discovery and Visitors Centre, which is practical for those who don’t want to travel with skis or snowshoes. Morever, Aurélie commends this centre for providing a “wealth of information about the flora and fauna found in the park.” As for the guides, they know this area and all it has to offer very well: “They were able to answer all my questions with precision.”

Finally, Aurélie concluded: “The Gîte du Mont-Albert hotel, in Gaspésie National Park, is a place I really enjoyed. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to get away for a few days.”