Hotels near Mont Saint-Hilaire

Mont Saint-Hilaire rises abruptly from the flat St Lawrence plain, and its slopes hold one of the largest remaining tracts of old-growth forest in southern Quebec. The mountain is protected as the Gault Nature Reserve, owned by McGill University and designated Canada's first UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1978, with around 25 km of hiking trails open to the public.

In October the sugar maples and red oaks put on one of the best displays near Montreal, usually peaking in the first half of the month, and the Pain de Sucre summit trail rewards a climb of about 1.5 hours return with views across the Richelieu Valley. Below the mountain, the town's orchards make Mont-Saint-Hilaire a centre for apple picking, with farms selling cider, pies and pick-your-own bags into October.

Pro Tip: Arrive early on weekends, as reserve parking is limited and can fill by mid-morning, and stop at an orchard on the way back for warm cider doughnuts.