In Quebec’s Upper Laurentians, a stay at Lièvre Rouge proves that slowing down can be just as rewarding as any backcountry adventure.
Words :: Dan Rubinstein
Many of my weekend trips involve paddling to an island campsite, hiking around said island, an evening paddle, a morning run, another paddle, another hike, and so on. My wife, Lisa, is also very outdoorsy, although not as obsessive. So, over the years, I’ve learned to tone down my activities when we’re together. And she’s learned to send me off on my own sometimes.
On a mid-September morning, Lisa and I drove for three hours from our home in Ottawa to Quebec’s Upper Laurentians, a region known for its dense forests, rolling hills and sparkling lakes. But our plan wasn’t to grind through the backcountry from dawn to dusk. We were going away to do something that I find considerably more challenging: slow down and relax.
Trees, Quiet & Two Rivers
When most people think about the Laurentians, they picture Mont-Tremblant and the string of charming towns—Saint-Sauveur, Val-David, Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts—between Montreal and the lively four-season resort. Head a little farther northeast, however, and the ski slopes and lift-access mountain bike trails give way to vast swaths of trees and quiet.
We were going away to do something that I find considerably more challenging: slow down and relax.
All of this space is what drew Mathieu Cléroux to the area. A part-time canoe camping guide with a career in construction, Cléroux led clients on river trips in places like the Yukon and Algonquin but was getting tired of lugging gear on long portages. He wanted to replicate the type of unplugged experience one can have on a wilderness journey, albeit with modern comforts. In 2021, Cléroux bought a 275-acre property near the village of Lac-Saguay and the following summer welcomed his first guests at Lièvre Rouge, named after the two rivers that flank the off-gid retreat.
There were two cabins on site when Cléroux purchased the land. Since then, he has added a yurt, three campsites and four more cabins, one of which Lisa and I are now wagoning our bags and cooler toward on a path through the woods. In less than 10 minutes we reach La Canopée, a micro chalet perched in the trees on a hill above Lac Manseau. Inside there’s a wood stove, kitchenette and a comfortable mattress in the loft, but we immediately gravitate to the terrace, where a pair of chairs and a soundscape of birdsong and rustling leaves beckon.
Even on a relaxation getaway, I can only sit for so long. We head down to the lake and paddle out into a constellation of lily pads in one of the canoes that’s waiting beside the water. Soon we’re at a floating dock, where we swim and lay down to warm up in the sun. There is no human-made noise and no cell service. I close my eyes and can’t tell whether it’s dreamy or an actual dream.
A Spa in the Woods
This feeling is amplified a couple hours later. In 2024, Cléroux’s partner, Mathieu Roy-Chabot, joined the business. After a decade in the hospitality industry, including stints at several high-end Toronto hotels, Roy-Chabot had a vision of rustic-luxe touches to add at Lièvre Rouge, such as the spa beside the main lodge that Lisa and I have reserved for a two-hour private session. Tucked into a hardwood forest showing the first colours of autumn, we alternate between the hot tub, sauna, firepit and a cozy reading (or napping) cabin. All thoughts of work and the city evaporate.
All thoughts of work and the city evaporate.
When Cléroux pops out to check on us, we order cocktails from the café-bar. The peach margarita that Roy-Chabot makes for me is fantastic, but Lisa’s gin basil smash may be the best drink that either of us have ever had. While we savour our beverages in spa, the vibe outside the lodge, a mix of overnight guests and locals who arrived on ATVs, is also chill and inviting.
Pedalling the P’tit Train du Nord
All of this lounging makes us hungry, but we’re prepared, with steak marinating for the barbecue back at La Canopée. And we’re prepared, in the morning, to take a break from taking a break.
A short drive from Lièvre Rouge, Cléroux and Roy-Chabot are the new owners of L’Ours Bleu, a motel on the shore of Lac-Saguay that the couple are calling a “base camp” for visitors who want to explore the Upper Laurentians, including nearby regional parks Kiamika, Poisson Blanc and Montagne du Diable.
We’re keeping our adventures lowkey and rent bikes for the P’tit Train du Nord, the rail line turned linear park that runs almost all the way to Montreal. Our sights are set on lunch at a bistro in Nominingue, 18 kilometres away.
While this may seem like a long distance to ride for a meal on a low-intensity weekend, I should note that the trail is paved and the grade is gentle. We’ll have no problem making it back in time for happy hour.
Check the ML Podcast!
