The 2025-26 Ski Season in the Eastern Townships – old favourites and new offerings !

Published on Jan 15, 2026
by Tourism Eastern Townships

Sherbrooke, January 15 2026 – This winter, snow came early to the Eastern Townships. It arrived at the end of November, blanketing the mountains and triggering the excitement that heralds the start of another ski season. The ski centres were able to prepare their slopes  well in advance, while snowsport enthusiasts eagerly awaited the opening of the trails.

The resorts started operating at the beginning of December and a wide range of diverse experiences greeted the first skiers of the season – Mont Orford (which has the highest skiable peak in the Townships), Mont SUTTON (with its popular glade skiing), Owl’s Head (offering panoramic views over Lake Memphremagog) and Bromont, montagne d'expériences (the largest illuminated ski area in North America). As in previous years, skiers and winter sports lovers were drawn the region for a time-honoured reason, namely because the Townships is a great winter destination! 

One of the reasons that skiing in the Eastern Townships is so popular is the fact that not only are the ski resorts within easy reach of one another, they are all different with distinct characteristics of their own. Overall, they offer visitors the ultimate winter experience – whether that be sampling family-friendly trails or technical runs designed for expert skiers.

Now back for a seventh season, the L’Est Go card allows skiers to visit the four major mountains with a single pass. The card gives skiers the opportunity to experience diverse terrains and views and the unique ambience of each resort. Card holders are also eligible for discounts on regular prices, representing savings of up 38%!

Up to this point, arrival figures are on track to exceed even last year’s influx of visitors. The 2024-25 winter season recorded an 8% increase in the number of ski days (a total of 1.4 million visits) due, in part, to major investments in infrastructure, as well as upgraded facilities and new attractions and activities.  Skiing is an important economic driver in the region: the Quebec Ski Areas Association (ASSQ) has announced total revenues of $425 million for the 2024-2025 season in Quebec. The Eastern Townships stand out, accounting for 23% of the province's ski market share. According to the ASSQ, the Eastern Townships increased their business volume by 21.1% during the 2024-2025 season.

Since the start of the season, snow conditions have been excellent, and visitor numbers have remained very high without compromising the quality of the mountain experience. The increased presence of skiers from Ontario and the northeastern United States also suggests interesting benefits for tourism businesses in the region.

New activities and attractions 

The four largest ski centres in the Eastern Townships - Bromont, montagne d’expériences, Mont Orford, Mont SUTTON and Owl’s Head, are all offering new activities and attractions this winter: 

• At Bromont, montagne d’expériences, 15 new snow cannons have been added to the existing infrastructure to ensure consistent snow coverage (especially during mild spells). On the Mont Soleil slope, the Vallée des Bonbons, a fun course with modules and designed for the entire family, is once more open to skiers. New lodgings have also opened at the base of the mountain – the Residence Inn by Marriott. The ski-in/ski-out condotel has 134 units equipped with kitchenettes, as well as a restaurant and a spa.
• At Mont Orford, the main chalet at the ski station is getting a facelift. The older section of the building, which houses the dining areas, Café Virage, Slalom Pub and the principal entrance, has been renovated from top to bottom! 
• At Mont SUTTON the snow coverage will be better than ever, thanks to the installation of a state-of-the-art TechnoAlpin snowmaking system. The resort is also offering a choice of six new ski lesson options for adults, as well as a geocaching trail that can be explored on skis. On the slopes, the open-air “museum” has been enhanced by the addition of two more works of art.
• At Owl's Head the ski resort, which made its debut in December 1965, is approaching its 61st  year of skiing! When it opened, the mountain had only six ski trails. It now boasts 50, offering breathtaking views of Lake Memphremagog.

A total of six areas in the Eastern Townships offer downhill skiing. In addition to these main resorts, there are also a couple of smaller, easily accessible ski centres that are particularly popular with local residents - Station touristique Baie-des-Sables in Lac Megantic and Mont Bellevue (Sherbrooke).

Station touristique Baie-des-Sables has added a couple of new features this winter. They include a ski lift for the tubing run (so people no longer have to walk back up to the top) and a pilot project for manufacturing artificial snow. The snowmaking machines will enable the resort to extend its winter season and to cope with unpredictable weather.

More than just downhill skiing

In addition to downhill skiing, the region offers a range of other ski experiences (ski touring, glade skiing, expert ski runs, family-friendly trails etc.). Each resort has its own specialty, offering skiers a wide choice, according to their particular preference and skill level.   

Cross-country skiers can also practice their favourite activity in the Eastern Townships, which, with a total of 1,000 kilometres of trails, is a virtual playground for the Nordic sport. The most popular cross-country venues include Mont Orford National Park (76 km of groomed trails), Mont Megantic National Park (13.8 km) and the Franceville-Mégantic intersection, known for its spectacular landscapes.

Want to mix things up? Several resorts in the Eastern Townships offer activities that complement downhill and cross-country skiing. Tubing is a winter must, especially at Baie-des-Sables Tourist Resort and Mont-Bellevue Park in Sherbrooke. At Mont SUTTON, the more adventurous can try the Yooner, a hybrid between a sled and skis, which offers a fun and accessible way to hurtle down the slopes in a different way.

What would winter be, without après-ski ?

After a day on the slopes, a fun way to relax is to enjoy some après-ski. Stop for a local beer at a microbrewery, discover the region’s tasty cuisine (at any number of restaurants) or indulge your body at a Nordic spa. Another option is to visit a vineyard. Some remain open to visitors even in winter and, as at other times of the year, they offer tours and tastings. And if you plan on staying overnight (or longer!), we have a wide choice of unique, cozy accommodations – from country inns in historic villages to cabins surrounded by forest. 

Photo credit: Mont-Orford

Click here for ski photos of the Eastern Townships

About Tourism Eastern Townships

Tourisme Cantons-de-l'Est (Tourism Eastern Townships) is one of Quebec's 21 regional tourism associations (ATR) and the official representative of Quebec's Ministry of Tourism in the region.  Since 1978, TCE’s mission has been to foster the region's tourism development, promote, coordinate, support and represent the entire tourism sector, while focusing on the quality of the visitor experience. TCE brings together nearly 600 members representing more than 1,000 tourism offerings throughout the 9 regional county municipalities (MRCs) and in all sectors of the tourism industry: accommodation, restaurants, attractions, activities and events.

The Eastern Townships is the fourth most popular tourist region in Quebec, with volumes reaching 10 million visitors annually, accounting for 6.5 million overnight stays and a tourism spend of more than $900 million per year. Tourism in the region generates over 20,000 jobs, making it the region's fifth largest employment sector among all tourism regions.