This winter marks the full return of the traditional cabane à sucre at Cap-Saint-Jacques Nature Park in Pierrefonds. D-Trois-Pierres will be offering sweet and savoury French-Canadian fare on weekends, from February 4 to March 26, 2023, as well as March 2 and 3 during the school break.
Before dipping into the belly-warming goodies, take the time to explore the huge nature park by foot, snowshoe, cross-country ski, or fat bike. Then after a day of fresh air and exercise, enjoy a quick treat or sit down for a meal at the rustic sugar shack tucked into the forest.
Sugar shack open
Surrounded by mature maple trees, the sugar shack can be accessed by foot, ski, or snowshoe. Park at the welcome centre and follow the trails signs throughout the park. The tiny dining room inside the shack is open and no reservations are needed, however, it can accommodate a limited number of sit-in guests at a time. If there isn’t room inside, what we usually do is find a spot outside in the snow and enjoy our food in the open air.
Photo credit: Christine Latreille
For an extra special outing, the full sugar shack dining experience will be available inside the historic Thomas-Brunet ancestral home. Dig into maple smoked ham, meatball ragoût, pea soup, pudding chômeur, and more. A continuous tractor-towed shuttle will transport guests for the round trip between the house and the sugar shack in the woods where you can enjoy taffy on snow.
Details here: d3pierres.com/en/cabane-a-sucre
For details on the opening hours of the sugar shack, to see the different menus, or to make reservations for the full meal, contact D-Trois-Pierres at info@d3pierres.com or 514-648-8805 extension 204
Cash, debit and Mastercard are all accepted.
Equipment available to rent
With its 330 hectares, Cap-Saint-Jacques is the largest nature park in Montreal and offers an abundance of activities year-round. In winter, skiers can discover multiple groomed cross-country ski trails ranging in length from 2.4 kilometres to 10.9 kilometres. There are also 6.5 kilometres of trails for fatbiking, seven kilometres of walking trails, 12 kilometres of snowshoeing trails, and even a sledding hill for exhilarating rides.
Photo credit: Christine Latreille
For those who don’t have their own equipment, rentals of skis, snowshoes, sleds, and crazy carpets are available on-site (bring your own fat bikes). Reservations are required and must be made online at www.guepe.qc.ca.
For more information, call 514-280-6833 or reservations@guepe.qc.ca
About Cap-Saint-Jacques Nature Park
Welcome Centre: 20099 Gouin Blvd. W., Pierrefonds, H9K 1C5
Maison Thomas-Brunet: 187 chemin du Cap-Saint-Jacques, H9K 1C6
Information: 514-280-6778
Opening hours: The park is open every day from sunrise to sunset.
The Welcome Centre is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. Inside you can find the rental desk, washrooms, and a fireplace.
Access to the park is free, but parking rates apply: $7.75 for 2 hours or $9.75 for the day.
Accessible by public transit: Yes (Bus #68)
