You’ve probably seen the old building at the base of the North Side, formerly called the Foyer du Skieur or Devil’s River Lodge. A building which once livened the northern base, it has since become a remnant of a past era. Today, unfortunately, this abandoned edifice is an eye sore for skiers and passersby.
Over the years, several attempts to change its vocation have been evaluated and undertaken, but none of them have been successful. Isolated and far away from the main attractions for more than 6 months a year, its geographical location has never given it a leading role in the resort’s summer activities. In addition, as the building was previously renovated according to outdated standards, renovating it now would be very complex. The building has become obsolete over time, due to wear and damage caused by natural elements.
Demolishing such a building is a difficult decision to make, but it is the right choice when the situation warrants it. Station Mont Tremblant therefore decided to dismantle the building. The permit from the City of Mont Tremblant was granted in due form and the process will take place during the summer of 2023.
The removal of the building will make it possible to better meet the needs of visitors and the space will eventually be revalued.
Memories
To illustrate the many lives of this building, here are some highlights for posterity.
It all began in 1947, when the Duplessis government authorized Joseph Bondurant Ryan to develop the north side of Mont Tremblant. With the construction of a 14km road between the Diable River and the steep sides of the mountain, skiers could extend their ski season by descending the northern slopes where the snow is abundant and melts later in the spring.
In December 1947, Mary and Joe Ryan inaugurated the North Side with five trails: the Devil’s River, the Lowell Thomas, the Andy Moe & Axel*, the Inferno (the Expo trail today) and the Sissy Schuss. A single chairlift was in place to bring skiers to mid-mountain and two cables, previously installed in 1945 (Rope Tows), transported skiers to the summit. It is at the same time that we celebrated the official opening of the Devil’s River Lodge.
*Axel was Andy’s dog and followed him everywhere during the cutting of the slopes at the North Slope.
Devil’s River Lodge enjoyed many great years under the leadership of the Duncan family. Charlie Duncan, who was one of the important players in the history of Tremblant, blazed a good number of trails, in addition to being the manager of the inn. His son Peter grew up at this lodge and became one of Canada’s best skiers in the 1960s, winning various events on the international stage. He notably took part in the Olympic Games in Innsbruck in 1964 and those in Grenoble in 1968. According to Peter, “Skiing is not a sport, but rather a way of life. […] I don’t remember at what age I was put on skis for the first time, we lived at the foot of the slopes on the north side, at Devil’s River Lodge, managed by my parents. I like to say that I was born in paradise and grew up in Disneyland! [1] »
In the years that followed, the Larue, Houle and Charbonneau families were guardians of the place and witnesses to a myriad of events.
Under the leadership of Father Marcel de la Sablonnière, the building took the name of the Foyer du skieur. Co-founder of the Immaculée-Conception Ski Club in 1951[2], Father Marcel de la Sablonnière opened the Auberge du P’tit-Bonheur at Lac Quenouilles in 1962. Between 1971 and 1991, he headed to the north side of Mont -Tremblant to operate the Foyer du Skieur. In those same years, he became vice-president of the Canadian Olympic Association and was named chef de mission at the Lake Placid Olympics in 1980.
When Intrawest arrived in 1991, the building was put back into service for employees of the chairlifts, ski shop and repair services as well as employees of the Fourchette du Diable as a common room with lockers.
Over time, the Foyer du Skieur lost its charm and usefulness and became an obsolete building.
A chapter in Tremblant’s history may be ending, but the future has great things in store for us!
[1] Peter Duncan a toujours le ski dans la peau | JDM (journaldemontreal.com)
[2] Père Marcel de la Sablonnière* – Musée du ski des Laurentides (museeduski.com)
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