I have skied out of a lot of ski towns, but only one rates as the finest in North America — Quebec City. Two weeks ago, we left Sugarloaf and drove over to Bingham where we picked up Route 201 and headed for Jackman and the border.

The plan was simple. Spend a couple of nights in the city, check out Stoneham and Le Relais, move on to Mont Ste. Anne for a night at the Chateau Mont Ste. Anne and head for Baie-Saint- Paul for another night, before going back to Quebec City for a final evening before returning home.

We would ski four ski areas: One with slope side lodging and the rest within a short drive of our hotel. That is the magic of Quebec City. We could stay in this delightful historic city with an old European feel without getting on a plane. And those of us here in Maine have only to drive north for four to six hours. While I have skied three of the four ski areas, there are always changes — mostly in the amenities and the lodging. Lodging choices in the city are primarily a matter of price as all are equally convenient to the ski areas. Stoneham is about 20 minutes north, Mont Ste. Anne about a half hour, east and Le Massif 30 minutes beyond Mont Ste. Anne.

We stayed at the Marriot Courtyard on Place D’Youville the first two nights on this trip. We were only a few minutes walk from the wall that separates the old city from the new, and we could easily walk to any one of the numerous restaurants and pubs that line St. Jean. Prices might vary, but there don’t seem to be any bad spots to dine in the city. When the time came to ski, it was simply a matter of driving a few hundred feet to a point where we could pick up a highway north to Stoneham, which was our first ski day. Stoneham is less well known than Mont Ste Anne and Massif, but it holds its own with 1,500 feet of vertical and variety of trails for all abilities and has actually hosted World Cup gate races.

On the way back to the city from Stoneham, we dropped off the Autoroute to check out a much less known ski area but one with considerable significance to skiers in the region. Le Relais is where young Quebecers learn to ski, and in recent seasons it has been discovered by visitors to the city as a convenient place to spend a few hours or for never-evers to try the sport. This local area with just over 400 feet of vertical has a wide variety of runs, most wide and inviting, perfect for learning. We learned that it is a first-class operation, with the most modern of snowmaking and grooming equipment. It has a base lodge that is immaculately clean and up to date in every way. Le Relais is Quebec City’s much larger equivalent of Lost Valley where locals drop the kids off to ski knowing they will be well supervised and safe.

At Mont Ste.Anne, it was immediately apparent that something bigger than normal mid week skiing was going on. The first clue was seeing a pair of 218 cm downhill skis in the lobby entrance at the Chateau Mont Ste. Anne. The second was a poster announcing the Junior World Alpine Championships. During our brief time there, we watched racers and their coaches come and go on the mountain, at the base area and in the hotel. The DH and SG were scheduled for Le Massif where we would ski the following day with the GS and SL to follow at Mont Ste. Anne.

Mont Ste. Anne had skiing on three sides of the mountain, with a zone of novice and intermediate runs off the back, a steep face to the west on the front side and more intermediate to the east. Massif is famous for its Bernard Russi women’s World Cup downhill run with 700 meters of vertical drop, the most in Eastern Canada. The lodge is at the summit some 2,500 feet above the St. Lawrence and a train now runs along the river from Quebec City with a stop at the ski area. The next stop is in Baie Saint Paul with the station next to the Hotel La Ferme, which is where we headed after a day at Massif. Snow that started Tuesday night and continued into Thursday was great for the powder hounds, but tough on the racers and DH training was postponed. As we were heading back to Quebec City for one more night before heading home Friday, we didn’t get to see any racing, but the message is clear. Mountains capable of hosting World Cup racing and the World Juniors have everything any recreational skier could ask for, and to ski out of Quebec City is a special treat. We got to experience the newly renovated Chateau Mont Ste. Anne for slopeside lodging and the brand new Hotel La Ferme in Baie Saint Paul.

Our last night in Quebec City was spent at another interesting hotel, Loews Le Concorde, a modern hotel right on Grand Allee — a street lined with restaurants leading into the old city. Behind are the Plains of Abraham where a speed skating oval is maintained and cross country skiers glide along their trails. We had breakfast in the rotating restaurant on the top floor and got to see a 360 degree panorama of the city. An important note for skiers is that winter is off season and except for Carnaval weeks, lodging rates can be as little as half summer rates.

One ritual we always follow will be appreciated by many of the readers in this part of Maine. My wife and I have been visiting Quebec City and the Charlevoix region for many years, and one stop is always at the Basilica at Saint Anne de Beaupre. There my wife lights a candle for her late mother Anne. It’s a stop every visitor should make, if only to view the magnificence of this hallowed place. See you on the slopes.

Dave Irons is freelance writer who lives in Westbrook.