Parlez vous ski?

Will we need to speak French there?” my 14-year-old daughter Grace asks on the journey to Mont Tremblant, Quebec’s top ski resort. Well, you don’t have to parlez FranÇais in this neck of the woods, but it does help.

We’re here for a girls’ week of skiing, shopping and spas, arriving at the eastern resort of Mont Tremblant (known as Trembling Mountain), one of the most family-friendly Canadian ski resorts, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary.

The French influence is everywhere in this pretty, twinkling town, whose brightly painted Disney-like buildings form the base of 78km of runs.

Only a day’s drive north from New York, Tremblant attracts Americans because, to them, it feels like France, so it’s like going to Europe without the long, expensive flight. From Dubai it’s about a 23-hour journey door-to-door but totally worth it.

There’s a French flavour to the pretty cobbled streets, as we find après-ski shacks serving not only poutine – a Canadian staple of French fries topped with gravy and curd cheese – but also real French onion soup and Savoyard fare, including raclette and fondue, crème brÛlée and other Gallic delicacies.

But for now, we’re here for the slopes; the cool cruisers, gentle blues, tree-lined runs and black double diamonds for adrenaline junkies. Mont Tremblant has them all.

First, though, be aware that this is a truly cold spot. On our first brilliantly sunny day on the slopes, the temperature is a teeth-chattering -18°C and our eyelashes freeze while we’re waiting for our instructor.

In February, when we went, you don’t want any flesh showing at all. Everyone wears full-face ski masks or balaclavas under their helmets and goggles; you can’t see the expressions your ski buddies are making.

The temperatures here in the east fluctuate massively, dipping to below -30°C in winter and soaring to more than 30°C in the summer.

Having said that, once the thermals are on, the handwarmers and footwarmers are in place and the sun is shining, Mont Tremblant is a blessing for intermediates like us. Half of the runs are deemed advanced, but many of the blacks are so well-groomed, they’re more like European reds. With 96 runs over an elevation of 875m, there’s plenty of action for skiers and snowboarders alike, whatever their level.

The beauty of skiing in Mont Tremblant is that it’s pretty difficult to get lost. There’s only one mountain, with four faces. The south side, directly facing the village, is sunny and leads right back into town – which is ski-in, ski-out – while the north side gets the sun in the morning and takes you back up to the top of the mountain, with access to the south side and back to base.

We practise our techniques on the Nansen, the longest run in Tremblant at 6km and green all the way. The other faces are the Versant Soleil (sunny side), which is home to the casino and more lodging, and the Edge, which is good for powder.

Back in the village, we watch little ones try their first ‘pizza’ slices on the slopes – they used to be called snow ploughs, but now have a revamped name, easier for kids to relate to – in the learning zones, which are well equipped with a magic carpet and plenty of patient instructors to scoop up the young learners when it all becomes too much.

Meanwhile, older kids looking for excitement can buy an Adrénaline Park Pass to access the 50 rails and jump modules in three parks – helmets are obligatory. In the evening, there are snowmobile rides for juniors and tubing nearby. There’s also plenty of cross country trails, dog sledding and snow shoeing.

To avoid the crowds, we’re at the gondola at 7.45am for ‘first tracks’, a service that allows skiers who want space to jump the crowds and hit the slopes first. It’s here that you can really appreciate this resort, the perfect snow, the views over the pretty village and the magnificent lake. We catch the early morning sun on the north side and ski down perfectly groomed ‘corduroy’ snow on empty pistes.

After a few days, our aching muscles are a timely reminder of the need for chill-out time, so we head to Montreal for the second leg of our trip.

I’m given a much-needed signature massage at the spa of the five-star Hôtel Le Crystal, in the downtown district where the shopping can commence. Who cares about the cold now? Grace and I head for Rue Sainte Catherine, shopping hub and home of Canada’s famous department stores Ogilvy, Simons and La Baie, the biggest department store in the city.

“Instead of going to church and praying, we go shopping,” Celine, our guide, reflects. “Some people just don’t go outside in the winter.”

We venture into Montreal’s famous underground city from Rue Ste Catherine and find ourselves in a vast 30km network of shops, restaurants, cinemas and businesses. The lower the floor, the cheaper the shop, according to Celine.

Unsurprisingly, it’s easy to get lost, but we try to bag some bargains en route. Grace buys a Michael Kors bag and saves a cool Dh249, even with 15 per cent tax added on at point of sale, not on the ticket.

Shopped out and exhausted, we make our way back through the vast underground downtown maze to the hotel, for a swim in the spa pool, before reviewing our purchases. With the great exchange rate, retail therapy never felt so good.