Things to do in Val-David, season by season

Val-David is a small artists' village in the Laurentians. The main things to do in Val-David are outdoors: mountain trails and lookouts in the regional park, the P'tit Train du Nord trail along the old railway, guided climbing on the cliffs, and skiing in winter. The village itself has galleries, cafés and a public art walk.

Most places below are 15 to 20 minutes by car from our chalet in Sainte-Lucie-des-Laurentides, and only a few minutes from each other once you're in Val-David. One day is enough to see the village. Give it a weekend if you want to hike or ski too.

Hours and seasons change, so check each place's website before you go.

Walk the village

Start on rue de l'Église, Val-David's main street. The town runs a heritage and public art circuit you can follow on foot, with works spread through the village (details on the town's website). Along the way you'll pass galleries, cafés and shops.

Two easy stops for a treat: Chocostyle makes artisan chocolates on rue de la Sapinière, and Boréal Glacier on rue de l'Église is an ice cream shop known for unusual flavours. Its hours change with the seasons.

If you're staying in a chalet, the Metro on rue de l'Église is the most practical place for a big grocery run.

Hike in the Parc régional Val-David–Val-Morin

This is the reason many people come. The Dufresne sector, off chemin du Condor, has mountain trails, lookouts over the Laurentians and the cliffs Val-David is known for. In summer it's hiking and mountain biking. In winter the same area is used for snowshoeing and backcountry skiing.

Check the park's website before you go for access fees, parking and trail conditions, especially in spring and after heavy snow. The Dufresne sector is about 17 minutes from the chalet.

Ride or walk the P'tit Train du Nord

The P'tit Train du Nord is a former railway line turned into a long trail. Through Val-David it's gentle and mostly flat, which makes it a good choice with kids or for an easy bike ride. The historic Val-David train station on rue de l'Église is a natural starting point.

Try rock climbing with a guide

Val-David is known for its cliffs, and climbers come for them. If you've never climbed, go with a guide. Passe-Montagne, a climbing school on rue Bastien, runs guided outings for first-timers and also offers winter climbing activities. Book ahead on their website.

Paddle the Rivière du Nord

À l'Abordage! organizes canoe and kayak outings on the Rivière du Nord, right in Val-David. It's a summer activity, so check their season and booking details on their website.

Ski and snowshoe in winter

Ski Vallée Bleue in Val-David is the closest ski hill to the chalet, about 19 minutes away. It's a family-friendly resort with runs for every level. Belle Neige, in Val-Morin on Route 117, is about 20 minutes away. Add snowshoeing in the regional park and you can fill a winter weekend without long drives. Our ski chalet page has more on winter stays.

With kids

• Village du Père Noël: Santa's summer home, an outdoor park for young children with animals and games. It's seasonal, so check the dates on their website.
• Jardin Clef des Champs: gardens of medicinal herbs and a shop of local herbal products. A calm visit for curious kids.
• Lac Raymond beach: Val-David has no beach of its own. The closest public beach is on Lac Raymond in Val-Morin, where gas motorboats are banned. Non-residents pay for parking; see Val-Morin's page for the season.
• Ciné-parc Belle Neige: a real drive-in cinema in Val-Morin for summer nights.

More ideas are on our family chalet page.

Where to eat

Au Petit Poucet, on Route 117, is a Laurentian classic for traditional Québec comfort food. MacTaverne is a pub in Val-David village and takes reservations online. In season, the Marchés d'Ici farmers market on rue de l'Académie brings together local producers. Its dates change each year, so check marchesdici.org.

Summer: 1001 Pots

1001 Pots is a large summer exhibition of Québec ceramic artists in Val-David. It runs for a few weeks each summer, and the dates are posted on 1001pots.com.

Planning tips

• Drive times in this guide are from our chalet and were checked on Google Maps in November 2026.
• Seasonal places (the beach, the farmers market, Village du Père Noël, 1001 Pots) open on different dates every year. Check before you plan your day around them.
• For more places nearby, see our map of 46 things to do around the chalet.

If you need a place to stay nearby, Boho Vibes is a 4-bedroom chalet 15 minutes from Val-David, with a private covered hot tub and Lac Amico a 3-minute walk away.