Winter On Mont-Royal With Fitz & Follwell Co.

A trip to Montréal just isn’t complete without a visit to it’s heart: Mont-Royal. And there’s no better way to experience the winter playground than with the local experts at Fitz & Follwell Co. A few weeks ago, me and a couple of friends headed to their quaint shop in Montréal’s Le Plateau neighbourhood to meet Shea, the founder, and embark on our magical journey. Our excitement began as soon as we read the description of our Winter on the Mountain Tour ($99): ice skating on a natural lake, snowshoeing on scenic trails and sliding down the mountain with wooden sleds – sounds like an incredible day, right?! I’d recommend the experience in a heartbeat, here’s why:

1. A knowledgeable, fun and interesting tour guide: I visit Montréal every couple of years, but never have I gotten to know the city the way I did guided by Martin. Not only did he share interesting historical facts along our route, but he treated us like any friend would: he took part in all the activities and relived the experience through our eyes, he divulged all his favourite hangouts in the city as we trekked up the mountain and he patiently snapped photos of our journey along the way. He also took the time to teach us how to snowshoe (my friend Dana’s first time), tube (my photog’s first time) and sled (my first time). He is by far the friendliest and most knowledgeable guide I’ve ever had.

2. Your rentals are taken care of. You don’t need to worry about lugging anything with you to Montréal. These guys take care of all the details. We picked up our snowshoes from the shop and were whisked to the mountain on a bus (also included in the price of the tour), our skates awaited us at Beaver Lake and to top it off: Shea‘s father, met us at the end of our tour with wooden sleds in hand so we could slide down the mountain. Oh, and if you don’t have winter gear, the shop has snow pants and jackets available too.

3) The lunch: Yup, also included in the price. Playing outside all day made us super hungry and we were in great hands with Martin. The thing about Fitz & Follwell Co. is that they’re also experts in the food realm (they offer a food tour that I can’t wait to try in the summer). Our lunch at the historic Smith House & Museum was tasty and really hit the spot on a cold day:

4. You’ll see views and trails you’d likely miss if you explore Mont-Royal without them: These guys go on a few Winter on the Mountain tours a week so they know the mountain really well. Martin led us through serene snowshoe trails that we definitely wouldn’t be able to find on our own. We trekked off the beaten path and had some incredible views along the way…

Sigh, we had such an incredible day and didn’t want our winter adventure on Mont-Royal to end! If you’re heading to Montréal and want to enjoy the city like a local, Fitz & Follwell Co. is for you. They’ll take you beyond the popular tourist attractions to show you the best of Montréal through their eyes. Oh and if a winter excursion isn’t your cup of tea, they offer tons of other walking and bicycle tours that have received rave reviews. I really hope you get a chance to experience one of their carefully-crafted tours. These guys are in love with their city – and it shows!

The Winter on the Mountain Tour was part of our press trip to Montreal and was complimentary for me and my photographer. Our friend paid the full fare and loved every minute of it.