The Versant Soleil is the southern most skiable side of Mont Tremblant. The name would suggest the Versant Sud should have that distinction, but Versant Sud mostly faces west. The Versant Soleil is my personal favourite area of the mountain. Unlike Versants Sud and Nord, the Versant Soleil is only served by a single chairlift, and the trails run from the summit to the base, with no option to ski just the top or bottom half of the mountain. This makes for more interesting and longer trails. The Versant Soleil features trails which are generally narrower than other parts of the mountain, and they are full of twists and turns, and ups and downs, making for some active and interesting skiing on some very scenic runs.
The trails on the Versant Soleil begin at the main summit of the mountain, and all trails are accessed by starting down an easy run called Franc Sud, from which the various other trails branch off. All trails on the Versant Soleil terminate at the base of the mountain at the base of the Soleil chairlift, just above the Mont Tremblant Casino. There is a gondola connecting the base of the Versant Soleil with the main village, which generally operates on weekends. Otherwise, returning to the main village requires a ride back up the Soleil chairlift to the mountain summit before skiing down one of the trails on the Versant Sud to the bottom.
The Versant Soleil is also where you will find the Trappers Refuge, which is a great lunch alternative to eating at the crowded Grand Manitou on the summit. The Refuge, situated about one third of the way down the mountain, has no indoor plumbing, and the limited lunch menu requires cash only purchases, but it is a very cozy spot for a break to warm up.
The Laurentienne trail is my favourite run at Mont Tremblant. It does occasionally get a little icy on the initial steep section and again on the final approach to the finish, but the run is great fun from top to bottom. Full of twists and turns and the occasional bit of air if you allow yourself to enjoy some speed on this run, I find this trail to be excellent. However, the runs on Versant Soleil seem to be a lower priority for grooming, particularly after poor weather, as compared to the two main sides of the mountain. If Laurentienne has not been groomed recently, it can be challenge. There is typically a warning sign at the start of the run when current conditions are poor.
This trail also runs right past the Refuge on your left, shortly after the initial steep descent, so if you’re planning on taking a break for lunch, keep a watch out for it. At the very bottom of the run, the trail crosses under the Soleil chairlift, and approaches the lift lines from the side that is normally less busy, which is just an added bonus!
Video Date: March 19, 2019
Conditions: Thin snow layer over ice
The Toboggan trail is one of the best intermediate trails at Mont Tremblant. It shares a lot of the qualities of Laurentienne, such as a twisting path with lots of rolling ups and downs, but is more gentle than its steeper and more advanced neighbour. Take care on the final approach to the base, which often has some icy patches on the final descent.
On the final descent to the base, the run changes to a different name; Tapecul.
While Toboggan does not pass directly by the Refuge, there is a sign on the right side of the trail, indicating where you can follow a traverse across the neighbouring Tiguidou run to access the Refuge for a lunch break.
Video Date: March 18, 2019
Video Date: January 17, 2023
Tiguidou is a nice run that sits between Laurentienne and Toboggan. This run also has easy access to the Refuge for a nice mid-mountain lunch break. This trail does not run the full length of the mountain, but once at the bottom of the initial steep, you can veer left to follow Toboggan to the base (as is shown in this map and video), or veer right on to the Cascades trail, to eventually follow the bottom part of Laurentienne to the base.
If you are nervous about skiing black runs, Tiguidou is a better option to start with, before moving to Laurentienne. They may both appear to be of similar gradient at the beginning, but Tiguidou begins steep, but then quickly becomes more gradual. Laurentienne begins steep, but gets even steeper before levelling out further down.
On the final approach, you have the option of blue or black. You can continue on Tapecul, as shown in the previous video, or taking the slightly more difficult, Flume, as shown in this video, which allows you to transfer over to Laurentienne for the final approach to the base.
Video Date: March 20, 2019
Cascades is a nice narrow connector trail, which is an extension of the Tiguidou run, allowing you to follow the bottom half of Laurentienne to the base, instead of the easier option of Toboggan.
Video Date: January 26, 2019
L’Algonquin is the easiest run on the Versant Soleil, and possibly on the entire mountain. For those who are looking for a nice gentle run that meanders along to the base, this is a nice option. But, there are some sections that get fairly close to flat, so intermediate skiers will find this run boring. This run also seems to be closed frequently, particularly early in the season. It doesn’t have the same level of snowmaking capacity, and is often neglected by the grooming team. If you’re looking specifically for an easy run, make sure L’Algonquin is actually open before heading down the Versant Soleil, or you will find Toboggan as your only non-advanced option available.
Video Date: March 20, 2019
La Garette is a really strange run, which is why I’ve left it to last. It’s difficult to figure out why it’s even here, or why anyone would ski it. It seems to exist, just as a run for anyone who meant to go down the Versant Soleil, and somehow made a wrong turn in the other direction. Or, perhaps for somebody who started heading to Boomerang or C.B.C. on the Versant Nord, before realizing they were advanced runs and needed an escape route. Regardless of why this run is here, it’s basically just a short and easy access that feeds into the Franc Sud run, which is the access to all runs on the Versant Soleil. I also don’t understand why this run is rated blue and not green.
Video Date: January 17, 2023