Canadian Pacific ski train near Val-David, circa 1948. Courtesy of The Val-David Historical and Heritage Society.

Vallée Bleue, Québec

Owned and Operated by Families, For Families

Ski Hill: Vallée Bleue

Vertical: 111 metres

Snowfall: 394 cm

Most ski areas were built by skiers for skiers. Which begs the question: How did a humble immigrant from Lithuania, who had zero time for skiing, make Vallée Bleue one of the most popular and beloved family ski hills in Québec’s storied Laurentians?

Community Ski Areas: Stories from The Heartland of Canadian Skiing is an on-going series that looks at the often small and remote ski areas where most Canadians learned to ski and now share their passion for the sport with their children and grandchildren. || Creative Director: Gordie Bowles | Writer: Dave Fonda

Two Men and a Dream

John Lingat arrived in Canada in 1951 with his wife Wilma and their son Oswald. Welcomed into Montreal’s Lithuanian community, John began building houses and then met fellow countryman, Frank Juodkojis. Frank was a real estate developer. John was a gifted builder. Together, they transformed some land around a modest stream in the lower Laurentian town of Saint Columban into a coveted lakeside retreat with cottages. Their Lac des Sources venture proved so successful, they set their sights farther north on Val David.

The Lingat family. Courtesy of The Val-David Historical and Heritage Society.

A large crowd of skiers with Herman “Jackrabbit” Smith-Johannsen at Val David Station, circa 1975. CSHFM Collection.

A Town with a History of Skiing

Situated in a natural snowbelt, Val David was an early stop on Jackrabbit Johannsen’s epic Maple Leaf Trail. It had since seen a succession of small ski hills start up and fail, including one with the unfortunate name of Windy Top. For John and Frank, it was a dream true. Windy Top came with a stream that John could use to build another lake and land that Frank could sub-divide into lots and sell. When people began enquiring if they could house their trailers on those lots, the duo said, “Mais oui.” Those two words would effectively seal the area’s fate.

First, We Dig a Lake, Then We Build a Hill

John spent his off-time clearing Windy Tops’ overgrown ski trails and eyeing its old rope tow. After meeting with some locals, he and Frank decided to resuscitate the ski hill. But first, they needed a more marketable name. They settled on Vallée Bleue as it reminded people that their ski hill was located on Blue Valley Road. After cutting some new trails and extending the old ones to the summit, they added modern ground lifts. Vallée Bleue officially opened for business in January 1963. There was hardly any snow.

Parking lot near the chalet at Vallée Bleue. Courtesy of The Val-David Historical and Heritage Society.

Vallée Bleue, 1973. Courtesy of The Val-David Historical and Heritage Society.

Family Run Operation

Despite its inauspicious debut, Vallée Bleue soon became a family favourite. The trailers, which now numbered 250, often came packed with families. Kids loved Vallée Bleue because it was right next door and the trails were fun and inviting. Parents, for their part, always knew where to find their children because all the trails converged in one place.

By 1971, while Frank was busy pursuing new business opportunities elsewhere, John had scraped enough money together to buy him out. After the two parted ways, the entire Lingat family got down to work. John and Oswald toiled outdoors while Wilma manned the restaurant. When Manfred turned 16, he retired his skis and joined the family business. Says Manfred, “We were there to support Dad 110%. Anything that needed to be done, we’d do ourselves.”

“John partnered with the Jacque Champoux Ski School and that’s what made Vallée Bleue famous. He brought his vision of how to teach children to ski and transposed it on the area’s family-centred universe.”

– Isabelle Émond, Co-owner, President & General Manager of Vallée Bleue

Says Jacque, “The pink bunny suits were perennial favourites.” Promising teens, who’d come up through his ski school, were trained to become instructors. Being young, they still knew how to play and have fun with their students. Photo courtesy of the Laurentian Tourism Bureau.

Out With the Old. In With the New

When Frank left, Jacque Champoux came on board. The tireless 27-year-old was running several ski schools in the area and owned a thriving ski shop in nearby Sainte Agathe. Like many entrepreneurs, Jacque was always looking for new and better ways of doing things. One year, during Vallée Bleue’s winter carnival, he had an epiphany which took him years to fully realize.

Inspired by a student who was terrified of officious uniforms, Jacque had his instructors don colourful animal costumes. Beginner trails were then decorated with colourful cubes, giant seesaws, and life-sized, cartoon-like animals. Rather than commanding students to turn left, the little ones or bouts de choux were asked to ski to the giraffe. Lessons lasted no more than an hour. Each instructor had a supervisor and two students. And parents were instructed not to attend or supervise classes before lesson four. By the time Jacque left Vallée Bleue in 2004, his ski school boasted over 1,000 eager students every weekend.

From Failing Hands, We Throw the Torch

When John Lingat passed away in 1990, Manfred and his sister Karen took over the family business. At the time, Oswald was running nearby Mont Alta, which John had gifted him. Jacque took most of his ski school with him in 2004, when Manfred consolidated operations and brought everything in-house. Some 25 years later, the siblings chose to pass the torch.

In 2017, Isabelle Émond, who’d learned to ski and teach here, and her husband Luc Beaujean, came to work at Vallée Bleue. Despite their 35-plus years in the ski industry, they wanted to know everything about the hill that they and Isabelle’s mother were looking to buy. After working at every single job there, indoors and out, they purchased Vallée Bleue in 2018.

Olympic champion Nancy Greene Raine and Jacque Champoux in 1997. Photo courtesy of the Laurentian Tourism Bureau.

“Although we’re privately owned, our objective is to make and keep skiing affordable and accessible to all the children in the region.”

– Isabelle Émond

A group of riders at Vallée Bleue. Photo courtesy of the Laurentian Tourism Bureau.

Vallée Bleue Today

Isabelle and Luc have made Vallée Bleue even more family friendly. They’ve enrolled over 2,000 children in their scholastic ski program. Local kids under five receive free season passes. Parents who have two or three kids who are taking lessons can buy a single pass that either parent can use, individually. While the bunny outfits are long gone, instructors will start wearing ‘Ziggyboo Bear’ costumes next winter. Isabelle is also devising new ways to make learning to ski even more fun and involving, so that kids can start developing a rock-solid technique from day one.

Vallée Bleue Tomorrow

Of course, running a ski area today isn’t without its challenges. Isabelle points to the increasingly frequent and violent storms that have been hitting her region. Two years ago, Windy Top lived up to its name, when a violent storm uprooted 300 mature trees. “No one had ever seen anything like it,” says Isabelle. “Cleaning up was a huge undertaking.” And then there are the operating costs. “Today, a new chair lift costs more than many ski areas are worth.” Luckily, the rewards are just as great. “The skiers who come from a place like Vallée Bleue, not only do they develop incredible skiing skills. They’re also really attached to the place and to the sport.” John Lingat would be proud.

Aprés at Vallée Bleue. Photo courtesy of the Laurentian Tourism Bureau.