Getting There
So I woke up super early at 5AM – packed my duffel bag with energy bars, water bottles and thick socks first. Grabbed my rusty Honda Civic keys because driving to Saint Jovite is way cheaper than those fancy buses.
Navigation Nightmare
GPS died halfway through Autoroute 15 North! Pulled over sweating like crazy near Sainte-Agathe. Remembered my buddy saying “just follow signs for Mont-Tremblant” – smartest advice ever. Saw the brown tourist signs with ski symbols and went FULL throttle.
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Must-pack items:
- Paper maps (seriously, no joke)
- Extra phone power banks
- Canadian cash for tolls
First Glimpse
Rolled into Saint Jovite around 10AM starving. Smelled maple syrup pancakes from Chez Bernard diner – parked crooked and ran in. Ate poutine with smoked meat while locals chuckled at my messy French.
Pro tip: Order in English slowly. Waitress was cool about it.
Exploring Main Street
Walked down Rue de Saint-Jovite freezing my ears off even in October. Saw:
- Old stone church from 1900s (took selfies like a tourist)
- Random moose statue near pharmacy (weird but awesome)
- That chocolate shop everyone talks about – bought 5 maple fudges
Lake Surprise
Followed some joggers behind town and BAM – huge sparkling lake popped up! Sat on a rock watching kayakers. Wish I’d brought a folding chair.
Tried skipping stones like some Pinterest tutorial – failed spectacularly.
Going Home
Left before sunset because driving mountain roads at night? NOPE. Got lost AGAIN near Autoroute exit but asked gas station dude “where south?” He pointed – made it home by 8PM exhausted.
Final thoughts: Pack warmer than you think, eat local snacks, and talk to people. Saint Jovite ain’t fancy but feels like Quebec’s hidden backyard.
