WEEKEND

Catch and Release at Fairmont Le Château Montebello

By Laura Osborne

Château Montebello, a luxury lodge on the banks of the Ottawa River and less than a two-hour drive from Montreal and Ottawa, has both outdoor adventures and indoor indulgences down pat.

I’ve wanted to learn how to fly-fish ever since watching A River Runs Through It. (Who wouldn’t want alone-time with a pre-Angelina Brad in the high Rocky Mountains?) So when I discovered that Quebec’s Fairmont Le Château Montebello is famous for its proximity to 65 lakes jumping with pike, bass and trout, I lost no time booking a weekend getaway.

Château Montebello's new Willow Stream Spa would work on my husband’s bad back, while I worked on my casting technique. But as William and I swapped details about our respective plans (“You’re having pre-massage champagne in front of a fireplace alone?” and “A private guide is taking you to how many lakes?”), it became clear that we needed to join forces.

The catch

We hop into the car for a quick drive to nearby Fairmont Kenauk (pronounced “kee-nock”): 100 square miles of forest, lakes and beaver ponds operated by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts. Raymond, our experienced (and patient) guide leads us to the sandy beaches of Whitefish Lake, one of the largest on the reserve. We start off with a “land” lesson – how to thread the line through the rod (carefully) and cast our fly (overhead) – before moving down to the water. William gets a few nibbles right away, and when I’m not tangled up in my own line, I’m distracted by the hook whizzing a little too closely past my ear every second. An hour later and still no action on my end, William graciously offers to trade flies, and I catch my first fish: a turquoise-hued bluegill that’s released into the water within seconds. Brad would be proud.

The release

One thing they don’t tell you about fly-fishing is that it’s murder on the arms, so a fireside massage for two couldn’t have been better timed. The Willow Stream Spa is a sanctuary within the resort, where we’re ushered into a room larger (and much nicer) than our apartment. Dimly lit by candles, the treatment room has a crackling fire and views of the river. It doesn’t take long to figure out why the spa package is called Rekindling the Flame. I spy a bottle of chilled champagne, a drawn Japanese-Jacuzzi bath, paint brushes and a playful “palette” of hydrating clay and carrot-cake-scented exfoliant to put on each other.

After an hour alone together, a soft knock on the door announces the arrival of two massage therapists who tuck us into side-by-side treatment tables in front of the warming fire. With the help of expert hands, all of our city tension is washed away, and once the treatment is over, we listen to the sounds of the rainforest before taking a shower. The double rain shower with six side jets and two overhead rain showerheads could easily fit six people. But two was enough.

On the fly

A few tips from Raymond for the fly-fishing novice:

1. A five- or six-weight rod is a good place to start.
2. Buy the most expensive rod you can afford.
3. If something goes wrong, it’s never your fault; blame everything on “the wind.”

 (Laura Osborne is the senior editor of Pure Canada magazine.)

UsefuI information

Fairmont Le Château Montebello is located 90 kilometres from Ottawa International Airport and 120 kilometres from Montréal - Pierre Elliot Trudeau International Airport.

ALL PHOTOS: FAIRMONT HOTELS & RESORTS