Dear Ms. Tremblay, My husband and I are hoping to rent your cozy log chalet near Sainte-Adele for the last week of February. I came across your listing online, and the photos look wonderful. Spending a week up in the Laurentians, with the ski hills right at the doorstep, would be a real treat after a long winter in the city. I can almost picture us out on the frozen lake already! I have heard that the lake freezes solid by January and that people skate right across it. Is that true? Your listing mentions guided snowmobile tours through the back trails, which sounds thrilling. The riders in your photos are all wearing helmets, so I suppose the machines can move quite fast. We have never driven a snowmobile before, so I hope the tours are gentle enough for complete beginners. Another thing I read about is the great ice storm of 1998, when freezing rain coated the whole region and knocked out the power for some families for as long as three weeks. How does anyone cope without electricity for that long? It is hard to imagine. In a situation like that, what do you do for heat and water, for cooking and light? Do you keep emergency supplies in the chalet? I just cannot picture temperatures of minus thirty! The frost on the trees must look incredible, though. It would be magical watching the snow come down from inside your warm little chalet! We also love trying regional dishes when we travel, and I have read that the Laurentians are known for tourtiere and hearty pea soup. I found one little spot nearby, more of a roadside canteen than a restaurant, called La Cabane du Nord, which is said to be a short drive from the chalet. Would you recommend it, or should we head into town for a proper meal? In any case, we would love to reserve your chalet. Please let me know what details you need and how to send the deposit. Thanks, Amelie Gagnon