Seven Decades On Snow
André Labbé, age 88, reflects on how things have changed in skiing and winters done right at Le Relais, Quebec.
“Only about half the skiers would make it to the top.” – he recalls.
“Most would stop halfway; it was a very different experience back then.”
A Local Legacy at Lac Beauport
In the hills of Lac Beauport, just outside Québec City, Le Relais Centre de Ski has never claimed to be the biggest resort in the region. Since opening in 1936, and celebrating its 90th anniversary in winter 2026, Le Relais has built its reputation on community, accessibility and a genuine love of skiing in all its forms.
With 33 runs stretching from beginner slopes to expert pitches, three terrain parks catering to varying skill levels, alpine touring trails and a dedicated acrobatic training zone, Le Relais offers a diverse experience considering that it’s such a compact mountain. Its freestyle credentials are further cemented by the Centre Acrobatique Yves Laroche, where athletes train year-round on five jump ramps landing into a pool, a rare facility that bridges grassroots participation with high-performance progression. The mountain is grounded in a very local family-first philosophy, welcoming everyone from first-timers to seasoned skiers.
A Witness to the Rope Tow Era
André Labbé’s relationship with Le Relais began in 1948, when the mountain was little more than rope tows and a single Poma lift, and grooming was virtually non-existent. “Only about half the skiers would make it to the top,” he recalls. “Most would stop halfway; it was a very different experience back then.”
From the Paper Mill to the Patrol
By 1969, while working shifts at a paper mill, Labbé began assisting the lone ski patroller on quieter weekdays. At 32, with a young family and a growing passion for the sport, he formally joined the patrol, beginning a decades-long commitment to mountain safety and community. Over time, he watched the role evolve. “In the early days, people saw ski patrol like the police,” he says. “Now they understand we’re here to prevent accidents and help when it matters.”
A Multi-Generational Family Legacy
Skiing was always a family affair. Determined to pass on his passion, Labbé taught each of his daughters to ski from a young age, progressing them through lessons and even local slalom racing. In 1980, the entire family joined the ski school together, André as an instructor, alongside his daughters teaching at various levels. He later achieved his Level 3 certification with the Canadian Ski Instructors’ Alliance, while his daughters reached Level 2, creating a rare multi-generational teaching team on the same slopes. He continued instructing until 1996, before returning to ski patrol, where he remained until his retirement in 2025.
Modern Progress and a Lifetime of Motion
Across those decades, Labbé has witnessed the transformation of skiing firsthand from rudimentary lifts and ungroomed runs to modern chairlifts, improved safety equipment and meticulously maintained terrain. “Everything is better now,” he says simply. “More lessons, better grooming, more lifts, less fatigue, more enjoyment.”
His connection to the mountain extends beyond winter. A lifelong advocate for staying active, Labbé fills his off-snow time with cycling, running, swimming and camping , often clocking rides of up to 100 kilometres all in service of maintaining fitness for the ski season. It’s a mindset that reflects the ethos of Le Relais itself, skiing not just as a sport, but as a way of life.
Even now, after more than seven decades on the slopes, that connection remains unbroken. In recognition of his contribution, the resort awarded him a lifetime season pass upon retirement, a fitting tribute to a man whose story is inseparable from the mountain itself.
