Drop in to Dubreuilville

Some snowmobilers have passed through Dubreuilville while doing Northeastern Ontario ’s “Big Loop ” Tour or while riding as passengers on the Algoma Snow Train . Too bad, ‘cause, they’ve also missed what makes Dubreuilville snowmobiling very special. So unless you’ve taken the time to stay awhile and to ride the 300 kilometres or so of snowmobile trails groomed by Les Alouettes Snowmobile Club , you truly haven’t experienced sledding in God’s country.

Located at north end of Algoma Country and OFSC District 13 , Dubreuilville was established as a company town in 1961 by the Dubreuil Brothers lumber company. With a population of less than 500, the town is located along  Highway 519 , 32 kilometres (20 mi) east of Highway 17 . By snowmobile, Dubreuilville is located at the intersection of TOP D and D108A, about 16 kilometres west of the junction of the TOP D & F trails. Dubreuilville is also home to one Luc Levesque, an avid snowmobiler widely known as “The Groomer Guy ” for his popular blogspot. We asked Luc to talk about snow conditions and snowmobiling in Dubreuilville…

“Being the Groomer Guy, that’s how I spend much of my time all winter. My favourite trail to groom is the power line section of the TOP F trail, before Dog Lake – lots of steep hills and curves – just how I like it! I like a challenge and it keeps me awake after a long night in the groomer. Sometimes it can get boring and I get sleepy being out for 12 to 15 hours at a time. But that’s better than it used to be. The F trail used to take us two days to do one pass. When we had the old groomer, TOP D108A was a 20+hour run each time. Our longest time grooming used to be 30+ hours straight, but that’s a story that I will have to tell some other time. I’m so glad those days are gone, but I still love to groom. I do it for the sport and for the nice people I get to meet on the trails – the waves of hands and the many thumbs up I get is what keeps me going.

Luc’s Favourite Place

I’m often asked where do I ride, what area do I like the most. Hmmmm, it’s hard to say, Ontario has some great destinations and well, being a groomer operator for the last 17 years I haven’t had the chance to see most of them. But I do know a thing or two about our Dubreuilville trails, and can guarantee everyone awesome riding when you visit us.

Okay, so Dubreuilville is my favourite spot to ride and I guess it’s worth the trip because many riders from the United States come up and enjoy the trails. They say we hardly have any traffic compared to Michigan and Wisconsin trails, and they love how wide and smooth our trail are, with lots of snow from the lake effect off Lake Superior.

Dubreuilville has a history of logging, so many sections of our trails run on old logging roads. This means that with early snow conditions, our club has a good base to work from and usually has our trails open earlier and longer than most other areas. A normal season here starts in mid-December and ends late march, but we have gotten underway as early as the first week of December and ended in April. In case you’re counting, that’s over 16 weeks of great snowmobiling. No wonder I love Dubreuilville!

Take the Snow Train

Did you know that the world famous Snow Train passes right by Dubreuilville? The TOP D/F trail crosses over the Algoma Central Railway line that runs between Sault Ste Marie to Hearst. You can Load up your sleds in Sault Ste Marie and ride the train through the breath-taking scenery of the Agawa Canyon to Dubreuilville. On arrival, the train will unload you right on the D/F trail just east of town. The Snow train is on every snowmobiler’s bucket list and you can put the icing on the cake with a stop in Dubreuilville.

Services & Amenities

Gas is available 24-hrs in Dubreuilville with a credit card at the sawmill gas station using a card lock system. We have one amazing place to stay: The Magpie Relay Resort. The owner is a motorsports fan so they've got a heated garage with a repair bench and for after a day of riding, there's a spa! As for food, there is only one place in town, Le Sports Bar and Grill, located right off the trail. Stop in and say “Hi” to the owner Louou, she will treat you right and fill your belly with some tasty eats.

Day Rides from Dubreuilville

From Dubreuilville, you can ride a southern loop via Club Trails 3 & 7 to Wawa for lunch and return on TOP D through Hawk Junction. Eastbound, MIssanabie is about 50 kilometres and well worth the trip for a famous burger at Ernie’s Restaurant. Just thinking about it makes me want to fire up the sled and head out for one right now. You can also get gas or stay over at Ernie’s. For snowmobilers, Ernie has a new 5-bedroom unit available. Each room has one single & one double bed, plus there are two bathrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, satellite T.V. & a heated garage, too!

North from Dubreuilville, I highly recommend the 140-kilometre ride on TOP D108A to Hornepayne for lunch at Uncle’s Restaurant. This is my favorite ride; most of it is on a big, wide logging road with some flat sections and some rolling hills, a perfect mix for smooth sailing. Believe me, this trail is so good that you’ll love it even more on the return trip!

Do the Big Loop

After exploring our trails, ride all or part of the Big Loop going clockwise by grabbing TOP D108A north to Hearst and on to the Northern Corridor of OFSC District 15. Or you can ride the Big Loop counter clockwise by heading east from Dubreuilville on TOP D/F to Missanabie and on to Chapleau and Timmins in OFSC District 14.

The last Word from Luc

So if you want a pure snowmobiling experience in the pristine wilderness, my advice is the come to Dubreuilville this winter. The folks here are friendly and down to earth, the snow is plentiful and our trails are absolutely tops. And when you arrive in town, be sure to stop in at the Quickee-Mart and say hello to me, I’m always ready to give out directions and chat snowmobiling. Keep On Grooming!!!“

As you can see, Luc is sold on sledding in Dubreuilville and so am I. If riding endless trails so smooth and wide that it’s like being in sledding heaven tickles your fancy, then be sure to include a visit to Dubreuilville in your Ontario snowmobiling plans this winter. Nothing beats March snowmobiling and Dubreuilville is a sure bet for those who want to extend their sledding season and try a different destination at the same time. So drop in to Dubreuilville and discover why Luc loves snowmobiling so much!

Snowmobiling Tourism Contacts:

• Go Ride Ontario!
• Algoma Country
• OFSC

Contributing partners for this Ontario snowmobiling site about great Ontario snowmobile trails and snowmobile conditions include:Intrepid Snowmobiler, Murphy Insurance, Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs, Ontario Tourism, Snow Goer Media, Supertrax Media

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