The Québec Vipassana Centre, also called in Pali, Dhamma Suttama, meaning the best of Dhamma, is one of the 181 International Vipassana meditation centres devoted to the teaching and practice of Vipassana meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka. It is located halfway between Montréal and Ottawa/Gatineau, five kilometers north of Montebello.
On this exceptional property, in a tranquil, open valley surrounded by forest, the Centre can accommodate close to 150 students per course. Purchased in February 2011, this centre at Montebello continues to uphold the mission of the former Sutton centre established in 1999.
Vipassana, which means to see things as they really are, is one of India's most ancient techniques of meditation. It was taught in India more than 2500 years ago as a universal remedy for universal ills, i.e., an Art of Living.
The technique of Vipassana Meditation is taught at ten-day residential courses during which participants learn the basics of the method, and practice sufficiently to experience its beneficial results. There are no charges for the courses - not even to cover the cost of food and accommodation. All expenses are met by donations from people who, having completed a course and experienced the benefits of Vipassana, wish to give others the opportunity to also benefit.
BY CAR WARNING:
Some GPS give inaccurate directions to the center (Hwy 50 and exit): follow these directions instead. From Québec City: Take Hwy 40 West until exit 96 West and merge onto Hwy 640 West – towards Laval/Saint-Eustache. Continue on Hwy 640 for 30 km and take exit 20 to merge onto Hwy 15 North – towards Saint-Jérôme. Then, follow the directions from Montreal given below.
See suggested routes in Google Maps From Montréal: Take Hwy 15 North – towards St-Jérôme – and take exit 35. Follow the directions for Mirabel/Lachute on Hwy 50 West. Continue on Hwy 50 and take exit 210 – towards Montebello/Mont-Tremblant. Then, follow the directions from Exit of Hwy 50 given below.
See suggested routes in Google Maps. From Montréal – West Island: Take Hwy 40 West – and continue in Ontario on 417 until the exit for Route 17 to Hawkesbury/Rockland. Continue on Route 17 in the direction of Grenville, Quebec. Cross the bridge to Grenville, keep going straight past the QC-148 road and take Hwy 50 West – towards Gatineau. Continue on Hwy 50 and take exit 210 – to Montebello/Mont-Tremblant. Then, follow the directions from Exit of Hwy 50 given below.
See suggested routes in Google Maps. From Gatineau/Ottawa: Take Autoroute de l'Outaouais/Hwy 50 East following signs for Maniwaki/Montréal. Take exit 210 towards Montebello/Mont-Tremblant. Then, follow the directions from Exit of Hwy 50 given below.
See suggested routes in Google Maps. From the South Shore and the Eastern United States: To completely avoid driving through Montreal: when you come to Hwy 30, take Hwy 30 West ($2 toll to pay further on) which will take you to the other side of Montreal and to Hwy 40. Take Hwy 40 West – and continue in Ontario on 417 until the exit for Route 17 to Hawkesbury/Rockland. Continue on Route 17 in the direction of Grenville, Quebec. Cross the bridge to Grenville, keep going straight past the QC-148 road and take Hwy 50 West – towards Gatineau. Continue on Hwy 50 and take exit 210 – to Montebello/Mont-Tremblant. Then, follow the directions from Exit of Hwy 50 given below. From Exit of Hwy 50 : Turn right onto QC-323 North. Pass Parc Omega (on your left) and Côte Ezilda (on your right). Immediately after, turn right onto Côte Azélie, which is on the bend. Go 2 km on Côte Azélie. You will see the Centre on the right, on top of the hill. Follow the signs to the reception area. There are some parking spots in front of the main entrance.
BY PLANE The Montreal and Ottawa airports are approximately the same distance from the centre.
RIDESHARE SERVICE A rideshare service is made available to students attending a course: the link to this service will be sent at the time of their confirmation. We cannot guarantee that you will get a lift, so please also consult the bus schedule. BY BUS On the day the course starts via the Hawkesbury Bus. On the day the course starts, take the bus going to Hawkesbury : the centre will organize a bus pickup in Hawkesbury (only on that Day 0 of the beginning of the course) for the bus leaving Montréal at 12 noon (arriving in Hawkesbury at 1:20) as well as leaving from Ottawa at 12 noon (arriving in Hawkesbury at 1:00). You MUST notify registration if you are arriving on one of these buses for us to organize the pickup. Note that there is a $10 transportation fee for the pickup, to be paid in cash (please bring exact change). It will then be an extra 40 minutes to travel from the bus terminal in Hawkesbury to the centre. Buy a ONE-WAY ticket. Rideshare will be organized at the end of the course for your return trip. Buses to Montreal and Ottawa leaving directly from Montebello early in the morning can also be taken. On Fridays and Sundays, you may take the bus directly for Montebello. The Bus terminal at the Dépanneur Bonisoir, Notre-Dame Street, is 10 minutes away from the centre. Contact Taxi Montebello at 819-423-4011: rides to the centre cost approximately $20.00. On any other days, one may take the daily noon bus to Hawkesbury and reserve ahead a taxi : rides to the centre cost between $45.00 and $65.00. Contact Taxi Hawkesbury at (613) 632-2596 or Taxi Montebello. Montreal - Montebello Buses run between Montreal and Montebello, twice a day, leaving at 7:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Fridays and Sundays. For information, call the Central Bus Station in Montréal at 514 842-2281. Ottawa-Gatineau - Montebello Buses run between Ottawa-Gatineau and Montebello, twice a day, leaving at 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Fridays and Sundays. For information, call the Bus Station in Ottawa at 613-238-5900. After leaving the Ottawa Station, the bus makes a stop in Gatineau (7:36 a.m. and p.m.) at the stop behind the Costo, on De la Savane boul. (Costco : 110 Maloney boul.) For Gatineau stop, purchase ticket by internet.