In the Matapedia Valley southwest of the Chic-Chocs sits Val-d'Irène, a club-run ski hill. It owes its existence mainly to hard work and local enthusiasts (including local backcountry legend Louis-Phillippe Gendron) who kept looking at the mountain where the area now is and admiring the terrain. Locals also noted the fair amount of snow that fell on it. After receiving all federal, provincial, and local permits in the early seventies, the newly-organized club got to work. Trails were cleared, a nearby barn was purchased and moved to the bottom of the hill to become the base lodge (it's still there), and the first lift - a T-bar - and a grooming machine were bought.Since then the area has grown carefully, and now encompasses terrain on both sides of the mountain.
- January 1973: first ski-lift in opertaion.
- Fall 1975: purchase of a second grooming machine (Skidoozer)
- March 1976: found raising campaign (Premier Club des 1000).
- Summer1977: Station Val-d'Irène is the new name of the ski resort.
- Fall 1977: poma and double chairlift in operation.
- Spring 1980: first Aqua-neige, initially created by Jacques Bérubé in 1979.
- 1980: the ski patrol becomes affiliated to St-John's Ambulance.
- May 1982: Val-d'Irène ski resort wins the prix Gérard-Roussel.
During summer 2009, a large subsidy from the Gouvernement du Québec allows an important renovation program. The double chairlift is being replaced by a quad chairlift with moving walkway.