Tom Robinson

Eastern Townships & Mauricie

There's so much charm packed into the idyllic stretch of pastoral patchwork between Québec's two metropolises that it's bursting at the borders. Kick back and stay awhile to enjoy the picture-postcard scenery of the Eastern Townships and take in the unique bilingual atmosphere that constant American tourist traffic to this area has fostered. Alternatively, the Mauricie region – from Trois-Rivières north to Lac St Jean and following the flow of the mighty Rivière St-Maurice – has been known to enchant unsuspecting visitors in search of wild, unadulterated natural beauty.

The Trans-Canada Hwy (Hwy 20) cuts a straight path to Québec City from Montréal. The Eastern Townships are nestled between here and the Vermont border, mainly along Hwy 10; Mauricie falls to the north of Hwy 20 along Hwy 40.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Eastern Townships & Mauricie.

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Abbaye St-Benoît-du-Lac
Sitting on the western shore of Lac Memphrémagog, about 12km south of Magog, this complex is a striking blend of traditional and modern architecture, including a hallway awash in colorful tiles and a lofty church with exposed structural beams and brick walls. If you can, visit at 7:30am, 11am or 5pm, when the monks practice Gregorian chanting, famous throughout Québec. Equally famous are the monks' apple cider and finely made cheeses, available from the abbey's shop. There’s a hostel for men here and another for women at a nearby nunnery.
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Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook
Straddling a lovely forested gorge outside the town of Coaticook, this scenic park is famous for having the world’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge. Visitors come for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding in summer, and snow-tubing and snowshoeing in winter. You can also camp or stay in one of the park’s cabins. The surrounding area boasts some of the Eastern Townships’ prettiest scenery, not to mention some wonderful cheesemakers (get the cheese-route brochure from the Coaticook tourist office). Family-friendly attractions include a minifarm where kids can pet and feed animals and go on pony rides, as well as Foresta Lumina, a summertime evening event in which forest trails are illuminated with colorful lights, creating magical effects.
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Orford Musique
Each summer this renowned music academy, dating back to 1951, hosts the Festival Orford Musique, a celebration of music and art that features more than 60 concerts by international musicians, with performances by guest artists as well as the academy’s own advanced students. Between September and May, the center also hosts occasional lunch and dinner concerts featuring jazz and classical artists. Its located just outside the national park boundaries in the small township of Orford.
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Frelighsburg
A few kilometers from the Vermont border, this village makes a pleasant stop along the Eastern Townships Route des Vins (Wine Route). A cluster of stone and wood homes straddles the banks of the brook that runs through town, and the surrounding area is filled with apple orchards. Local eateries specialize in smoked fish and maple products; if you have a sweet tooth, don’t miss the famous maple tarts at the old general store-cafe in the center of town.
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Vignoble l’Orpailleur
One of the province’s oldest and best-known wine producers, l'Orpailleur has a terrific little display on the history of alcohol in Québec, as well as captions in the vineyards explaining the grape varieties and how they grow. Tours of the vineyards are offered, and lunch is served at Le Tire-Bouchon, the great little on-site restaurant. The vineyard is a 30 minute drive from Sutton.
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Bishop's University
If you're interested in scholarly pursuits, head 5km south from Sherbrooke (or catch bus 2 or 11) to Lennoxville to see the Anglican Bishop's University, founded in 1843 and modeled after Oxford and Cambridge in England. The campus' architectural highlight is St Mark's Chapel 8:30am to 6pm, from noon Sun) built in 1857, richly decorated with carved pews and stained-glass windows.
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Parc National du Mont Orford
Just outside the town of Magog, Mont Orford (853m) dominates the lush Parc National du Mont Orford. In winter the park is a cross-country and downhill skiing center; summer brings hiking (on 80km of trails), plus swimming, boating and camping on Lac Stukely and Lac Fraser. Canoe, kayak and ski rentals are available.
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Parc National du Mont-Mégantic
At the heart of a scenic and delightfully uncrowded area, this park holds megasized appeal for wilderness fans and stargazers. Encounters with moose, white-tailed deer, coyote and other wildlife are pretty much guaranteed as you roam the trails of this park.
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Lac des Nations
South of all the sights, Rivière Magog flows into the pretty Lac des Nations, which is surrounded by a scenic paved trail perfect for walking, in-line skating and cycling (rentals available).