Finding the Most Charming Villages in the Eastern Townships, Québec
Full of farmland, soft rolling hills, crystal-clear lakes and mountains. It’s a nature lovers paradise- perfect for outdoor and sport enthusiasts. Not to mention the wineries and fruit orchards delighting any foodie traveller. But, best of all, are the most charming villages, known as Les Coeurs Villageois. Coeurs in French means heart, and these villages definitely have that!
There are 13 designated Les Coeurs Villageois dotted throughout the Eastern Townships. This entire area, made up of nine uniquely different regions, borders Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine in the US begins 80km southeast of Montréal.
To earn the special title of Les Coeurs Villageois they have to be incredibly welcoming to visitors. They go out of their way to showcase the best of what they have to offer- from products to culture. Each one having something unique to offer to visitors.
I visited 10 of the 13 Les Coeurs Villageois, as well as some other charming places and here are the best of the best for your visit to the Eastern Townships.
Dunham
Population: 3,525 | Settled in 1796
Located in the Brome-Missisquoi region
Designated as a Les Coeurs Villageois
At the centre of Dunham is a heritage building dating back to 1865. The former coaching inn has been restored into an artisan gallery and Dunham’s very own microbrewery. That, plus Dunham’s rich history and incredible scenic views of the mountains make this a must-visit village.
- Where to drink: Dunham microbrewery and the surrounding wineries like Vignoble du Ruisseau, Domaine Côtes d’Ardoise, The Orpailleur, Val Caudalies, and Clos Ste-Croix
- What to do: Visit the orchard – Domaine de Dunham – and pick your own fruit or stop in on their market shop
- Where to eat: L’Épicerie-Café Dunham
Frelighsburg
Population 1,100 | Settled in 1790
Located in Brome-Missisquoi region
Nestled at the foot of Mount Pinnacle close to the Vermont border sits the lovely village of Frelighsburg. The roads that lead you there are sprinkled with apple orchards. But it will be the church steeple peaking out over the trees that leads you to the town’s main hub. Once there, it becomes obvious why it’s considered one of the most beautiful small towns in Québec.
- Where to eat: Café de Village, the once historic general store, is known for its specialty maple syrup pie or Beat & Betterave is part café and part cultural centre featuring local artists’ work
- What to do: visit the historic Grammar School built in 1856 now serving as the tourism office
- Where to shop: Oneka which features organic body care products
Brome Lake
Brome Lake is the merger of seven hamlets and villages – Bondville, East Ville, Foster, Fulford, Iron Hill, Knowlton and West Brome.
Population: 5,590 | Settled in 1792-1797
Located in the Brome-Missisquoi region
Designated as Les Coeurs Villageois
Lac-Brome or Brome Lake is where art and history meet. The town served as the inspiration for crime novelist Louise Penny’s famous village of Three Pines. With its deep historic roots you will find many museums, self-guided historical trails and even an antique circuit. It’s also an area full of delicious eateries and gourmet shops. My favourite was Domenica – a little Italy Grocery shop. There’s no mistaking it, Brome Lake definitely deserves its Les Coeurs Villageois status. Don’t pass this one by.
- What to do: Head to Douglass beach or Brome Lake or visit a lavender farm at Joie de Lavande
- Where to eat: Le Relais Bistro, Bistro West Brome, Le Sapin or Quilliams
- Best village and hamlet to visit: Knowlton! It’s a pretty little village that is a must-see
- Where to drink: Leon Courville winery or La Knowlton Co. microbrewery
Sutton
Sutton is a mountain village, famous for its year-round outdoor activities, especially alpine skiing at Mont Sutton.
Population: 4,000 | Settled in 1792
Located in the Brome-Missisquoi region
Designated as Les Coeurs Villageois
At the foot of Mont Sutton, sits a typical alpine village. Full of eateries and shops catering to all the outdoor enthusiasts who flock to this area. It’s a lively town, full of cyclists and hikers (in summer) and skiers (in winter). Sutton has a great selection of eateries and shopping for all your outdoor and sport gear.
- Where to eat: Le Pleasant Hotel & Café, La Gallette for their sweet or savory crepes
- What to do: endless trails for cycling, mountain biking, hiking and cross-country skiing, plus downhill skiing at Mont Sutton
- Where to drink: Auberge Sutton Brouërie, L’Abordage Microbrasserie, Vignoble de la Chapelle Ste-Agnes, Vignoble Domaine Bresee
Waterloo
Population: 4,600 | Settled in 1793
Located in the Granby region
Designated as Les Coeurs Villageois
At the crossroads of three bike trails – Estriade, Campagnarde and Montagnarde, Waterloo is one of the main cycling hubs in the Eastern Townships. Beyond cycling, the real highlight is Artria Park – an outdoor art gallery. Amongst the French style gardens are large art sculptures from artists around the globe. With music piped into garden speakers and the backdrop of Lake Waterloo this makes for a pleasant leisurely stroll for a a couple of hours.
- What to do: Heritage trail with 40 historic and architectural buildings
- Where to drink: Robin – Bière Naturelle
Ayer's Cliff
Population: 1,130 | Settled in 1815
Located in Memphremagog region
Designated as Les Coeurs Villageois
Ayer’s Cliff was named after the Thomas Ayer who introduced the railway in 1799. The focal point for this village was the stagecoach inn that hosted American travellers passing through. Still to this day, the village has a constant flow of traffic. As a result, it’s not as quiet and quaint as the other coeurs villages, but still does feature many beautiful heritage homes and the Stanstead County Agricultural Fair which is the oldest in Quebec.
- What to Do: Tomifobia Nature Trail is a 19-km easy bike and foot path along Lake Massawippi or Ayer’s Cliff public beach
- Where to eat: Café Folies, Le Riverain Restaurant at The Ripplecove Inn or Auberge Ayer’s Cliff
Eastman
Population: 2,070 | Settled in 1888
Located in the Memphremagog region
Designated as Les Coeurs Villageois
Surrounding Eastman are such pretty views of Mont Orford and the four nearby lakes. It is also home to Théâtre de La Marjolaine, which introduced French summer theatre to Quebec, as well as, the literary event, Eastman Correspondences. Eastman is such a peaceful and tranquil place to visit, so it’s not surprising it made it on the Les Coeurs Villageois list.
- Where to eat: Café Bistro Les Trois Graces, Restaurant du Spa Eastman, La Station, or Dora’s Artisanal Bakery
- What to do: Hiking and biking on the Heritage, Literary and Louise Portal trails; kayaking and fishing in the nearby rivers
- Where to shop: Savonnerie des Diligences
Austin
Settled in 1793 | Population 1,500
Located in Memphremagog region
Austin is a bit unique in that it does not offer a lot in terms of eateries or cute shops, in fact it only has one general store. Instead, it’s the views that make this place worth the visit. At the crossroads of Nicholas Austin and Millington roads is the departure point for two scenic trails – a 4.7-km heritage tour and 2-km pedestrian walkway leading to Saint-Benoît-du-Lac.
Saint-Benoît-du-Lac is considered to be one of Quebec’s smallest municipalities, and is often considered part of Austin. This entire area is to accommodate the Saint-Benoît-du-Lac Abbey for Benedictine monks.
The Abbey is an impressive structure overlooking the western shore of Lake Memphremagog. It resembles a French chateau with its turrets, green copper roofs, and walls of stone. Sitting on a green hillside that slopes gently down to the water. Mount Owl’s Head, one of the three big mountains in the area, looms majestically in the distance. It is an stunning setting.
A boutique shop at the Abbey is open to the public. It offers products made at the Abbey, mainly cheeses, ciders, jams, and apple butter. Visit during apple-picking season and you can join the monks in this annual ritual.
North Hatley
Settled in 1897 | Population 700
Located in the Memphremagog region.
North Hatley is oozing with charm with a historic village centre. This tiny town sits on the shores of Lake Massawippi with the mountains in the background. Many of the century-old homes have been turned into lovely inns and B&Bs, as well as, cute shops, galleries, cafés and restaurants. It’s no wonder this place is considered the vacation destination of all of the Eastern Townships.
- Where to stay (and dine): the Relais & Châteaux property of Manoir Hovey gained international attention when Condé Nast Traveler named it the top place to stay in Canada. Its restaurant, Le Hatley, is also a recommended place to dine at for a special dinner
- What to do: stroll the boutique shops, be sure to visit Galerie Jeannine Blais featuring all types of art worldwide. Beach lovers head to Pleasant View beach. Watch out for the North Hatley covered bridge on one of the sideroads outside of town
- Where to eat: Saveurs et Gourmandises
Stanstead
Population: 2,790
Settled in 1789
Located in the Memphremagog region
Stanstead is known for its architectural heritage due to the locally quarried Stanstead Grey Granite. This stone can be found in many of the buildings throughout this area, and is often referred to as the “Granite Capital of Canada.” Another unique part of visiting Stanstead the main street extends to the US border. CANUSA Street is divided down the middle by an international border. The Haskell Opera House is divided down the middle where the audience sits in the US, while the artists perform on the stage is in Canada.
- What to do: Visit the Stone Circle, Colby-Curtis museum, or Ye Olde Blacksmith or Le Vieux Forgeron art galleries
- Where to eat: Café-bistro at the Auberge Le Sunshine
Masonville
Population: 1,820 | Settled in 1792
Located in the Memphremagog region
Designated as Les Coeurs Villageois
The main attraction in Masonville is its historic round barn from 1912. There are only a handful of round barns still standing in the Eastern Townships, and this is considered the one to see. Due to the hilly roads near Masonville, this is a cyclists paradise. Many stop in on the village as they make their way either to or from Owl’s Nest – a popular area for skiing and golf.
- What to do: Visit Owl’s Head for alpine skiing, hiking and golf course. Watch out for the Pont de la Frontière, the covered bridge near Potton. Although not in use anymore, and there is a road built adjacent, it’s still worth a visit
Coaticook
Population: 8,900 | Settled in 1820
Located in region Coaticook River Valley
Designated as Les Coeurs Villageois
One of the biggest attractions to Coaticook is Parc de la Gorge. Go here and you can walk across the highest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America. It offers amazing views of the gorge below. Contained in the same park is Foresta Lumina, a multimedia nighttime experience along Coaticook’s Canyon.
- Where to eat: Laiterie de Coaticook where for 75 years they have been known for making its delicious ice cream and cheeses
- What to do: ride the 15-km of bike trails winding along the river offering many scenic spots to stop
- Where to drink: Microbrasserie de Coaticook, Microbrasserie Hop Station
Cookshire-Eaton
Population: 5,430 | Settled in 1795
Located in the Haut-Saint-François region
Designated as Les Coeurs Villageois
Cookshire-Eaton’ main attraction is Parc des Braves where an arrangement of standing stones, the same found in Scotland. The legend is that they were believed to track the passages of the moon. Try and find the four bell towers, 3 of them in are churches and one of them is in Parc des Braves. Next, take the trail along the lovely Eaton River that leads you to the 1868 John Cook covered bridge.
- What to do: Visit the Cookshire-Eaton Art Gallery
- Where to eat & drink: Brasserie 11 Comtes
Where to Stay
You might be asking yourself what place makes a good home base to explore all of these villages? My recommendation is a tiny village in the Memphremagog region called Bolton-Est. It’s a central to almost all of the 9 regions in the Eastern Townships making it very accessible to enjoy the must-visit places listed above. And, why not stay in a cantilevered house in the mountains? Check out this architectural gem, the Bolton-Est house, staying here is a definite highlight of our trip.
As a holidaymaker…
Although the Eastern Townships are the place to be for serious skiers in the winter, and boating, swimming, golfing, hiking, and biking take over in the summer. For me, it’s the charming Les Coeurs Villageois that drew me to this area. There is nothing better than day tripping to some cute villages set amongst the backdrop of the natural countryside, mountains and lakes that won me over. Not to mention the scenic drives to get from one charming village to the next are incredible. No matter the season, this region is beautiful.
47 Comments
Jenn | By Land and Sea
These spots all look so charming! I appreciate all the recommendations you offer here on places to go, things to do and where to stay!
The.Holidaymaker
I’m so happy to hear that you would find that helpful. Thanks for stopping by.
simplyjolayne
I think I would love a visit to these small towns in the Fall when the colors are bright and brilliant.
The.Holidaymaker
That is exactly why I decided to return to do just that!
Tami
My husband and I have traveled through Quebec and seen many of these beautiful villages. All are quaint and very picturesque. I’d love to return and see the rest of them. Besides the great photos, I loved the warmth of the people who live in this area.
The.Holidaymaker
I’m so pleased to hear that you’ve been to this part of the province. It’s really a hidden gem that most have not heard about.
Wendy
I’ve been to Quebec City and Montreal, but never thought about exploring the small towns of Quebec. Wow, they are lovely and really charming. Thanks for sharing!
The.Holidaymaker
There are so many wonderful spots in Quebec, that it’s hard to get to see them all. But if you love charm, then Eastern Townships is the place to go!
Krista
All of these villages look so picturesque! I haven’t heard of any before, but I’ll definitely save this for the next time I’m in Quebec.
The.Holidaymaker
It’s such a beautiful area, driving from one to the next is so scenic too.
Kerry
These really are beautiful towns all with great character. My favourites were Ayer’s Cliff and Austin, the mention of panoramic views and the charm of the buildings sold me. Wonderful.
The.Holidaymaker
I’m so happy you enjoyed these villages. Yes, the views are incredible.
sue
These villages all look so pretty & charming. I love a road trip & exploring around this area sounds right up my street. I have never been to this part of Canada so maybe I need to plan a visit…
The.Holidaymaker
You’ll love this part of the country. It offers something for everyone – from adventure to spa, winiers to orchards, scenic landscapes to cute villages and towns.
Alma
I’d definitely be charmed by the villages on the east of Quebec. They look delightful and worth exploring!
The.Holidaymaker
I’m so happy they charmed you! Thanks for stopping by.
Jennifer Mostert
Some of these places look delightful. I’d love to do a road trip from village to village one day in the autumn or fall as you call it.
The.Holidaymaker
Going from village to village is part of the fun. The landscape is simply incredible.
Jamie Italiane-DeCubellis
I have visited Quebec City many times and have always found it magical. Last time I was there I was able to visit the island north of the city and loved it. You have inspired me to take a road trip all around the area in the fall or spring.
The.Holidaymaker
I’m happy to hear I’ve inspired you. The fall is especially spectacular in this area.
Barry
It must have been so difficult to chose the best ten out of the thriteen villages as they are all so picturesque and beautiful. I noticed that most seem to have been settled in the 1790’s so are actually quite old for Canada – they certainly show their history in the magnificent buildings. Great that you included info on where to eat and drink as I would be lost for that.
Love the two sculptures in Waterloo – very creative and stylish.
The Saint-Benoît-du-Lac Abbey looks impressive, I’d love to wander around that and take in the views. How unique that the Haskell Opera House straddles the border between Canada and USA and the player and audience sit in different countries! Are you permitted to wander across the line in the Opera or the High Street?
One thing surprised me for what is a French influenced area is that nearly all the villages had very English sounding names. Great read, I thoroughly enjoyed it and the pics, as always, are beautiful.
The.Holidaymaker
Thank you Barry for your kind comment. Yes, the settlers to this area stem from the American Revolution and therefore, many of the names of the towns are English.
JoJo Hall
This is a great post! So many cute little towns and places to explore! I love exploring little towns and seeing what the area has to offer.
The.Holidaymaker
Thank you, this is a great area to explore.
Linda (LD Holland)
It has been a long time since I spent any time in the Eastern Townships. But these 13 Les Coeurs Villageois would certainly be a dra. Love that they offer such local products to sample. And that each small town is so unique. We would definitely plan to do some of the local hikes when we visited this area. Need to wear off some of the great food for sure!
The.Holidaymaker
Thankfully this area is known for its active lifestyle- so there are lots of activities you could do to burn off the indulgences you’re bound to eat/drink while here.
Sherianne
I have visited Quebec and love the area but was not aware of the surrounding townships. I would love to visit North Hatley and relax next to the lake after browsing the shops. Thanks for sharing this!
The.Holidaymaker
North Harley is definitely a popular choice, you have the lake right in view of shopping. It’s so quaint.
Jason
Wooow I can most definitely say I have never heard of any of these places but after this really well wrote blog I would love to visit. Cookshire-Eaton, Austin and Ayer’s Cliff really grabbed my attention for amazing buildings and the proper feel of the usa.
The.Holidaymaker
Thank you Jason. I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed it.
Umiko
I like visiting small towns like these in the weekend. They make your weekend calendar full with day trips. The round barn in Masonville is truly unique, and I want to walk across the pedestrian suspension bridge enjoying the gorge below.
The.Holidaymaker
The round barn really is quite unique.
Natascha
I love the name “Le Coeurs Villageois”. A great marketing idea I think – who would not want to go there? The all seem so charming. But looking at your pictures I would probably choose Austin and North Hatley for a first-timer visit.
The.Holidaymaker
I agree, it’s genius. But they really do live up to their name.
Gustavo A Feliciano
All these places look so picturesque! I would love to visit them one day and explore all of them!
The.Holidaymaker
Hopefully you get that chance.
Ambica Gulati
They don’t look like villages at all! They look like marvellous architectural spots. I would love to see these beautiful places with their flowery environs and awesome buildings. I hope the people are as colourful with their stories.
The.Holidaymaker
That’s part of the charm is the people!
Lisa
I’ve never been to Quebec in Canada so would love to see this villages. Freighslighburg is so charming, especially the architecture. Austin is another I’d like to see. All of the cafes would be on my list too!
The.Holidaymaker
Hopefully you have the chance to visit one day!
Kevin
This is such a charming region of Quebec! It looks like it wouldn’t be that hard to get to from the US border. All of the towns are so pretty and unique, but Saint-Benoît-du-Lac Abbey really caught my eye. It’s very picturesque, and the local treats from the bakery there sound so good! I’d want to check out the architecture in Stanstead and practice at least a little bit of French while exploring the different villages too!
The.Holidaymaker
It is very easy to cross the border through a few spots along this region. The New England charm is evident, but with a little French twist.
Emma
I love them all. What magical little towns. The pictures with the fall colours make me think even more of that region, somewhere I’d love to visit at that time of year. North Hatley certainly looks like a gem. But I’d happily visit any (or all) of them
The.Holidaymaker
The good news is they are in close proximity to each other, so you can easily visit a few of them while staying in this area.
Nish
These villages all look so charming and quaint. I would love to do a slow travel through these places one day.
The.Holidaymaker
Slow travel is the best way, so you really can get to know each of them.
Sarah
These villages look idyllic. I hope to get back to Canada soon. I’ve only ever visited the big cities – I would love to see a different side. i can see a road trip coming up in the future.