Take your pick: adrenaline packed or slow and contemplative?
Published on Aug 22, 2023
Aaaaah…The spectacular month of September! The trees are starting to change colour, blanketing the countryside in shades of yellow, orange and red. Although the fall season is celebrated in many other places, autumn in the Eastern Townships is particularly special. Find out why by checking out what’s on offer in the region, throughout this most glorious of months!
This is a long weekend and that gives you even more time to check out one (or more!) of the 30 wineries dotted around the Eastern Townships. Unsurprisingly, one of the biggest events of the harvest season is the Fête des Vendanges, Magog’s annual wine festival.
2023 marks the 30th anniversary of this popular celebration of the grape harvest and for two weekends (September 2-4 and September 9-10) more than 90 exhibitors will gather at Merry Point in Magog, to showcase the fruits of their labour. As well as wine producers and distillers, local artisans will be onsite, along with entertainers.
BTW, if you want to visit the actual vineyards during the harvest season, you can follow the Brome-Missisquoi Wine Route, making stops along the way. A number of wineries offer attractions and themed events.
Where to stay overnight in the Magog area?
In and around Magog, you can find a range of accommodations aimed at all tastes and budgets – cottages, hotels, B&Bs, self-catering units, full-service resorts, country inns (to name a few of the choices).
Your kids have just started back at school, but they’re still full of the holiday spirit! Maybe you are too? Well then, why not listen to your inner voice and take them off to Granby for a weekend of recreational fun? Granby is only a three-hour drive from Ottawa and a mere one hour from the border with New England and it’s an ideal base from which to enjoy a weekend getaway with your young ‘uns. Among the things you can enjoy - a visit to the Granby Zoo, a cycle ride on the Estriade bike trail, a picnic at a farm, shopping for fresh produce at a public market….The list goes on.
Check out our selection of family-friendly activities, in and around Granby.
The trees start to change colour in mid-September and you won’t want to miss one of the most stunning displays of nature - in one of the most stunning areas of Quebec! You can keep track of the metamorphosis of the leaves by using our interactive map, which shows you what part of the region has the most vibrant displays at any given time.
For a front row seat to Mother Nature’s annual show, the most spectacular views are at our four mountain resorts – Mont Orford, Bromont montagne d’expériences, Owl’s Head and Mont Sutton. The resorts celebrate the colour season with a slew of activities - live entertainment, mountain biking, children’s games, gondola rides and much, much more. (From September 16-October 15, 2023).
If you like “hoppy” beers, there will be plenty on tap during the Grande Coulée Beer Festival at Mont Orford – yet another reason to head for the Eastern Townships during the weekend of September 15-17!
Where to stay overnight near the mountain resorts? Here are some suggestions.
The fields and orchards still have an abundance of vegetables and fruit and this is the time to buy some or harvest them yourself! There are U-Pick places all over the Eastern Townships (apples are the prime crop), as well as cider makers, farms and stalls selling local produce - a cornucopia of fresh vegetables and sweet, mouthwatering fruit.
Plan a country weekend by booking accommodation in the charming village of Dunham (it belongs to the Coeur villageois network) and setting out from there to explore the nearby “wine country” and cider houses. We recommend that you visit Val Caudalies and Clos Saragnat (they both make wine and cider). If you like gathering your own fruit and vegetables, then head for Au Paradis des Fruits, Domaine de Dunham orchard and/or Cœur de la Pomme (which also has a picnic area).
A great way to spend Saturday morning is to wander around the public market in Frelighsburg where you’ll find fresh produce and handcrafted items in a warm, friendly atmosphere!
Time flies when you’re having fun (as the saying goes!) so now that the month of October is already here, what better time than right now to go off on a romantic weekend in the Eastern Townships? You and your significant other can take a break in all manner of settings, enjoying all kinds of activities – from adventures in the great outdoors to cocooning at a cozy inn.
We’ve drawn up a list (especially for couples) of cottages, lodges, private spas, one-of-a-kind accommodations (a tree house anyone?), many offering breathtaking views that will make your imagination soar…. Pick out a place that will appeal to your partner and surprise him or her by planning a romantic getaway in the Townships. We’d love to get your feedback…
Taste the Townships
10 vineyards that stand out in the Townships
Taste the Townships
Apples Ready for the Picking Until October
