Published on Feb 12, 2026
by Tourism Eastern Townships
Sherbrooke, February 12, 2026 – Winter in the Eastern Townships allows visitors to relax and enjoy local food in a warm, welcoming ambience. The cold weather gives them the opportunity to step back and indulge themselves in sweet pleasures – snuggling up to a fire, sampling local fare in convivial company, or cocooning in one-of-a-kind accommodation. The combination of scenic Townships landscapes blanketed in snow, cozy places to stay, gourmet food and a wide choice of wellness retreats, makes the region just as appealing during the winter months as at other times of the year.
Enjoying gourmet fare in the Eastern Townships is a wonderful counterpoint to winter’s chilly temperatures. Sipping on a mug of hot chocolate or an aroma-laden coffee while meeting some of the region’s friendly residents at one of the Cafés de village satisfies the taste buds and warms the heart! Another network of food-related establishments - Restaurants Saveurs des Cantons-de-l’Est – showcases local producers with dishes imbued with the flavours of the Townships terroir. The region offers a veritable cornucopia of gourmet delights – fine cheeses, artisanal honey, wine and cider (to name a few) and with 20 agritourism wineries, the Townships certainly lives up to its title as Quebec’s leading wine-producing region. Add to those 29 microbreweries specializing in craft beer and you have an abundance of opportunities to sustain yourself against the cold and to visit interesting, unique establishments where a warm welcome is guaranteed!
After a day in the great outdoors, it’s time to relax ! You can unwind and cocoon at any number of hotels, inns and spas (where wellness is the name of the game). These havens of tranquility offer heated pools, hot tubs and saunas – the perfect « recipe » for easing body and mind. At Domaine Château Bromont for example, guests have access to indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs on the terrace. At the on-site Amérispa you can also enjoy a thermal experience, which will lull you into a deep feeling of relaxation…
In the region of Megantic, Estello Suites & Spa on the shores of the lake, offers wellness treatments, a cozy ambience and suites with private balconies offering unimpeded views of star-filled skies. (The resort lies within the world’s first International Dark Sky Reserve where there is little or no ambient light.) The Eastern Townships is also home to a wellness industry pioneer – Spa Eastman. Surrounded by 300 acres of forested land, it offers a range of rejuvenating treatments and in 2025, it was voted “Canada’s Best Wellness Retreat” in the World Spa Awards program.
No matter which venue you choose, the formula is much the same. By wrapping yourself into a luxurious bathrobe, sipping a herbal tea in front of a crackling fire in the company of friends, family or your significant other and just immersing yourself in the moment, you’ll learn the relaxing art of embracing winter!
Looking for a touch of adventure during your overnight stay ? The Eastern Townships offers a range of unique accommodations, situated in the very heart of nature. Sleeping under a starry sky in a cozy yurt, a floating cottage or a treehouse, is an unforgettable experience.
At Bora Boréal in Bury, for example, you can stay in one of its energy-efficient floating cabins. Electricity is provided by solar power and the comfy interiors offer panoramic views of the lake. An added bonus is having access to a snowshoe trail and the on-site thermal baths – not your run-of-the-mill accommodation !
For a complete change of scenery, head to Les Tipis de la Rivière Sauvage where you can sleep in an authentic tepee made of wood, nestled on the banks of a river. The tepees can accommodate up to five people and visitors can enjoy rural activities such as visiting a local farm and tucking into a traditional sugar shack meal. Not far from the site, within the Mont Megantic National Park, is the ASTROLab where stargazers can enjoy astronomy evenings.
Situtated deep within a forest in Bolton-Est is Entre Cîmes et Racines, a 175-acre property where 14 ecolodges are nestled into the surrounding trees – the source of the building materials used in their construction. The units do not have WiFi and the only sounds that will disturb the tranquility of the natural surroundings are your feet crunching along 12 kilometres of trails, designed for snowshoeing or simply walking.
While these accommodations are simple (and in some cases rustic), they are comfortable and cozy and combined with the Townships’ stunning winter landscapes, they allow visitors a unique, authentic way to experience winter - from sampling gourmet fare to cocoonning in a warm, welcoming environment. Winter is not just a time to rest and recharge your batteries, but an opportunity to create memories that will last for a lifetime!
Photo credit: Spa Eastman
About Tourism Eastern Townships
Tourisme Cantons-de-l'Est (Tourism Eastern Townships) is one of Quebec's 21 regional tourism associations (ATR) and the official representative of Quebec's Ministry of Tourism in the region. Since 1978, TCE’s mission has been to foster the region's tourism development, promote, coordinate, support and represent the entire tourism sector, while focusing on the quality of the visitor experience. TCE brings together nearly 600 members representing more than 1,000 tourism offerings throughout the 9 regional county municipalities (MRCs) and in all sectors of the tourism industry: accommodation, restaurants, attractions, activities and events.
The Eastern Townships is the fourth most popular tourist region in Quebec, with volumes reaching 10 million visitors annually, accounting for 6.5 million overnight stays and a tourism spend of more than $900 million per year. Tourism in the region generates over 20,000 jobs, making it the region's fifth largest employment sector among all tourism regions.
Titouan Bussière
Media Relations Coordinator
819 820-2020
Mobile Phone : 819 238-9375
