Edition 65: Feb 9, 2007

In the 65th issue of the Bed and Breakfast E-Traveller, we take you to the Eastern Townships in Québec: New England charm with a Québec flair.

The Eastern Townships offer endless opportunities for a fun winter getaway. Our region is dotted with mountain and lake communities like Sutton, Knowlton, Magog and North Hatley, where plenty of activities are available for someone who wants to enjoy life.

One of the major draws in the Townships is its spectacular scenery.

The countryside encompasses lakes, forests, mountains and rolling farmland - an outdoor playground of nature’s making.

The region has four large national parks (Yamaska, Mont-Orford, Mont-Mégantic and Frontenac), where outdoor lovers can enjoy activities such as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and winter camping.

In and around the parks are four major ski resorts: Mont Sutton, Mont Orford, Owl’s Head and Ski Bromont.com, and several smaller ones offer snowboarding, and tube sliding, in addition to alpine skiing.

Lovers wanted! The Eastern Townships, with a little help from Cupid, sets the scene for a romantic holiday, offering quiet country roads that wind around a stunning landscape of mountains, lakes and heritage-laden villages; cosy bed & breakfasts and country inns (love nests by any other name) and restaurants whose menus tantalize the palate with tasty, mouth watering treats that are almost as good as… well, you know what!

You and your significant other may well have been together for years, but that doesn’t mean the bloom is off the rose. A trip to the Townships is guaranteed to rekindle those feelings of affection that attracted you to one another in the first place.

Our spectacular scenery and the intimate nature of the countryside (not to mention delicious regional cuisine), will kick your senses into high gear, setting the mood for love. Wander into a bakery and inhale the tantalizing scent of oven-fresh bread. Nibble on a pastry (and maybe your loved one too, if nobody is looking!), order a steaming cappuccino, sit down and plan a romance-filled outing.

At the top of your agenda: a visit to the region’s artisan food producers — wineries, cider house and sugar shacks.

If doing absolutely nothing is more your style, the Townships can offer that as well, in the region’s many spas. Spa-going has become all the rage, especially among busy professionals and city folks seeking some rural R & R.

According to a report published by PriceWaterhouseCoopers for the International Spa Association (ISPA), a Kentucky-based organization representing more than 2,000 health and wellness centres in the U.S.A. and Canada, the spa industry is, in fact, the fastest-growing leisure sector in North America.

The Townships are at the leading edge of this phenomenon, with spas of every type, to suit all budgets and tastes.

At the modest end of the scale is Bolton Falls Spa and Spa Nordic Station, where spa-goers can plunge into a series of hot and « polar » baths (the latter involves taking a dip in a river).

Afterwards enjoy the feeling of well-being that comes from pumping up their circulation – a therapy said to improve digestion and make the kidneys and liver work more efficiently.

The Eastern Townships is the perfect place to enjoy winter, whether you like the outdoors or a cozy cocoon. 

Eastern Townships Tourism Association
bbcanada.com/associations/cantonsdelest