A few weeks ago, I went to Canada with my mum to visit my sister for around 10 days. While I spent most of my time in Montreal, we also booked a few nights in a cute chalet in the Eastern Townships area (Cantons de l’Est in French), which is located right at the border with the US. We stayed there for a short weekend to get away from the city and admire the beautiful foliage and nature.
The Eastern Townships region is the perfect place to go to at the weekend or on a family holiday to enjoy nature, because of its national parks, cute small towns and the many possibilities for outdoor activities. There, we stayed within the Memphremagog area, which is known for the huge lake it takes its name from and its beautiful landscapes.
During this short weekend, we walked around the woods next to our cabin, cosied up by the fireplace, drove around looking for moose and stopped by cute places to have a walk around and take some pictures. We weren’t blessed with sunshine the whole time, but we did get some patches of blue sky now and then, and the rain and mist definitely gave off a cool and epic vibe! If you are ever in that area, here are a few things that you can do – and that I would recommend!
Walk in the woods
Our chalet was located right by a large wooden area, where we could follow some hiking trails among the trees, which all had orange, red, yellow or golden leaves. It was absolutely magical and I was so surprised at how vibrant the colours were. I really feel like we don’t get as many beautiful colours here in Europe!
Another hiking possibility is provided by the Mont-Orford national park, a national park located North of Magog, with many hiking trails and beautiful maple trees to admire in the autumn. We didn’t actually go there because the weather was so bad that we wouldn’t have enjoyed it much, but it is definitely something I want to do when I come back!
Drive around to admire nature
To go there from Montreal and to reach different places in the area you would definitely need a car, not only because it is just easier, but also because then you get to enjoy all the scenic views.
We took the car to wander around the Memphremagog lake and it almost felt like we were in a movie.
Every time we saw a nice spot to have a walk in or to take some pictures, we parked the car and went out to appreciate it more. That way, we took a little detour to see a very old covered bridge which definitely reminded me of the movie Sleepy Hollow, and later we stopped in a really cute spot around the lake that had an incredible view.
Saint-Benoît-du-Lac abbey
One of the most fascinating things to see is the Saint-Benoît-du-Lac abbey, a Benedictine monastery that overlooks the Memphremagog lake. The visit was very interesting and you can also buy a lot of local products in the souvenir shop! The inside was beautiful but what I liked the most was the location: hidden between the trees, surrounded by nature and right on the lake.
The Cherry River Marsh
During our “road trip”, we went on a walk in a really nice trail in the Cherry River Marsh, which is some sort of nature reserve, where you can follow different paths that lead you to different areas of the marsh. When we went there, it was getting dark, cold and it started raining, which is a shame because the place seemed really nice. We only walked for one kilometre or so, then headed back because we were freezing. I am sure that it can be a very enjoyable walk on a nicer day though.
Magog and other cute towns
The area is filled with pretty little towns that just seem like they come straight out of a movie set. Sometimes there is a definite Sleepy Hollow vibe, especially at night or on a rainy and misty day. Other times, it feels like you just ended up in Stars Hollow (from the show Gilmore Girls), and you wouldn’t be surprised if you saw Luke’s Diner at the corner of a street.
When you are done with the wandering about in nature, you can definitely go to one of those towns and enjoy and warm and earthy meal in the many restaurants that there are.
I had never heard of the Eastern Townships region before going there, but it seemed to be quite famous in Quebec. I absolutely loved my stay there and I am still amazed at how stunning everything was in this season. I will for sure come back!
Have you ever been in Quebec?
Other posts about Canada:
My favourite things about Montreal
– Sugar rush at a sugar shack
– My little guide of Montreal
Sunny Days with Juliette 
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Oh wow, it’s like a dreamland. That first photo and the abbey in the autumn colours are just incredible. Looks like a lovely trip 🙂
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Thanks a lot! Yes, it really felt like I was in a movie some times! It was beautiful!
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Beautiful pics! I have been to Quebec – Montreal and Quebec City. Beautiful place 🙂
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Amazing! I have never been to Quebec city but it’s on my list for next time! Thanks for dropping by 😊
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Wow, Quebec is STUNNING in the fall! So orange that your photos look like something out of a computer screen saver! I’ve only been to Quebec during the wintry months, as it was absolutely white and snowing, so to see it in a different season would be the dream! I hope to plan a trip back there someday, as I couldn’t do it before COVID hit…thanks for sharing your adventures overseas, Juliette!
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Quebec covered in snow must be beautiful too! Last time I went to Montreal it was all snowy so now that I have seen it in autumn, I just have to go back in the summer or spring! 😁 Thanks for dropping by!
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The colors of the autumn foliage in Quebec are just otherworldly. Although the sun was rather shy during your stay, this place still looks incredibly beautiful. I was supposed to go to Quebec last year, but because of Covid I had to postpone that trip. It will take a few years at least for me to reconsider visiting this part of Canada due to all the hassles in international travel these days.
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I know, all the beautiful colours of the trees definitely exceeded my expectations, it was really stunning, even on cloudy days! It’s a shame that you had to postpone your trip, and I hope you will get a chance to plan another one very soon! Thanks for reading 😊
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I thought the exact same! These pictures look like they could be scenes from Gilmore Girls. So beautiful, so nostalgic!
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Ahahah I’m glad I’m not the only one that thought about this ahah! And I forgot to take pictures of the actual towns, it really looked like Stars Hollow! 😊
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Ooh, I can just imagine!
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looks wonderful!
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Thank you! It really was! 😊
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Stunning photos, Juliette! I’m glad you got to make the most of that expedition into the Quebec wilderness. 😛 Your thoughts on it all reminding of Sleepy Hollows makes it all even more creepy yet oddly insighting. I guess it was the perfect mood for your near-Halloween adventure! 😀 Thanks for sharing!
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That’s true! It was a good vibe for Halloween! 😁 the expedition into the wilderness was amazing also because it was not in *complete* wilderness ahah, maybe in the summer I will one day consider having no electricity, but in the mean time, I’d rather not 😅
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Fall in Canada is a beautiful colourful time. I visited the Eastern Townships at the same time, right around Halloween and the first snow, many years ago, it was true that the cold discouraged staying outside for long and the best way was to drive. It’s fun to look for covered bridges and round barns, there are several in the area.
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Wow ! Even though it was exactly at the same time we definitely didn’t have snow! I’m glad you had a similar experience and I’m sure you enjoyed it as much as I did! Thanks for dropping by 😊
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quebec is a fantastic part of the world! You can see winter is very close! The leaves are so red!
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Yes! I think just a few weeks earlier would have been peak “foliage” time, because many tree had already lost all of their leaves! 😊
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Hai fatto quello che ho sempre pensato di dover fare…il Canada in autunno mi ha sempre attratto sia fotograficamente che spiritualmente per cui penso che quando andró lí, le due cose si mescoleranno e usciranno delle immagini spettacolari. Mi piace da matti questo mondo che ci hai fatto scorgere, intimo e bellissimo che si crea quando si sta bene con la famiglia in un intorno melanconico e ispiratore!!! Un abbraccio!
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Grazie mille! Il Canada in autunno è veramente tutta un’altra cosa, e i colori sono molto più belli rispetto a qui in Europa! Veramente mi sembrava di stare in un film! Grazie per il tuo gentile commento e spero tu possa andare lì un giorno, sono sicura che ne usciranno foto stupende! 😊
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Nice! And beautiful pictures! I wouldn’t mind visiting Quebec some time too – though the first place I’ll go to in Canada is Vancouver. 🙂
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I’m very curious to check Vancouver too, everyone that goes there seems to love it! Thank you for reading !
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The fall colors look right out of paintings. Very good photos, would love to visit this part of Canada.
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Thanks a lot! Indeed it really felt like some enchanted and magical forest or like a painting! I hope you get to go there some day!
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This resembles a lot with a castel here at lake Starnberg. 🥰 I looked twice at the image 😅
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Oh really? It seems really nice 😊
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Wow, just look at all your wonderful photos – I can easily see that fall is the best time of the year to visit Quebec. I am glad to see you had a great trip, Juliette. Thanks for sharing and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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Oh yes, it was really wonderful and the autumn colours were so much brighter than what we have here in Europe, it was so magical 😍 thanks for reading!
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