A Little History

Quebec's Eastern Townships lies about 75 miles east of Montreal. It was originally settled by United Empire Loyalists. Some 40,000 of them, enticed by land grants from King George, fled north from New York and New England after the American Revolution. Many of them settled along the border with Vermont and New Hampshire in places like Bromont, Eastman, Sutton, Knowlton, Stanstead, Magog, Ayer's Cliff, North Hatley and Cowansville.

The settlers have left their mark. The area has a decidedly English flavor though the demographics are changing fast. Many English speaking residents of the townships have moved elsewhere in Canada, and French Canadians have migrated to these communities. The dominant language, once English, has become French. It has made for a unique and interesting mix of cultures. The cuisine is fabulous almost everywhere you go with an attention to detail that many American visitors find amazing. See an Area Map

In many areas you'd swear you were still in Vermont: covered bridges and white-clap board homes dot the landscape; there is a sense of history and culture, a sense of doing things the New England way even if it is in French. In other areas you could be in France or New France as this region of Canada was once called. French joie-de-vivre is apparent, mixed with other minority cultures.

In recent years the Townships have become a playground for English and French Montrealers, a place for a second home. It has become a gigantic tourist area stretching from Bromont in the west to Sherbrooke in the east. The area is booming with an accompanying rise in property prices.