Your curated guide to the hidden gems of Quebec’s Eastern Townships
The perfect spring day
It’s a crisp spring morning and you’ve just emerged from a restorative steam bath at Strøm Nordic Spa in Sherbrooke. Feeling relaxed and rejuvenated, you head over to Lennoxville for English-style afternoon tea on the veranda of the Uplands, a stately Neo-Georgian home and heritage site. After taking in the lush garden views while sipping on tea and indulging in scones, you drive to the quaint Victorian village of Knowlton. Starting at the Cenotaph facing Knowlton Academy, you venture down a peaceful wooded path to Douglass Beach, a sandy oasis off the shore of Brome Lake. Of course, no visit to Brome Lake is complete without stopping by Marina Knowlton for a 5 à 7 during magic hour. Opting for a glass of rosé, you savour your wine while admiring the sunset as it casts a kaleidoscope of colours across the sky. But the night’s not over just yet: next up is dinner on the terrasse of La Selva in Bromont: wood-fired pizza, salade agerola, infamous Parmesan fries, and an array of natural wines and aperitifs to cap off your evening.
It’s all in a spring day in the Eastern Townships, a historical, bilingual region in Quebec that’s home to 114 municipalities: comprised of charming towns, villages, small cities and wonderful people, nestled right in nature. Originally settled by English-speaking Loyalists, it’s a vast geographic area full of mountains, rolling countryside hills and lakes that lines the American border north of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. For food, wine, culture and outdoor lovers, it’s truly paradise.
Meet the writer behind The Purple Gem
Welcome to The Purple Gem! I’m Laura, a freelance writer, editor and journalist who moved to the Eastern Townships from Toronto during the pandemic. I’ve lived in three provinces: British Columbia, Ontario and now Quebec.
When I first moved to Quebec, I already knew the Eastern Townships, commonly referred to as Canada’s New England, was rich in heritage, culture and picturesque country landscapes. However, what I did not expect was a thriving food and wine scene, and frankly, one that was full of surprises.
As I settled into my new life in Quebec, I began to venture out to different towns each weekend, discovering new or off-the-beaten path restaurants, shops, wineries and cafés. I found solace in the region’s forested trails, lakeside walks and mystical mountains, where I could immerse myself even deeper into nature. Beyond the Quebec-famous dishes and ingredients that are ubiquitous in the province, from poutine to maple syrup, I discovered there was a lively network of 22 wineries (La Routes des Vins) and exquisite farm-to-table restaurants serving local, organic and free-range fare, some within minutes from my home.
The path to The Purple Gem
The idea for The Purple Gem was first sparked in July 2021, just weeks after I had arrived in Quebec. It was my birthday and my partner had taken me to a whimsical sculpture-filled vineyard in Dunham. After meandering through the tree-lined path, admiring the works of art, we emerged from the shadows of the forest to a sunlit meadow. Other than the two of us, there was no one else around – just the sounds of nature and the beautiful orchard views as we enjoyed our glasses of wine. I realized that we had stumbled upon a pretty special place – a hidden gem if you will – the first of many I would encounter in this breathtaking region.
A changing tide
Later on that year, pandemic lockdowns led to the closure of restaurants, bars and other in-person businesses. Eventually, as 2022 rolled around and businesses opened up again after the winter, I started to explore the Townships once again. While some businesses survived, others sadly did not. But lately, there has been a changing tide: Food, beauty, health and wellness options are blossoming as a new wave of businesses have opened their doors in the past year-and-a-half, in Knowlton, Cowansville, Sherbrooke, Bromont and beyond, giving their city counterparts a run for their money. It’s truly been a breath of fresh air.
Having witnessed the successful openings of healthy, artisanal eateries and wellness-focused businesses in my area, I knew it was time to share the secrets of our treasured Townships so you can plan your next getaway, date night or day trip. And, our recommendations will go beyond the “new” to spotlight the many historic hidden gems across the region (dating back to the late 1700s) so you can explore everything like a local.
A lifestyle site devoted to finding and celebrating the hidden gems of the Townships
The Purple Gem is a new lifestyle site for travel seekers, food lovers and Townshippers who thrive on finding adventure in the everyday.
From Cowansville to Sherbrooke, our mission is to find and celebrate the hidden gems of the Townships so you can travel like a local and uncover the region’s most refined and rustic restaurants, wineries, cafés, boutiques and events. Read more about the site and our mission here.
I’m so excited to introduce you to my favourite hidden gems of the region, and to the passionate people behind some of them. There’s lots to look forward to, including food-and-drink features on the most intriguing new restaurants and cafés in different communities across the Townships. That being said, you’ll definitely want to curl up with a coffee or tea and check out our first culinary spotlight here.
Stay in touch
Join our online communities to stay up-to-date on the latest Purple Gem articles and news! Follow us on Instagram at @thepurplegem and subscribe below to receive our monthly newsletter. And don’t be shy, let me know what you think at hello@thepurplegem.com.
To your many #HiddenTownships adventures,
Laura Schober
Founder and Editor, The Purple Gem
