(Originally published in TOURISM)
Quebec’s Eastern Townships region perhaps illustrates most vividly that quality of tourism experience expressed by the French word “villégiature”. "Villégiature" refers to the kind of bucolic holidaying around countryside and small villages that seem to emanate a deep sense of place – a sense of place powerful enough, it would seem, to rejuvenate the soul.
The Eastern Townships offers this, and more. The region boasts being the premier cycling destination in Quebec, with 500 kilometres of trails along the Véloroute des Cantons. (The route is divided into seven circuits designed to let cyclists enjoy the most picturesque corners of the region.) Furthermore, the Townships Trail is a new driving route that meanders around the countryside over 415 kilometres, crossing 31 municipalities from Ulverton to Bromont.
For an even more in‑depth experience of the Townships Trail, drivers can pick up a two‑CD pack which brings the region’s history to life, a history that plays a critical role in imparting a distinctive flavour to the region. After the American War of Independence (1775‑1783), the open lands that stretched along the border were surveyed by the British, and made available to exiled Loyalists from what became the United States of America. The regional architecture is heavily influenced by those first settlers, who came mainly from New England; after 1850, francophones started to settle in the region and today make up the majority of the population.
The Eastern Townships is home to quaint villages and a variety of remarkable tourism experiences where, for example, one can board the magnificent Orford Express Tourist Train and enjoy the compelling landscapes of the Sherbrooke, Magog, Eastman and Bromont regions, a pastoral landscape where mountains, valleys, prairies and lakes lend themselves to scenic enchantment.
One may also visit l’Argus Bleu, a museum dedicated to insects – with more than 1,600 species from some 50 countries – at Lac Drolet, not far from Lac Mégantic. At l’Épopée de Capelton/Capelton Epic (formerly Capelton Mines), visitors can go on a Tour du Prospecteur (Prospector’s Tour) and on Visites Nocturnes aux Flambeaux (Underground visits by flaming torch) in a decommissioned 140‑year old copper mine.
Reflections of an almost exotic heritage
This summer, at the Vignoble de l’Orpailleur, there will be workshops showcasing the craft of the cooper (barrel maker) and a new exhibition interpreting the harvesting of cork and how it is made into stoppers for wine bottles. There will be numerous activities this year throughout the 14 wineries along the Eastern Townships’ Route des Vins (Wine Route).
At the Village of Fitch Bay, romantics at heart can discover Bleu Lavande, the leading lavender producer in Canada with 220,000 plants. The company has added 10 new cosmetic and culinary products to the items on sale in the boutique for 2007. Every Tuesday in July and August, visitors can picnic in the lavender fields while enjoying the soothing strains of classical music: Les Mardi Bleu Classique (as the concerts are called) are produced in conjunction with the Centre d'Arts Orford.
It is fair to ask what factor has led to such a blossoming of regional tourism experiences in the Eastern Townships. We contacted Melissa Provencher of the Manoir Hovey at North Hatley. The Auberge Ripplecove & Spa and Manoir Hovey are two five‑star inns located on the shores of Lake Massawippi, just over one hour southeast of Montréal and 20 minutes from the Vermont border. The two institutions are launching a joint biking package in May, for which the inns' chefs will prepare a gourmet lunch of local delicacies, packed into an insulated picnic backpack (itself a gift included in the package price). By night, guests will enjoy guilt‑free gourmet dining at the inns' dining rooms, both of which overlook opposite ends of Lake Massawippi. After two nights at the first inn, guests will leisurely bike their way to the second inn along scenic back roads while their car and luggage are transported by valet service and await their arrival.
Provencher says the package can be tailored for people of all ages because the distance traveled is established by cyclists themselves: “We planned for about 20 kilometers from one inn to the next to get from the Manoir to Ripplecove Inn and Spa. For cyclists with ability for greater distances, we help them with their itineraries.
Diversifying the market
"We expect most people to come from Montréal, Québec or other points of origin," she continues. "Our inns have traditionally attracted quite a few people from the US, perhaps fewer for the cycling package. We are just starting with this package, but about 60% of our guests used to originate from the US and 40% were composed of Quebeckers, Germans and Europeans in general.”
Provencher says that with the exchange rate being the way it is (against the American dollar), there are fewer US visitors to the region and the effects are felt in nearby villages: “I have noticed some of the gift stores that rely on tourism have closed in places like Knowlton and Sutton, so we must continue to tap into the unique character of our villages to find new revenue streams. From the perspective of our inn operations, the reason why there seems to be so much going on in the Eastern Townships on the tourism front is a need we feel to reach a younger audience that is passionate about our roots because we are very much a historical village."
Provencher continues: "We are working hard to lure younger consumers while maintaining the relationship we enjoy with our regular clients who have been coming here for the last 20 years. It is like in any sector facing economic sustainability challenges; we must show innovation and we are coming up with new ideas and packages so we can acquire these new clients.”
Fortunately, Provencher says, the Eastern Townships region is putting extra emphasis on promoting regional products. Such products are inspired by culture, worldviews, landscapes, livelihoods through the ages, and the contrasts between what consumers experience in their day‑to‑day life, and the experiences enjoyed by folks who inhabit host destinations. Tourists seek a chance to become temporary inhabitants, where they are exposed to pleasures they can’t enjoy at home.
The Eastern Townships, it seems, can deliver these experiences, and deliver them with confidence and authenticity.
Quebec’s Eastern Townships region perhaps illustrates most vividly that quality of tourism experience expressed by the French word “villégiature”. "Villégiature" refers to the kind of bucolic holidaying around countryside and small villages that seem to emanate a deep sense of place – a sense of place powerful enough, it would seem, to rejuvenate the soul.
The Eastern Townships offers this, and more. The region boasts being the premier cycling destination in Quebec, with 500 kilometres of trails along the Véloroute des Cantons. (The route is divided into seven circuits designed to let cyclists enjoy the most picturesque corners of the region.) Furthermore, the Townships Trail is a new driving route that meanders around the countryside over 415 kilometres, crossing 31 municipalities from Ulverton to Bromont.
For an even more in‑depth experience of the Townships Trail, drivers can pick up a two‑CD pack which brings the region’s history to life, a history that plays a critical role in imparting a distinctive flavour to the region. After the American War of Independence (1775‑1783), the open lands that stretched along the border were surveyed by the British, and made available to exiled Loyalists from what became the United States of America. The regional architecture is heavily influenced by those first settlers, who came mainly from New England; after 1850, francophones started to settle in the region and today make up the majority of the population.
The Eastern Townships is home to quaint villages and a variety of remarkable tourism experiences where, for example, one can board the magnificent Orford Express Tourist Train and enjoy the compelling landscapes of the Sherbrooke, Magog, Eastman and Bromont regions, a pastoral landscape where mountains, valleys, prairies and lakes lend themselves to scenic enchantment.
One may also visit l’Argus Bleu, a museum dedicated to insects – with more than 1,600 species from some 50 countries – at Lac Drolet, not far from Lac Mégantic. At l’Épopée de Capelton/Capelton Epic (formerly Capelton Mines), visitors can go on a Tour du Prospecteur (Prospector’s Tour) and on Visites Nocturnes aux Flambeaux (Underground visits by flaming torch) in a decommissioned 140‑year old copper mine.
Reflections of an almost exotic heritage
This summer, at the Vignoble de l’Orpailleur, there will be workshops showcasing the craft of the cooper (barrel maker) and a new exhibition interpreting the harvesting of cork and how it is made into stoppers for wine bottles. There will be numerous activities this year throughout the 14 wineries along the Eastern Townships’ Route des Vins (Wine Route).
At the Village of Fitch Bay, romantics at heart can discover Bleu Lavande, the leading lavender producer in Canada with 220,000 plants. The company has added 10 new cosmetic and culinary products to the items on sale in the boutique for 2007. Every Tuesday in July and August, visitors can picnic in the lavender fields while enjoying the soothing strains of classical music: Les Mardi Bleu Classique (as the concerts are called) are produced in conjunction with the Centre d'Arts Orford.
It is fair to ask what factor has led to such a blossoming of regional tourism experiences in the Eastern Townships. We contacted Melissa Provencher of the Manoir Hovey at North Hatley. The Auberge Ripplecove & Spa and Manoir Hovey are two five‑star inns located on the shores of Lake Massawippi, just over one hour southeast of Montréal and 20 minutes from the Vermont border. The two institutions are launching a joint biking package in May, for which the inns' chefs will prepare a gourmet lunch of local delicacies, packed into an insulated picnic backpack (itself a gift included in the package price). By night, guests will enjoy guilt‑free gourmet dining at the inns' dining rooms, both of which overlook opposite ends of Lake Massawippi. After two nights at the first inn, guests will leisurely bike their way to the second inn along scenic back roads while their car and luggage are transported by valet service and await their arrival.
Provencher says the package can be tailored for people of all ages because the distance traveled is established by cyclists themselves: “We planned for about 20 kilometers from one inn to the next to get from the Manoir to Ripplecove Inn and Spa. For cyclists with ability for greater distances, we help them with their itineraries.
Diversifying the market
"We expect most people to come from Montréal, Québec or other points of origin," she continues. "Our inns have traditionally attracted quite a few people from the US, perhaps fewer for the cycling package. We are just starting with this package, but about 60% of our guests used to originate from the US and 40% were composed of Quebeckers, Germans and Europeans in general.”
Provencher says that with the exchange rate being the way it is (against the American dollar), there are fewer US visitors to the region and the effects are felt in nearby villages: “I have noticed some of the gift stores that rely on tourism have closed in places like Knowlton and Sutton, so we must continue to tap into the unique character of our villages to find new revenue streams. From the perspective of our inn operations, the reason why there seems to be so much going on in the Eastern Townships on the tourism front is a need we feel to reach a younger audience that is passionate about our roots because we are very much a historical village."
Provencher continues: "We are working hard to lure younger consumers while maintaining the relationship we enjoy with our regular clients who have been coming here for the last 20 years. It is like in any sector facing economic sustainability challenges; we must show innovation and we are coming up with new ideas and packages so we can acquire these new clients.”
Fortunately, Provencher says, the Eastern Townships region is putting extra emphasis on promoting regional products. Such products are inspired by culture, worldviews, landscapes, livelihoods through the ages, and the contrasts between what consumers experience in their day‑to‑day life, and the experiences enjoyed by folks who inhabit host destinations. Tourists seek a chance to become temporary inhabitants, where they are exposed to pleasures they can’t enjoy at home.
The Eastern Townships, it seems, can deliver these experiences, and deliver them with confidence and authenticity.
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