The New York Times recently featured a house for sale near the village of Knowlton in the Quebec region known as the Eastern Townships.

According to the Times article, “The housing stock in the Eastern Townships is mostly old farms that have been converted to weekend estates or small hobby farms….The area is popular as a second-home destination with New Englanders.”

Here’s an introduction to the Eastern Townships from my book, Living Abroad in Canada:

East of Montreal, along the border with Vermont, the Eastern Townships (Les Cantons de l’Est) feel like New England, with their rolling hills, quaint villages, dairy farms, and family-friendly ski resorts, but they’re definitely francophone. And if you’re partial to good wines, hearty bistro cooking, and local cheeses, this francophone influence is a good thing.

…The Eastern Townships’ largest city is Sherbrooke, about 150 kilometers (95 miles) east of Montreal along Highway 10. Otherwise, the communities here, including Magog, Knowlton, and Sutton, are fairly small.

If you’re considering life in the Eastern Townships, an excellent English-language resource is the Townshippers’ Association, which provides links to a wide range of information and services across the region.

Looking for work in the Eastern Townships? Check out the Job Links Employment & Career Counselling Centre (in Sherbrooke and online). It offers a range of resources for English-speakers who are job-hunting in the Townships.

Bonne chance!

Photo ©Carolyn B. Heller