Visit the adorable French-English village of Magog, only 25 minutes away, nestled at the top of Lake Memphremagog, and shop in the many boutiques or dine at one of the dozens of French bistros that line Main Street. Pick out a bottle of wine from one of the three local wineries, including the breathtaking Abby Saint Benoit Du Lac which features tasty cheese and apple treats made by the resident monks (see below).  Enjoy the fall foliage or hike one of the many mountains nearby. Travel to the city of Sherbrooke or explore the countryside and local unique character of the Eastern Townships of Quebec.  If you want to have an evening or weekend of fantastic nightlife, beautiful Montreal is only one and a half hours away!

In the Summertime:
Spend summer days relaxing on the beach, golfing (see below), biking (see below), horseback riding, fishing, swimming, waterskiing, tubing, jet skiing, or canoeing out to one of the many islands on this 26 mile long lake. You can take out the row boat for a picnic on the creek or rent a power boat or jetski from Magog. Possibilities are endless.

In the Winter:
Winter activities include: Horseback riding, Snowmobiling (see below), Ice fishing, Cross-country skiing, Snow tubing, Sleigh rides, Ice skating, and much much more.
A short one hour drive takes you to all the major ski resorts including Jay Peak, Owl's Head, Sutton, Bromont, Orford and Stowe, where you can enjoy glade and night skiing, a snowboard park, and lots of ski night life at each one.

Resort Contact Information:

Most of the resorts cater not only to winter activities, but to mountain biking, hiking, spa's, and other activities year round.  Click on the name of the resort to enter it's homepage, or contact them by the phone numbers listed below for more information.  Also, contact Eastern Townships Toursim for more information.

Jay Peak  1-800-451-4449

Owl's Head  1-800-363-3342

Sutton  1-866-538-2545

Bromont  1-866-BROMONT or 1-450-534-2200

Orford  1-866-ORFORD1

Stowe 1-800-253-4754 or 1-802-253-3000

Eastern Townships Tourism

    20 Don-Bosco St. South

    Sherbrooke, Quebec JIL IW4

    Phone: (819) 820-2020 or 1 (800) 355-5755.

Golfing

For the Golf Enthusiast, the Eastern Townships offer a variety of courses which offer a quick nine holes or a fully enjoyable 18 hole game.  For course sizes, locations, and par, refer to the table below.

Biking

Rural Quebec, and especially the Eastern Townships, has a wonderful network of bicycle trails. Barely one kilometer from the hubbub of North Hatley, is one such entry to the route, Le Grande Fourches. It's popular to ride north through Lennoxville, and on to Sherbrooke, a distance of perhaps 30 miles following the Massawippi River.  Aside from the need to cross a few narrow lanes, the route is entirely free from automobile traffic. Biking allows plenty of time to savor the rural landscape.

Benedictine abbey of Saint-Benoit-du-Lac

Not far away, overlooking Lake Memphramagog, stands the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Benoit-du-Lac. It's an imposing complex, of granite construction, with red trim around the windows, and steeply pitched copper roofs. Informative panels gave insight into the community. St. Benedict, finding "corruption of student life" an issue, began a monastic order during the fifth century A.D. Currently there are almost 9,000 Benedictine monks around the world, and an additional 7,000 nuns.

The abbey dates to 1912. A new monastery was blessed in 1944, and the abbey church was dedicated in 1994. Fifty monks are in residence, following a daily schedule that begins with matins at 5 a.m. and closes with evening prayers at 7:45 p.m. Meals are taken in silence, with one monk reading aloud. Gregorian chanting fills the air three times daily.  The Benedictines place high importance on the "work of one's hands." At Saint-Benoit-du-Lac, monks operate a cheese factory and cider mill, tend an orchard, and run a farm featuring Charolais beef cattle.

The church is long and narrow, with a soaring wooden ceiling, a polished stone floor, and dark wooden pews.

Guests are welcome for retreats at the abbey. Quiet reflection is the norm. Those who choose to take short retreats at St. Benoit-du-Lac must indeed find the time a welcome respite from hectic daily life.

For more information, contact:

The Abbey at Saint-Benoit-du-Lac, Saint-Benoit-du-Lac, Quebec JOB 2MO. Phone (819) 843-4080.

Snowmobiling in Canada and Border Crossing

BORDER CROSSING NOTES

1. You must stop at a Port of Entry to cross the Canadian/U.S. Border. The penalty for not stopping is $5,000 and/or the loss of your snowmobile.

2. U.S. Residents must have a "Trail Pass" to ride Quebec trails. Pick up your pass from the "Quebec Federation of Snowmobile Clubs". You may also purchase a "Trail Pass" at Norton Country Store in Norton VT. or at Kingdom Cat Corp. In Island Pond, VT.

3. Canadian residents must have a TMA and valid registration to ride Vermont Trails.

BORDER FACTS

1. Currently there are 7 approved trails that are routed directly on the Vermont/Quebec border.

2. Contrary to popular belief the 6 meter cleared area (slash) along the U.S. /Canadian border is NOT a "neutral zone".

3. Be aware that whichever side of an international boundary marker that you are on is considered the country that you are in and therefore subject to that countries laws and regulations.

4. Anyone riding the cleared area along the border (slash) could be in violation of U.S. or Canadian law.

CROSSING THE BORDER

1. You may only cross the border at an open Port of Entry.

2. Snowmobilers crossing the border into the United States or Canada without FIRST reporting to an open Port of Entry for inspection are subject to possible arrest, fines of up to $5000 and/or the loss of their snowmobile.

NOTE:  Agents of the U.S. Border Patrol and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) frequently patrol the border.

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