Brome-Missisquoi

The museum is located in the heart of Knowlton (Town of  Brome Lake) on beautiful grounds. Easily accessible, the museum includes many buildings: the old fire station; an interactive children's museum; the Martin Annex which houses a War Museum; see an airplane from the First World War, a rare find and the only one with its original material; the former courthouse dating back to 1858, which today serves as the accredited Archives Centre (available by appointment only); the former Knowlton Academy, and more.

The museum dedicates the largest artifact collection of the first war in which lies outside the War Museum in Ottawa. The house of the founder of Knowlton was added to the site in October 2014.

The Lac-Brome Museum, a perfect place for history lovers, or for a memorable family outing. 

Constituted in 1802, the border municipality of Sutton, which covers 235 square kilometres, is renowned for its tranquil rural landscape. Loyalists started arriving here in 1799. Coming from New Hampshire, Richard Shepard was one of the first pioneers to clear the land. Later, in the 1840s, French-speaking settlers also came and brought their culture to the region.The municipality was granted town status in 1962.

An interpretive panel is located in front of the former Brunswick Inn (now the restaurant À la Fontaine), located at 30-A Principale Sud.

Opening hours, spring-summer 2023:

Thursday to Saturday, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

From June 20 to August 19, Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Second empire style and built in 1874 as the Eastern Townships Bank, this remarkable building is a remarkable place to visit and is also the starting point of a heritage tour. Discover the Bruck-Lee permanent collection which consists of more than 75 works (paintings and sculptures). This collection was put together by the Cowansville Art Centre (1956-1979) and presents the works of Alexander Y. Jackson from Groupe des Sept and many artists from Beaver Hall Group.

Since 2009, Lee-Vermeille collection, following a sponsorship project, adds a contemporary component to the museum with its garden sculptures and paintings. The museum also hosts visual arts temporary exhibitions, mainly of artists living in the region.

Cowansville's  history began in 1798 with the arrival of the first settler, the son of a Loyalist named Jacob Ruiter. Cowansville gets its name from the Scotsman Peter Cowan, an influential businessman and later sheriff of the district of Bedford. The village was incorporated in 1876 and became a town in 1931. Cowansville is a bilingual, industrial town today and retains its Loyalist influences with magnificent buildings and affluent homes.

Stanbridge East was founded in 1801 and incorporated in 1890. The first inhabitants were former British settlers who wanted to remain loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolution, moving to the area in 1797. The Loyalists cleared the land for cultivation, and thus started an agricultural industry that remains prosperous to this day. The town is renowned for its Loyalist architecture and origins.

The Museum contains more than 12,000 items relating to Missisquoi County’s history, located in 3
period  buildings: the Cornell Mill (1830); the Walbridge Barn located in  the charming hamlet of Mystic and Hodge’s General Store.

Long considered the county seat of Missisquoi, Bedford (1890) is located close to the Quebec border with Vermont. The first settler arrived in 1804.

At the end of the 19th century, Bedford was a significant trade centre with its train station, retail stores, agricultural society buildings, Bedford Times head office, branch of the Exchange Bank, office of the Dominion Telegraph Company, tannery, several manufacturing shops, and smelting works.

Surrounding Pinnacle Mountain, the recent municipality of Frelighsburg is the result of a merger of townships and small villages. The original municipality of Frelighsburg was already established in 1845, however, and included the Protestant parish of Saint Armand East. The village is named after one of its first pioneers, Abram Freligh, who came from New York.

Apple production is a major part of the economy, and the village was designated among the most beautiful in Quebec.

Bromont’s contemporary history starts at the end of the 18th century with the arrival of Loyalists. It was then a preferred destination for Irish and French-speaking settlers, growing together in a harmonious community. The Town of Bromont was founded in 1964 and by the mid-1970s included parts of the townships of East Farnham, Brome, Granby, and Shefford, as well as the villages of West Shefford and Adamsville.

The Désourdy founding family members planned a two-pronged development: recreational tourism and high-tech industry. Bromont’s dynamic growth in the past 40 years has contributed significantly to the success of local industry, sports, culture, and tourism.

Two heritage circuits wind through Bromont: one in Vieux-Bromont and the other in the heart of the Adamsville district. The circuits feature 27 interpretation panels and three murals explaining the history and architecture of the buildings. Kick your tour up a notch with a BaladoDiscovery self-guided tour.

For more information, contact the Bromont tourist information office.

Discover the pioneers, American and British loyalists, that settled down in Bedford in 1812. Take the tour on foot or by bike!

Pamphlets available at the city hall reception.

Three self-guided heritage circuits allow you to discover a page of the Eastern Townships’ rich history. The town circuit; rural circuit and the churches and cemeteries circuit. Stop by the Sutton tourism office to get a guide for these tours.

Lost treasures: Using the idea of old post cards, the Cowansville Historical Society has promoted colour urban scenes of the town to revive the memory of now-defunct buildings. The Society and its team of mural artists created seven giant detailed and colourful pieces that celebrate the history of downtown Cowansville.

Historical plaques such as museum panels accompany each mural and guide you through 40 years of history.

Seven bell towers in two border villages: Discover the history of the churches in Frelighsburg and Saint-Armand. Pamphlet available at the Frelighsburg Tourist Office and on the village website.

Meander along Sutton’s back roads. Admire the scenery that charmed the early settlers of the Eastern Townships. Listen to music and sounds created especially for this circuit. Each of our self-guided heritage tours is a rendezvous with the history of Sutton. Hear voices from the past including a brothel madam, First World War soldiers and founders of the village, all brought to life by expert storytellers.

One of the three circuits is presented in a new format, as a radio drama, where every stage of the circuit adds a new element to the historical intrigue. The story is based on accounts by seniors in the community

We have created a virtual circuit to let you discover various aspects of Cowansville’s history and heritage. Lined with majestic trees, the long Main street connects both poles while revealing all the required efforts that were necessary to create today’s flourishing town.

Along this unique route, you will travel back in time through the heart of a city in full growth. You will thus discover 24 unique sites, each revealing its own history. Wishing you great discoveries!

Brochures are available at the Cowansville Tourist Office and on the website.

Self-guided walking tour. Free.
Step back in time and explore the magnificent built heritage of the village of Knowlton, founded in 1855. Well-preserved Victorian homes, municipal buildings, shops, schools and places of worship attest to the region’s rich past and its economic, industrial and cultural vitality.

Start your walk at the Lac-Brome Museum, continue along Lakeside Road and end on charming Victoria St. Interpretive panels illustrated with archival photos tell the story of each home and building. The route map is available at the Lac-Brome Museum and the Brome Lake Welcome Centre.

Through this audio-guided tour of  more than 130 km, discover the characters, anecdotes and the various places that marked the temperance and prohibition period throughout the border region of Brome-Missisquoi between 1848 and 1933.

On the route, you’ll be accompanied by the voice of the colourful Alfred Carpentier, a fictitious alcohol smuggler, but whose stories are indeed true.

The circuit stops at several steps of the Townships Trail: Cowansville, Lac-Brome, Sutton, Frelighsburg and Bedford.

The Musée du chocolat de la Confiserie Bromont invites you to discover its unique country-style terrace, breakfasts and delicious meals, vast choice of desserts, fine chocolates made on the spot. Its gourmet shop offers a wide selection of chocolates and European delicacies. Visit our chocolate museum!

We offer a wide variety of comfortable accommodations to suit all tastes. Guests can choose from one of our three luxury mountain view suites or one of our 31 four-season rustic cabins, including many perched high in the trees or stretching out over rocky cliffs. Our ability to offer something for every taste and budget is another reason for our success.

19km of private hiking trails with log bridges and interpretation panels. Snowshoe and Hok ski trails and rentals. Kayak excursions, paddleboard and tube rentals. Dogs welcome!

Another interesting activity the VeloVolant, is a pedal-propelled canopy cable ride that slowly allows visitors to glimpse forest life from above. A Canadian first, and only the third in the world!

Visit the ObservÉtoiles outdoor planetarium with augmented reality, the first in the World of its kind, situated in the middle of the Au Diable Vert Dark Sky Preserve. Young and old will be impressed with this new way of looking at the stars.