Brome-Missisquoi
At the Quebec-Vermont border, from the Sutton Mountains to Brome Lake, the Brome-Missisquoi regional municipal county offers magnificent panoramas of the surrounding mountains, forests, farmland, and waterways. As early as the end of the 18th century, Lake Champlain and Missisquoi Bay opened the way to settlement, making this corner of paradise the privileged cradle of Loyalists arriving from New England. Today, the American and British influences remain in the region’s architecture. The Townships Trail takes you to Bromont, Lac-Brome (Knowlton), Sutton, Cowansville, Standbridge East, Frelighsburg and Bedford.
The Brome-Missisquoi regional municipal county is proud to present the Brome Missisquoi Notebooks, a travel journal of text and images on the region’s history and heritage. Available at tourist information offices.
Lac-Brome Museum and Children's Museum
130, rue Lakeside, Lac Brome (Knowlton) J0E 1V0 450 243-6782 Email Website
Season 2025: from May 17th to October 12th, every day, from 10 am to 5 pm
Discover the fascinating history of Brome County!
Spend an afternoon diving into the past of Knowlton, the historic heart of
Lac-Brome, and explore the lives of those who settled in Brome County. Learn more
about the early industries, education, the Loyalists, and how people lived at the end
of the 19th Century.
The Lac-Brome Museum, owned by the Brome County Historical Society, founded
in 1897, features several historic buildings that will captivate visitors of all ages.
Among them are exhibitions on the trades and industries of the time, military life
(including a Fokker DVII, a rare German biplane from World War I), early education,
and British Home Children. Children will also enjoy the interactive Children’s
Museum, while the temporary exhibition hall offers a new theme to explore every
year.
Just outside Knowlton, a five-minute drive will take you to Tibbits Hill School, a
historic gem open to the public on Sunday afternoons during the summer.
Looking to dive deeper into your research or uncover unique archives? Visit the
accredited Archives Centre located in the Old County Courthouse, open Monday to
Friday by appointment.
Sutton
27, rue Principale Nord, Sutton J0E 2K0 1 800 565-8455 Website
Sutton, founded in 1802, is a charming Quebec border municipality covering 235 km². Nestled in the heart of the Eastern Townships, it is renowned for its pastoral landscapes and rich historical heritage. The first settlers, Loyalists from New Hampshire in 1799 (including Richard Shepard, one of the first pioneers to clear the land), were followed by French-speaking settlers in the 1840s, creating a culturally diverse community.
Downtown Sutton, with its boutiques, art galleries and restaurants, offers a warm, authentic atmosphere. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy Mont Sutton, renowned for its skiing in winter and hiking in summer. In addition, the Musée des communications et d'histoire de Sutton presents exhibitions on local history and communications. Whether you're passionate about history, art or nature, Sutton offers an enriching experience for all visitors.
The stop sign is located in front of the former Auberge Brunswick (now the restaurant À la Fontaine), at 30-A rue Principale Sud.
Musée Bruck
225, rue Principale, Cowansville J2K 1J4 450 263-0141, poste 230 Website
From June 24 to Labor Day, the Bruck Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm.
During the winter season, the Bruck Museum is open from Thursday to Saturday, from 12pm to 4pm.
Please note that the Museum will be closed throughout January.
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.
The Missisquoi Museum
2, rue River , Stanbridge East J0J 2H0 450 248-3153 Website Facebook
Season 2024: May 26 to October 20
The first inhabitants of the area were former British settlers who wanted to remain loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolution, moving to the Missisquoi area in 1797. The Loyalists cleared the land for cultivation, and thus started an agricultural industry that remains prosperous to this day. The towns in the area are renowned for their Loyalist architecture and origins.
Missisquoi County extended along the American border from Noyan in the west to Frelighsburg in the east and from Saint-Armand in the south to Farnham/Rainville in the north and also included the towns and municipalities of Bedford, Bedford Canton, Cowansville/Sweetsburg, Dunham/Lac Selby, Notre-Dame-de-Stanbridge, Philipsburg, Sainte-Sabine, Saint-Georges-de-Clarenceville, Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge/Mystic, Saint-Pierre-de-Véronne-à-Pike-River, Stanbridge East, Stanbridge Station and Venise-en-Québec.
The Museum contains more than 30,000 artefacts and documents relating to Missisquoi County’s history, located in 3 period buildings: the Cornell Mill (1830) and Hodge’s General Store (1850) in Stanbridge East; and the Walbridge Barn (1881) located in the charming hamlet of Mystic in the municipality of Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge.
Bedford
1, rue Principale , Bedford J0J 1A0 450 248-2440 Website
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.
Frelighsburg
1, Place de l’Hôtel de ville, Frelighsburg J0J 1C0 450 298-5133, poste 30 Website
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.
Au Diable Vert
169 rue Staines, Glen Sutton J0E 2K0 450 538-5639 Website
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.
Musée du Chocolat de la Confiserie Bromont
679, rue Shefford, Bromont J2L 2K5 450-534-3893 Website
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!
Bromont heritage circuit
15, boul. de Bromont, Bromont J2L 2K4 1 877 276-6668 Email Website
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.
Sutton heritage circuits
27, rue Principale Nord, Sutton J0E 2K0 1 800 565-8455 Email Website
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.
“Les Belles Disparues” fresco mural tour
175 rue Principale, Cowansville J2K 1J4 450-263-6101 Email Website
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.
A Tour of the Border Churches of Frelighsburg
1 Place de l'Hôtel de ville, Frelighsburg J0J 1C0 450 298-5630 Email Website
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.
Old-Bromont
15, boulevard de Bromont , Bromont J2L 2K4 1 877 276-6668 Email Website
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.
Walking in the footsteps of the pioneers - Sutton Circuit
27, rue Principale Nord, Sutton J0E 2K0 Email 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
Heritage Tour of Cowansville
225 rue Principale, Cowansville J2K 1J4 Website
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.
The Knowlton Circuit
130, chemin Lakeside, Lac-Brome J0E 1V0 450 243-6782 Email 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.
The Brome-Missisquoi Prohibition Heritage Trail
173, rue Principale, Cowansville J2K 1J3 Website
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.
Lake Stories
696, chemin Lakeside (Foster), Lac-Brome J0E 1R0 450-243-1221 Email Website
Interested in the history of Brome Lake and the surrounding area? From the Waban-Aki past, to the arrival of the Loyalists (including the Knowlton family) and the establishment of the region's leading institutions, let Louise Penny (EN) and Raymond Cloutier (FR) tell you the stories of the places, men and women who have shaped the history of Brome Lake.
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