Experience French joie de vivre right here in North America! Step into history and take in the European ambiance in the heart of southern Québec’s Eastern Townships. Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachians, discover a land of enchanted forests, babbling brooks and peaceful lakes. Pedal along undiscovered country roads and specially designed bike paths through covered bridges, past serene monasteries, and spectacular round barns. Listen for the toll of local church bells. The perfect souvenir awaits your discovery among the many galleries, studios and antique shops that populate the many picturesque villages you’ll encounter. Each night settle into your cozy accommodation and be treated to first-class cuisine. You’ll never forget your visit to this breathtaking corner of Canada.
Only Great Explorations:
· Small groups, extraordinary guides, and authentic experiences
· Order off the menu at restaurants you won’t find in guidebooks
· Distinctive, charming hotels too small for larger groups
· We design and operate our own trips so there are only good surprises
Trip Reviews
“Slightly more difficult than expected, but very comfortable bikes. Our Guide was fabulous – loved him – he loved biking and it was very obvious – also took us to his favorite swimming and hiking places – He became part of our family in 4 days! I can not express how helpful, enthusiastic, skilled and friendly he was – This was his first tour with Great Explorations and I hope for the sake of your company he will continue to do many more – An extraordinary individual”
“The cycling was lovely with beautiful scenery. It was a little harder than I had anticipated with many more steep hills. I live in a hilly area and thought I was prepared but not prepared enough. I loved the wide open vistas along some of the routes. I also loved the bike trail we did, the Tomifobia. The covered bridges and the little farms we wonderful. The hotels were superb. We enjoyed the visit to the monastery and the chanting monks. We also visited a lavender farm and cheese factory and enjoyed them both. The bikes were excellent. We also had no technical issues. Our luggage was always at the next hotel, waiting for us.”
“The best bikes that we have ever rented! Gears worked flawlessly and nice personnel at the shop. The maps were very clear but the written instructions would have been too much to read when en route. We really appreciated our guide’s knowledge of the area. Les Boisees de Lee Farm was perfect! Our hosts were welcoming and accommodating. Invited us to select the room we preferred rather than assigning a room, welcomed us to swim in their pool which was great after a hot day of cycling, and drove us to the nearby market for wine and snacks.”
“I enjoyed the camaraderie. Best meals: Alesso. Manoir Hovey. The place in Sherbrooke for lunch. Loved the milk tasting. In terms of riding it was hillier than anticipated.”
“The best bike trip we have ever done (out of about 8). Wonderful guides, great location and weather, awesome accomodations and meals, wonderful people. The locations were so amazing. The bikes were in perfect condition (new). The guides were fun, energetic and interesting. The Bed & Breakfast locations were very nice and the proprieters were very welcoming. Beautiful scenery, interesting towns and attractions, wonderful meals. We enjoyed all the hotels. I particualrily liked the one in North Hatley as the proprieter was so interesting and made wonderful breakfasts. I really enjoyed the meals everywhere. The meal in Vermont was memorable. We were luck in that there was a wine festival in Magog when we arrived. We enjoyed the Grange parfumery. We loved the milk tasting! Our guide was so familiar with the area that we did not need maps. I liked the level of difficulty but the second ride was tough.”
“Everything was great – guide, hotels, scenery and food. Loved the restaurants, guide and inns. Best meal at Manoir Hovey. I liked the perfurmerie, milk tasting. We didn’t need the map because of the great guide. The rides were more difficult than expected but it was fine.”
“The riding was delightful. I also enjoyed the evening meals and tours. My favourite stopover was North Hatley and really appreciated Irina’s attention to detail at her Inn. Jean was a lot of fun and made sure everyone was having a good time. All of the hotels were comfortable and lovely. The hosts/hostesses were very welcoming and accommodating. My favourite meals were in Magog and the pub in North Hatley. The ride was definitely more difficult than I expected. It would not have been enjoyable if I hadn’t had an ebike. I’m glad I did it.”
“Thank you so much for organizing such an awesome trip…….and for getting me an e-bike. Without the e-bike I don’t think that I would have been able to do the ride with my injury so the extra effort you made was greatly appreciated! This was my first guided cycling trip and I enjoyed everything about it. The routes, the B & B’s, the restaurant choices and Jean as a guide. His enthusiasm and knowledge for the area truly made the experience so much better than if we had done a self guided trip. I have never been to Quebec before and now I have a much greater appreciation for both the beauty and the culture of the Province. Once again thank you for a truly wonderful experience. I will definitely be booking any further trips through your company!”
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