7 enchanting small towns less than 2 hours from Montreal that will transport you to Europe
After a hot and stifling summer in Montreal, it's easy to feel restless and long for a vacation to far away and hopefully, much cooler places. But in the wake of the Air Canada strike and with the ever-growing cost of living, it might not be the best time to fly across the Atlantic on your dream European vacay.
Luckily, there's plenty of European-inspired adventures awaiting you in the towns just outside Montreal. Whether you're longing for the Swiss Alps, the English countryside, or the French vineyards, your ideal Euro trip is only a stone's throw away.
Mont-Tremblant
Address: Mont-Tremblant, QC
Distance from Montreal: 1 hour and 25 minutes
Why You Need To Go: A favourite amongst locals and tourists alike and even attracting Hollywood A-listers, Mont-Tremblant is one of the most popular spots in the province, as much an iconic emblem of Quebec as poutine or Celine Dion. And yet with its towering mountains, Alpine chalet architecture, colourful buildings, and cobblestone streets, it looks way more European than it does Quebecois.
Exploring the resort town from above in a panoramic gondola ride through the mountain tops will make you feel like you're in the heart of Europe, with the surrounding picturesque Laurentian mountains a viable substitute for the Alps. On foot, walking through the pedestrian-only village, looking up at the vibrant shops and cafes, you'll think you're in the perfect mix of a French, Swiss, and Austrian ski town or, better yet, a classic Disney film come to life. If you're not completely mesmerized by the gorgeous scenery, put your nose in a book and imagine you're Belle from Beauty and the Beast strolling the streets of her quaint village.
Montebello
Address: Montebello, QC
Distance from Montreal: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Why You Need To Go: With a name like Montebello, which means "beautiful mountain" in Italian, it's hard to imagine this town is anything other than what it is: a charming European-inspired community halfway between Montreal and Ottawa.
Tucked away along the banks of the Ottawa River, Montebello is full of historical buildings, rustic cabins, and sprawling forests. It's home to the world's largest log cabin, which just so happens to be the Fairmount Le Château Montebello, a resort hotel that's as luxurious as it is rustic. Hiking through the hotel's surrounding forests or visiting the nearby Parc Omega, a massive safari park where wolves, foxes, bears, and lynxes roam freely, you'll forget you're halfway to Ottawa, and instead, think you've magically arrived at the Black Forest.
Knowlton
Address: Knowlton, QC
Distance from Montreal: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Why You Need To Go: Considered one of the prettiest places in all of Quebec, this quaint Victorian village will make you feel like you've fallen asleep and woken up in the England countryside. With rolling hills, scenic parks, and tranquil lakes, it's the perfect place to imagine you're a Brontë-esque heroine strolling through the moors of England.
Start your self-guided and not at all delusional walking tour at Auberge Knowlton, the oldest hotel in the Eastern Townships decorated with elegant antiques. Then head over to the equally charming and almost as old Auberge Lakehouse Inn, where you can grab a cup of tea at the Tiffany Tea Room to fuel the rest of your fever dream. Next, pass by antique shops, boutiques, and Victorian heritage homes on your way to the Lac-Brome Museum, a museum that's not only full of history, but made of history, with five of its seven unique buildings designated as historic landmarks.
Vieux-Terrebonne
Address: Terrebonne, QC
Distance from Montreal: 35 minutes
Why You Need To Go: Even though it's so close to Montreal, you'll feel so far away when visiting this historic district of Terrebonne. In only a 35-minute drive, you can trick yourself into believing you flew across the Atlantic to France and boarded a time machine to the 1800s.
In reality, you'll be in present-day Vieux-Terrebonne, a charming North Shore community along the Rivière des Mille-Îles just north of Laval, but you can keep that your little secret. A trip to l'Île-des-Moulins, a popular riverside park and heritage site, could fool just about anyone into thinking they're in 19th-century France. The park features historic stone buildings which once housed mills, a bakery, and a seigneurial office some 200 years ago. But the park's Maison Bélisle predates them all. Constructed in 1759, it's the oldest preserved house in the area, considered a historic monument and converted into a museum.
North Hatley
Address: North Hatley, QC
Distance from Montreal: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Why You Need To Go: There's a lot of reasons to travel to Europe: the art galleries, the museums, the historic towns, the Alpine villages, the Mediterranean ports, the list goes on. And sure, Europe's culture, history, and nature are nice, but let's get real — one of the main draws to Europe is the food, and more specifically, the chocolate. But if a flight to Belgium or Switzerland for a chocolate bar seems just a tad unreasonable (no judgment though), you can fully satisfy your chocolate cravings with a short trip to the Eastern Townships. North Hatley is not only considered one of the most beautiful villages in all of Quebec, it's also home to Auberge la Chocolatière, a chocolate-themed inn (yes, you read that right) with an onsite chocolate shop and 14 chocolate-themed rooms where dreaming of chocolate is totally normalized.
Sutton
Address: Sutton, QC
Distance from Montreal: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Why You Need To Go: Okay, there's another reason outside the art, history, nature, and chocolate that tourists flock to Europe. Can you guess what it is? Put down that glass of pinot and think hard. It's the wine!
But when you're too tipsy to book a flight to a vineyard in France, find yourself a designated driver and hitch a ride to Sutton, a picturesque mountain town in the Eastern Townships and home to Château Ste-Agnès, one of the most enchanting vineyards in the region. In a beautiful meld of French and Eastern European influences, Château Ste-Agnès features historic stone walls, breathtaking views of the surrounding Appalachians, and a literal castle at its centre. You don't even have to be drunk on its wine to feel like you're on a romantic vacay somewhere in the heart of Europe. If wine's not your thing, Sutton also has ample hiking trails, cute boutiques and art galleries, and even an alpaca farm where you can pretend you're in a fantastical European-Peruvian hybrid.
Saint-Sauveur
Address: Saint-Saveur, QC
Distance from Montreal: 55 minutes
Why You Need To Go: A quick trip to the foothills of the Laurentians is all it takes to feel as if you're in the foothills of the Alps.
In the charming resort town of Saint-Sauveur, you'll find colourful shops and chic boutiques, inspiring art galleries, cozy chalets, and of course, the stunning mountains full of hiking trails and ski slopes in the winter. Forget Disneyland Paris, Saint-Sauveur is all you need for a fun and exhilarating day with attractions like the Sommets Water Park, a water park in a mountain setting with 27 waterslides built right into the mountainside, and Parc F.U.N., an amusement park that's home to Quebec's sole alpine roller coaster. The town is also brimming with Nordic spas and wellness centres that will help you unwind from all the excitement, turning your Alpine adventure into a relaxing Scandinavian escape.
Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your trip.
