Sherbrooke, Quebec. It was the fourth planned stop on day one of my two day ‘power trip’ to Eastern Ontario and Quebec. Over the two days, I put nearly 2,000 kilometres on the vehicle and didn’t, at all, get to spend a whole lot of time at any one location. The point of the trip was to gather loads of POV video for the YouTube Channel. It certainly served a dual purpose as a scouting trip for places I want to return to for longer stays.
Growing up, I spent a lot of time in nearby Richmond and Granby when my remaining grandparents were still alive. We’d take grueling long weekend trips down the 401 from London, Ontario to visit relatives my parents had left behind when they moved west in the late 1960’s. Sherbrooke was so close to Richmond (less than a half hour drive), yet I am quite sure that this was the first time I’d ever seen the downtown core.
Let me tell you, from what limited amount I saw of the city on this trip, it is a beautiful and vibrant place to visit. It seems to be very photogenic and I wish I could have been there either at sunrise or sunset (or both). The downtown forms a kind of peninsula created by the convergence of the Magog River and Saint Francois River. Add to that the historic buildings with a unique Quebec architectural flavour and the fact the downtown is built on a hill and you have the setting for some pretty nice photos.
The Panorama above was taken from the eastern shore of the Saint Francois River, looking to the downtown. Below is an extensive driving tour video of the core.
Sherbrooke, Quebec
Sherbrooke, Quebec was settled in 1793 and is the heart of the Estrie Region (Eastern Townships) of the Canadian province of Quebec. The population stands at just over 160,000 (212,000 metro). Sherbrooke is located 156 kilometres east of Montreal and is connected to that major city by freeway. Quebec City is 234 KM to the northeast while Derby Line, Vermont at the Canada/United States border is just 57 KM to the south.
The city is home to Bishop’s University. The institute of higher learning, and home to a very good football program, was established way back in 1843. The student population stands at around 2,700. The university certainly adds to the vibrance of the city.
As mentioned, the Magog River meets the Saint Francois River adjacent to the downtown. The Saint Francois empties into the St. Lawrence River not all that far from Sherbrooke, after passing through Richmond and Drummondville.
Express Visit
I saw so many places during my whirlwind two day tour and I did accomplish what I set out to do, capturing a lot of video for the YouTube Channel. However, I paid the price by not being able to spend a lot of time on photography at these locations. But, a list was certainly created for places to return to. It’s funny, I spent so much time in the region as a kid but it was always just to visit relatives with no time for touring. I only started to see Quebec as a tourism location well into my adult years.
Sherbrooke came after stops in Belleville, Ontario, downtown Montreal and Granby, Quebec. My stay consisted of the drive through downtown capturing video and a short stop to take the panorama shown above. Following Sherbrooke, I stopped in Richmond, the former home of my grandfather, and in Drummondville before settling in for the night in Trois Rivieres. The following day, I toured Shawinigan before starting the journey back home with a stop in Cornwall, Ontario on the way.
The total distance covered between 4:30am on day 1 to 5pm on day 2 was 1918.5 kilometres. Not nearly the 13,000+ KM on our 2016 Northwest Territories road trip but that one was nearly four weeks in the making…
Sherbrooke, Quebec Downtown Driving Tour Video
I might be off-base, but when I try to describe Quebec cities like Sherbrooke, I put it as a hybrid between France and North America. There is a definitely a European feel but you also cannot mistake that you are, indeed, in North America.
It’s unique. It’s Quebec. It’s somewhere that everyone should experience. Sure, the deeper into the province you get, the more of a language barrier there can be. However, it’s not like it was in 1970’s and 1980’s when there was a bit of hatred toward the English (you can’t deny it – I remember being treated pretty shitty on occasion – yes, Beloeil McDonalds, I’m talking about you!). These days, I feel there is a real appreciation that tourists are visiting, showing an interest in Quebec and spending money. With enough hand signals and some broken French, you can communicate just fine…
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