Sherbrooke is the metropolis of the Eastern Townships, the hilly, lake-studded region of southern Quebec that was settled by American Loyalists after the Revolution and has kept an unusual blend of English and French culture. The city sits where the Magog River meets the Saint-François, and the falls on the Magog once powered its textile mills. It was named after Sir John Coape Sherbrooke, a British governor, and today about a hundred and thirty thousand people live here, making it the largest city in the region.
Sherbrooke is two cities in one. The French-speaking downtown, with its Université de Sherbrooke, holds a vibrant arts scene, and murals cover the walls of buildings throughout the center, a dozen or more of them depicting the region's history. The English-speaking suburb of Lennoxville, with Bishop's University and a collegiate atmosphere, feels like a piece of England. The Magog gorge, with a footbridge and walking trail, is a short walk from downtown and offers a glimpse of the river's drop.
The ride out of Sherbrooke is a pleasure. Highway 108 and Route 143 lead into farm country, with covered bridges, round barns and low hills, while the roads around Lake Memphremagog and Mont Orford, to the west, have winding curves, lake views and the beginnings of the Appalachians. The Townships are famous for their vineyards, cheese makers and cider orchards, and a ride in autumn along the wine route is a good use of a day. The surface is generally good, but frost damage in spring can be severe.
Sherbrooke has every service: fuel, supermarkets, hotels and restaurants, and it is a convenient base. Rock Forest and Windsor, nearby, are smaller. The best seasons are late September to mid-October, with color, and early summer, when the lakes are warm. Winter is long and snowy, so riding is a summer affair. Quebec drivers can be fast, and signs are in French, but the Townships are used to visitors, and the welcome is warm, with a good meal at the end of the day.