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After a day sipping wines and driving along rolling hills – goats munching on grass on one, vineyards blanketing another and everywhere a generous sprinkling of faded old barns and furry Highland cattle – I slowly savour each bite of dinner. A foie gras-stuffed breast of pheasant follows an earthy duck consommé. Before dessert – an ethereal almond soufflé with wildflower honey – I taste several raw-milk cheeses, aged in stone cellars. The wines: a Pauillac with the main course, Banyuls with the cheeses and Sauternes with the soufflé.

Could I be somewhere in Bordeaux? Surprisingly enough, no! Despite the distinctive French accent of the food and wine, the friendly waiters addressing me in quebecois French left no doubt: I was in the Eastern Townships, one hour southeast of Montreal, and bordering on the state of Vermont, U.S.A. Just like Ontario’s famous Niagara valley, the Townships too are home to a large concentration of wineries, inns, and farms making artisanal cheeses, honey, flavoured vinegars, jellies and other such delicacies.

Yet the similarities end there. The Townships are not only quieter, but its wineries, most circling the town of Dunham, fewer and less known. Everyone speaks French – or thick-accented English, if the tourists so prefer (though the area was settled first by United Empire Loyalists from New England, today they are far outnumbered by francophone Québecois). Another difference is that the scenery is hillier – one even sees ski mountains here and there, their light green trails cutting through the darker pine forest.

The best base for exploring the area is the quaint village of North Hatley, a haven for artisans, artists, writers and theatre lovers. Its antique shops, art galleries, golf course, inns and summer theatre are widely supported by visitors and residents alike.

A pretty promenade on the rim of sparkling Lake Massawippi and cute little shops and cafés attract not only thousands of tourists, but also Hollywood movie directors. In the last year only, locals welcomed two film crews, working on The Human Stain (with Nicole Kidman and Anthony Hopkins) and Secret Window (starring Johnny Depp).

North Hatley owes most of its grand houses and particular architecture to the first summer people – aristocrats, captains of industry and large landowners, mostly Americans from the South. For some time after the American Civil War (1861-1865) many wealthy southeners renounced New England (Yankeeland) as a summer retreat and continued further North into Canada, some by private railway car. Rumour has it that many drew their blinds in passing through New England.

These new arrivals brought their lifestyles with them - butlers and servants, horses and carriages, and the gentlemanly sports of golf, sailing and tennis. Around 1895 they started to build on the west side of the lake. Their summer homes were large, many with over 15 rooms. Some continue in the hands of the same American families, who continue to summer here, others have been converted to inns or bed and breakfasts. That, in fact, is what happened to the grandest of all summer homes, called The Birches. Built in 1900 by Henry Atkinson, from Atlanta, with a broad porch and white pillars (copied from George Washington's home at Mount Vernon, Virginia), today it is the town’s most luxurious inn.

The Atkinson family stopped coming to North Hatley in the 1940's and The Birches changed hands a few times, before being converted into an inn and renamed Hovey Manor in 1950 by Robert Brown, a Montrealer who had just graduated from Cornell Hotel School.

As a private estate, the grand house boasted its own stables and coach house, servants’ quarters and even a private 9-hole golf course which is rumoured to have been designed by Bobby Jones Sr., a friend of the Atkinsons. Many of these spaces, including the old ice house and servants’ quarters have since been converted into luxurious rooms, most with whirlpool baths and balconies facing the lake.

As soon as you check in at Manoir Hovey you will understand what draws thousands of vacationers here each year. The grand mansion is surrounded by 25 acres of woods and stunning English gardens bursting with blooms of all colours. Its 1700 feet of prime lakefront include two sandy beaches equipped with canoes, kayaks and windsurfers.

It is a rare example of an inn with resort-type amenities. Guests have free use of a fleet of bicycles, a clay tennis-court, a newly renovated exercise room and a heated pool. But make no mistake: most guests return time after time for the plush rooms outfitted with jacuzzis and (mostly) wood-burning fireplaces, and, above all, for the outstanding food.

Chef Roland Ménard has, for twenty-four years, shown a deft hand at dishes designed to showcase the excellence of local ingredients. The cuisson is always perfect on hard-to-find game such as caribou, venison or even wild boar, which he prepares with an herb crust and glazes with jelly made of l’Archer wine from nearby Cep d’Argent winery. The mouth-watering menu always includes different preparations of Quebec pork and lamb, and duck from nearby Lac Brome, often paired with sauces made of local berries or sweet wines.

It is no surprise that chef Ménard’s cooking has earned the inn a long list of awards, including five stars for service, décor and food in the Montreal-based Voir restaurant guide. In March 2004 it earned the Grand Prix de Tourisme for best gastronomic restaurant in the province. The wine list, which boasts an above-average selection of Québec labels, received the Best Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine and was named best in Québec for the year 2004 (Prix Carte d’Or).

Those who tire of lounging around the pool or garden should go on a pilgrimage to the charming little places that grow or raise the foods that appear on the town’s top tables every night. One that can’t be missed is the beautiful St.-Benoît Abbey. A half hour drive away, its turrets rise above neighbouring Lake Memphremagog like an enchanted castle. The monks are famous for the famed Bleu Benedictin which won the prize for best Canadian cheese in 2000, but also make and sell in their basement shop several hard cow’s milk cheeses, as well as ciders and apple sauce.

Other foodie attractions – wineries, cheese shops, farmers’ markets – are far too numerous to list. Luckily they are all catalogued in the Eastern Townships’ tourist guidebook, given out for free at information centers, shops and inns. And if ever you want recommendations more tailored to your tastes and schedule, don’t be shy to strike up a conversation with the sommelier or maître d’ at Hovey Manor. They always jump at the chance to brag about the rich array of local artisan foods, and will surely set you up on a personalized exploration route of this marvellous little wedge of Québec.

Hovey Manor (Manoir Hovey):
575 Hovey Road
North Hatley, Quebec
CANADA, J0B 2C0
tel. (1800) 661-2421

More of Alexandra Forbes' work can be found at www.alexandraforbes.com.

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manhovey[at]manoirhovey[dot]com