The Granby (Eastern Townships)Hub and Spoke 2022

 by Carole Laflamme

The Eastern Townships region is known as a world-class cycling destination. Plenty of accessible bike routes and trails, gorgeous scenery and, above all, a reason for friends to gather and explore the massive bike path network that connects Granby to what is called the “Coeur Villageois” villages.

A cyclists’ and hikers’ paradise… An epic adventure

A cloudy and cool morning departure, but still smiling!!

Nel Ahmed (with her exceptional organizational skills) and Geoff Kennedy (with his top notch route planning) attracted 38 participants -mostly from Ottawa- to spend time in the saddle to discover the Eastern Townships in the province of Québec.

New friends all the way from Vancouver: Tom and Jenny & Thom and Sue

Bromont to Granby on the famous «Estriade»

Three rides were offered each day, ranging from 63 to 103 kilometers, and with varying gains in altitude. No matter the distance, from September 25th to October 1st, we followed in the footsteps of the first wave of Loyalists and Irish & Scottish settlers by exploring many routes, including the bucolic  Chemin des Cantons (Townships Trails) which dates back to the late 18th century.

Colour coordinated !!! (Or should it be called a fashion statement?)

Other networks in Geoff’s selection of rides included the «Campagnarde», the «Route des Champs» to Rougemont Orchard, the Villageoise to the charming village of Knolton, the famous  Estriade, a pristine loop that takes you to the welcoming town of Waterloo… and much more.

In front of our hotel «Le Provincial» in Granby

Along the Estriade, we were treated to Artria; yes, this path doubles as an open-air museum with large-scale sculptures strewn along the way.

Just a few of the many sculptures along the outdoor Artria Museum

How many guys does it take to change a lightbulb? … Oops, I mean a flat tire.

Editors note:  The answer pretty clearly is three to change the tire and two to stand around being unhelpful but looking good.

TVA was filming a stunt at our hotel for the show «Alertes» (photo by Bob C.)

Rainy days inspired a few intrepid hikers (led by Barb Wilson and France Brulé) to tackle a few summits with breathtaking vistas.

On the way to Lac Gale

Hiking to picturesque lookouts

Others opted to do a bit of sightseeing and shopping, and found the picturesque little town of Vieux Bromont where they unearthed little treasures… not to forget the scrumptious chocolate factory and informative museum.

A bit of quiet time

Bromont’s Chocolate Confiserie and Museum

Still others visited the new impressive Vélodrome (a fantastic hub for training and racing, the only covered facility in Québec) or the Boutique Canard du Lac Brome specializing in the breeding of Pekin ducks since 1912.

A most interesting visit to the Boutique Canard du Lac Brome

France and Dave A. guided a group of enthusiasts to the brand new Vélodrome

Beautiful blue skies for our last day’s picnic lunch!

Out of the blue!

Whether on foot or on the bike, under the rain or the sun, at Happy Hour or on the trails, the camaraderie was at the forefront, and we can confirm that Granby’s Fièrement Vélo (Proudly Cycling) stamp of approval is well deserved.

Cyclists can sure clean up nice for a lively evening dinner

Trying to keep warm – Outdoor picnic lunch in Farnham

Superwoman Elly!!!

Lovely café – pastry shop, A Mouthfull of Happiness in Waterloo

We took our fill of rolling hills, unique architectural heritage, apple orchards, and cute little cafés de village (like the pâtisserie called Si Henri Savait – If Henry Knew) and in the end, we agreed: it all equals to a cycling destination par excellence. Well done, Nel and Geoff! A big huge Merci to you both for all your hard work (appreciated more than you know), and to everyone who joined in the fun and friendship.

 

Thank you to everyone who shared photos! (Because… you know… a picture is worth a thousand words)