This fall, let’s make the most of the season’s inherent romance by taking a stroll through a village painted in shades of yellow and red, listening to the frogs croak to find out how things will turn out with our crush.
This fall, we’re going to feel like an Owens sister—the witch sisters from *Practical Magic* (1998) and *Practical Magic 2* (2026), which opens today, September 11, 2026, in Cineplex theaters.
To spend a day like something out of a magical movie just a few hours from Montreal, hop on the EXO train, departing from downtown, and head out to visit these 5 villages…
ROMANCE, FALLING LEAVES, AND A TRAIN RIDE
We’ll need a knitted scarf—preferably striped or knitted by an old lady who thinks we’re exceptional, or both—and a coffee in hand. We’ll walk through the crunching fallen leaves, read on a bench, and bring back a jar of jam to Montreal.
Bonus for those reading Gogol’s *Dead Souls* on the train, and for those strolling along with a Walkman from the early 2000s and a romantic tune playing.
We board the train in the morning and head to;
- to Pointe-Claire Village / via EXO train 11, bus 211, or a bus-and-subway combination—but the trip takes about 1 hour each way
- Mont Saint-Hilaire / 1 hour and 11 minutes from downtown on the EXO 13 train
- to Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue / 1 hour and 10 minutes from downtown on the EXO 11 train
- to Hudson —2 hours and 5 minutes from downtown on the EXO 11 train
- to Vaudreuil-Dorion / 1 hour and 50 minutes from downtown on the EXO 11 train
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 5 BEAUTIFUL VILLAGES TO VISIT THIS FALL BY EXO TRAIN
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POINTE-CLAIRE VILLAGE
Just like the Owens sisters, we’ll treat ourselves to a pastry that’s part nostalgic, part witchy, and very seasonal at Café Le Den in Pointe-Claire. Afterward, we’ll grab a coffee to go and take a stroll through the streets lined with utterly charming Victorian homes, watching the lake’s water shimmer mysteriously.
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Where? Café Le Den, at 121 Donegani Avenue, Pointe-Claire
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MONT-SAINT-HILAIRE
To Mont-Saint-Hilaire, where we’ll go for a hike in the mountains. To pick apples, walk through the forest as its colors change, and stroll through a charming little village that looks like it came straight out of a fall movie.
Plus, the mountain is steeped in folklore and legends: aliens, the gates of Hell, and a fairy cave.
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LEGEND AND RUMORS OF MOUNT SAINT-HILAIRE
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Where? Gault Nature Reserve, at 422 Chemin des Moulins, Mont Saint-Hilaire
When? The reserve is open every day of the year/
From November through March, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. /
March through November, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. /
How? Online reservations only; $8.78 for adults and free for children
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SAINTE-ANNE-DE-BELLEVUE
We’ll head to the Morgan Arboretum to learn the names of the region’s plants and mushrooms, just like an Owens sister. We’ll grab a notebook to jot everything down, and then we’ll take a stroll along the waterfront promenade.
An arboretum is a specialized botanical reserve that cultivates species of trees and shrubs to preserve and study them—much like a living museum. The Morgan Arboretum spans 245 hectares on the west side of the Island of Montreal and has been part of McGill University’s McDonald Campus since 1945.
There, you can hike along 24.8 kilometers of trails and take guided tours focused on nature and ecology.
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Where? MorganArboretum , Pines Cottage, at 150 Chemin des Pins, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue
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HUDSON
Hudson is the local village that most closely resembles the one where the Owens sisters live in *Practical Magic* and *Practical Magic 2*. There, you’ll find Victorian houses along the waterfront, small shops that smell of old wood and sage, and a touch of magic if you know where to look…
We’ll have tea at Maison Rose (or a margarita), visit an antique shop, and take a stroll along the waterfront.
To set our intentions, cast our spells, and smell absolutely amazing this fall, stop by the LESCENTO perfume shop.
The perfumes are handcrafted with care and—we hope—a lot of love. They’re mysterious, with names like spells that could have been cast by the Owens sisters in *Practical Magic*.
SYCRYT, BSSY, GLWP, PHYRE…
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Where? LESCENTO, at 397 Main Street, Hudson, QC
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VAUDREUIL-DORION
In Vaudreuil-Dorion, we’ll eat at Café Campagne, a diner with the comforting, nostalgic vibe of a small-town restaurant. Just like an Owens sister, we’ll wear a velvet top—and, for the bravest among us, a pointed hat.
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Where? Café Campagne, at 3673 Route Harwood, Vaudreuil-Dorion
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