The understated charm of a summer in Quebec lies in the sun’s rays on the purple lupines by the roadside, at the bottom of a plastic cup covered in condensation, in the muggy heat of an afternoon.
It’s the taste of wet earth and campfires—something hard to experience in the city. Or to feel, surrounded by metal and asphalt and drowned out by the car of some guy who’s decided to make as much noise as possible to prove he exists, even if it means ruining his car’s engine.
To rediscover the charm of a Quebec summer, we recommend taking a stroll through one of the local villages with the most “small-town charm.” It reminds us of the little town in *Gilmore Girls*—it’s comforting, it smells of coffee and grass warmed by the sun. And it makes you happy.
DUNHAM, THE WINE ROUTE, AND “SMALL-TOWN CHARM”
Dunham is one of the stops on the Brome-Missisquoi Wine Route, which includes 22 vineyards and is Quebec’s first wine route. It’s also a tiny, very charming town with all the old red-brick buildings and pointed roofs needed to soothe our city nerves this summer.
There are beer gardens, vines covering the walls, sidewalks that are warm without being scorching… You almost feel like settling in there. We recommend:
- go eat some fries and drink a beer brewed on-site at Brasserie Dunham / 3809 Rue Principale
- go pick plums at the Domaine de Dunham / 4470 Godbout Road, R.R. 3
- of wandering the streets, driving with the windows down, and taking your time
We suggest ending the day with a glass of wine at one of the local vineyards;
- head to the Vignoble du Ruisseau for a stroll and a gourmet dinner with wine pairings
- head to the Vignoble de l’Orpailleur, for the eco-museum and for a wine that has won 160 awards
- at the Domaine Côtes d’Ardoise vineyard, for wine tasting and the sculpture garden
