Fall officially begins on September 22, but the nights are already cool in Montreal, and it makes us want to spend as much time as possible living like the “main character” in a “small-town” movie or TV series.
We want to be an Owens sister from PRACTICAL MAGIC (before the second movie comes out on September 11, 2026), we want to be a Gilmore Girl, we want to be Max Dennison in the original HOCUS POCUS, and we want apumpkin spice latte.
For the charm of stone houses, tea rooms, and parks that almost evoke old England, we’re going to spend a day in Vaudreuil-Dorion this fall. The small town sits on the shores of Lac des Deux-Montagnes, has an “old” neighborhood, and becomes very picture-perfect in the fall.
It’s just a 40-minute drive from Montreal, or 1 hour and 50 minutes from downtown on EXO train line 11.
–
OUR FAVORITE SPOTS IN VAUDREUIL-DORION
–
NORAH CAFÉ DE L’ANSE
The Norah Café in L’Anse is located in anultra-charming cottage, with a garden where you can sit under a parasol for a sandwich, a coffee, and homemade iced tea. The menu features local ingredients and emphasizessustainable farming, with a gourmet twist: kimchi grilled cheese, Hochija Latte, and gluten-free or sourdough bread from small local suppliers.
Where? Norah Café de l’Anse, at 132 Chemin de l’Anse, Vaudreuil-Dorion
–
–
VIEUX VAUDREUIL AND THE DEUX-MONTAGNES SAILING CLUB
Wearing a cozy sweater and a knitted scarf, we’ll take a stroll through the ultra-charming Old Vaudreuil, stop bythe Deux-Montagnes Sailing Clubto rent a small sailboat if we’ve got our sea legs, or bike over from Montreal (a 2.5- to 4-hour ride) and ride along Chemin de l’Anse, taking in the lake views.
–
VAUDREUIL-SOULANGES REGIONAL MUSEUM
The lovely Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional Museum turns 60 this year. The building alone is worth a visit. For the charm, and for the Roger Maillet exhibition and “Passion for Objects ” (on view through October 4, 2026), we’re stopping by this museum, which is a bit like a “treasure trove.”
Where? Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional Museum, 431 Saint-Charles Avenue, Vaudreuil-Dorion
–
–
CAFÉ CAMPAGNE
For brunch, breakfast, or tea, we’re heading to the very charming Café Campagne. The coffee is black, the pancakes are generous, and the café’s atmosphere is incredibly welcoming.
Where? Café Campagne, at 3673 Route Harwood, Vaudreuil-Dorion
–
–
CLARENCE AND CRIPPS
Because “small-town charm” isn’t just a North American thing, we’re heading to the CLARENCE AND CRIPPS shop for a bit of English charm. Teapots (and the tea to go with them), sweaters knitted from Irish wool, Union Jacks, Jaffa cakes…
Where? Clarence and Cripps, at 75-3100 Rte Harwood, Vaudreuil-Dorion
–
