Estrie

(Local Name: Cantons-de-l'Est) The Estrie region - also known as "Cantons de l'Est" or "Eastern Townships" - covers an area of more than 13,000 sq. km (5000 sq. mi.) east of Montréal, and is one of the most varied regions of Québec province. Large uninhabited areas mingle with picturesque little towns. The hilly and wooded stretches are the most charming. At the feet of Mont Sutton and Mont Orford some of the province's major winter sports centers have sprung up.

People began to populate Estrie at the end of the 18th c. when many Americans and British fled there in the confusion of the American War of Independence 1776-83. It was they who chose the best places for their rich towns surrounded by parkland. After 1850 more and more French-speaking people settled in the area, and since 1950 they have dominated the entire Estrie region.