Two hours from Montreal, this secluded, family-run hotel is an elegant way to get a summer lake-life fix, with Québecois flavor. Hello from… North Hatley, Québec, Canada. Nestled along the shores of the majestic Lake Massawippi in Southeastern Québec, French-speaking North Hatley is a tiny hamlet (just 680 year-round residents) with outsize charm. Set on the ancestral land of the Abenaki Nation, the village center wraps around Lake Massawippi, which dominates every vista and stands out in the Eastern Townships of Québec for its striking setting. While just a 90-minute drive from Montreal and only 30 minutes from the northernmost part of the US border, the town’s European trappings feel an ocean away.
Day trippers pull up dockside in pontoon boats for lunch at the waterside restaurant and tap room, Le Pilsen Pub. Alternatively, the excellent cafe, Massawippi Mercantile, is the favored stop for cyclists pit-stopping on the famed Route Verte—the longest network of cycling trails in North America that cuts through the center of town. Locals are more likely found stocking up at the quaint general store, Epicier J.L. LeBaron, which not only offers gourmet provisions, but a gallery-wall of historical photographs of the town and antiques dating to the shop’s founding in 1888.
Where I’m staying… Manoir Hovey, an historic 52-room, lakefront hideaway with an Appalachian Mountain backdrop. The Manoir encompasses a top-notch restaurant, Le Hatley, a new spa with an indoor/outdoor thermal experience, and soul-lifting views of Lake Massawippi from the English garden and infinity-edged pool. Did I mention the cozy library with a crackling fireplace? And the well-stocked bolthole cocktail lounge? The meticulously maintained Manoir has been a labor of love for the Stafford family since 1979, and with a second generation at the helm, they’re set to open new Lakeside Pavilion suites at the end of August, each with coffered ceilings, balconies and fireplaces.
The best meal I had… wasn’t at the aforementioned Le Hatley, in spite of its refined service and prodigious menu; rather, our lunch at the more casual on-property boite, Le Tap Room. We sat on the terrace overlooking the garden (and of course, the shimmering Lake Massawippi!) and shared crisp fries with housemade spicy mayo, salmon gravlax made with locally distilled Saint Laurent gin, and a Prince Edward Island beef burger with bacon and aged Coaticook cheddar. Note: this will also be my answer the next time someone asks me what my last meal would be.
Most fun thing I did… Getting up super early, seemingly before anyone else at the Manoir, to have morning coffee on the dock. It sounds simple, but what makes Hovey special is the opportunity to slip into tranquility at every turn. Watching the morning mist slowly lift across the lake with coffee in hand was a daily meditative ritual.
I also did a thrice daily thermal circuit—hit the sauna for 15 minutes, cold dunk for a minute or two, repeat, and repeat! The cedar-clad sauna is large enough for a group of friends or perfectly peaceful for one, and has windows overlooking (you guessed it) the lake. The cold dunk sits just through the doorway of the sauna, outside on a raised deck with (again) lake views. And don’t miss the, “Neiges Eternelles,” or “Eternal Snow”—an elegantly tiled crushed ice dispenser in the vestibule of the sauna used for applying ice to your body to stimulate blood flow after a good steam session. I never want to use a sauna again without “Neiges Eternelles”…and it’s just fun to say.
The book I read (and would recommend)… Table for Two by Amor Towles. Diving into Towles’ colorful depiction of New York City (in six short stories) and the Golden Age of Hollywood (in one longer novella) made it feel like I was on vacation…while on vacation! It was all very meta.
The playlist on repeat… A daily dose of Canada’s own Neil Young. I must have listened to the albums “On the Beach” and “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere” at least three times each. I can’t think of a voice in rock and roll more representative of the power of contemplation in nature than Neil Young. These songs were meant to be heard by a lake, near the mountains, with birds flying by and bees buzzing amidst the flowers.
A thing or two I learned… Québec French, also known as Québecois, is actually more similar to the language spoken by the French royals of the 17th and 18th centuries than that of Standard French, or as it’s referred to in Québec, “European French.” Even to an untrained ear and a novice French speaker comme moi, there are noticeable rhythmic differences, and some variations in vocabulary between the two dialects. Originally settled as New France in the 16th century by French aristocrats, Québec has stayed true to the language first spoken by its founders, with roots back to the royal court, while the French spoken in modern-day France has been through many significant linguistic changes, particularly in the 18th century (vive la révolution!). In fact, when renowned French philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville visited Canada in 1831, he famously remarked, “The French nation has been preserved there. As a result, one can observe the customs and the language spoken during Louis XIV’s reign.” Qui savait?
The best thing I’m bringing home… A newfound appreciation for lake life. After just a short three-day stay along its gently lapping shores, it’s impossible to not fall in love with the ubiquitous Massawippi.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.