The pearl of the Eastern Townships in Quebec, Canada is Magog. It is a beautiful small town located near pristine rivers, lakes, and mountains with tons of spots and activities for tourism. It is an underrated place in Quebec and often overlooked by international travelers.
I am from Montreal and personally love having a place like Magog for day trips or long weekend mini-vacations. There are so many beautiful spots perfect for photography in Magog and because there is so little information out there, I decided to make a small article to show you why you need to add Magog to your bucket list.
These are the most beautiful spots in Magog, Quebec:
Mont-Orford National Park
Mont Orford National Park is the spot in Magog. It is maintained and protected by the Quebec Provincial Government. If you visit Mont-Orford, get ready to hike as the park is mostly known for its amazing picturesque trails.
In my opinion, the best time to visit Mont-Orford is in the fall when the leaves turn into a beautiful canvas of oranges and yellows. There are also many wild animals that can potentially be spotted in the park, most notably, the white-tailed deer, virginia deer, and the great blue heron.
Here are some of the most picturesque trails in the Mont-Orford National Park:
Mont Chauve Trail: A moderate trail that takes you to the top of a mountain in Mont-Orford National Park. From the top, you’ll have a wonderful view of Mont-Orford as well as an epic river passing through the park.
Pic de l’Ours Trail: Another trail that takes you to a mountain top, this one has amazing 360 degree views of the surrounding valleys. It is considered a hard trail so come ready for a good workout.
Mont-Orford Trail: Of course, if you want to do the classic trail, try climbing to the top of Mont Orford. It is a difficult trail but totally rewarding with amazing views of the surrounding region as well as a small waterfall on the trail!
Pekan Trail: This is a great trail for someone not looking to hike a mountaintop but still get views of Mont-Orford. The hike takes place around a beautiful lake in the park and there are some climbs to get a better view of the lake with the magical backdrops of mountains.
Other cool spots in the park include the really cool camping spots. Stay there for the night and see a blanket of stars overhead, perfect for some beautiful milky way shots. Additionally, there are some beaches for swimming, which means you’ll be able to relax in the sand after a hard day of hiking.
Lake Memphremagog
Another very nice spot in Magog is the Lake Memphremagog. It is a large fresh water glacial lake located between Vermont and Quebec. The surface of the lake spans over 100km2! It is an absolute beast of a lake and is surrounded by nothing but beautiful lakeside towns and mountainous Eastern landscapes.
From Magog, you’ll be able to see Mont-Orford from the lakeside which is a stunning view and worthy of a click. There is also a marina in Magog with a beautiful boardwalk to admire some of the sights the lake offers. You can also catch some photographs of the town by the lakeside in the evening for some very romantic pictures.
If you can, try booking a cruise or renting a boat to spend a full day on the lake admiring some of the sights and getting some unique pictures of the region.
Just be careful when you visit the lake, legend has it that a lake monster called Memphre calls this place home!
Marais de la Rivière aux Cerises Park
A marais is what you would call a swamp in English. It is a park near downtown Magog offering 6 km trails all year round through swamps, rivers, and forests.
I would highly recommend visiting this spot if you are passing through Magog as it is easily accessible and very beautiful. There is one trail that takes you across the swamp on a wooden stilt bridge and a nice observation tower to spot wild animals roaming about.
The wildlife here is abundant. There are over 165 species of birds and hundreds of reptiles that call these swamps and forests home.
During the winter, you should really consider spending some time here as well. There is 1.8km of snowshoeing trails that will take you through winter wonderland, as well as landscapes and sceneries that will take your breath away and get you some cool clicks.
Here are some of the most picturesque trails in the Marais de la Rivière aux Cerises Park:
Pioneer Trail: This one is a very picturesque 4km out & back trail. It crosses a river on a wooden bridge with a mountain in the background. It is a super underrated trail and is absolutely worth it.
Lievre Trail: This trail is also a pretty good trail. It features a wooden boardwalk to walk over the marsh and has a gorgeous mountain as a background landscape. It also offers some pretty nice wildlife viewing opportunities in the early morning or late evening.
Path of Etangs Trail: This is another cool trail that takes you through the forest swamps. It is only 1.1km and a cool trail to supplement your day in the park.
Gros Pin Trail: Very similar to the other trails, it uses some of the same paths and does a circle around the marsh as well as round a lake. It has a gorgeous mountain as a backdrop and is only 1km.
Bleu Lavande Estate
Known for it’s Lavender Fields, Bleu Lavande Estate offers many trails to discover its gorgeous flowers and so many photo opportunities, especially for a photoshoot!
There are both indoor and outdoor spaces that will scintillate your senses. Additionally, there are some really cool immersive experiences designed by Moment Factory. This makes it a nice spot to visit both for the photography and the activities!
There are three main types of lavenders here, the Munstead English Lavender, which usually blooms mid-July, the Afghan Lavender which usually blooms in August and the Lavandin which blooms in early September. I really recommend visiting the estates during one of those periods to maximize your fun.
The Bleu Lavande estate is perfectly placed in the heart of the Eastern Townships and overlooks the Applegrove Hill in the village of Fitch Bay. Not only are the flowers beautiful, but the background to the flowers is striking making your photography layered and interesting.
Bleu Lavande Estate is open year round (although it is recommended to go in season of course).
Estrie Wine Route
Of course, no visit to Magog is complete without at least stopping on the Estrie Wine Route, a scrumptious array of Quebec wineries located on hills, lake, and rivers. Not only will your surroundings be world-class but so will the wine!
I recommend renting a bike and hitting the six wineries on the route to spend a fun and delicious day in the Eastern Townships. Gaze at the fields surrounded by hills and rivers and stop for wine and grub at some of the most interesting eateries outside of Montreal.
Some of the most visually appealing wineries are:
Clos Saragnat
Domaine des Côtes d'Ardoise
La Belle Alliance, vignoble
Val Caudalies, vignoble et cidrerie
Conclusion
Hopefully, you’ll be able to use some of the tips here on your first or next visit to Magog, Quebec. There are so many beautiful little spots in Magog that are worth a detour and are often overlooked. Grab your camera and you’ll be sure to get some unique photographs of this world-class gem.
Click below to read about some other places around Magog: