Day 1: Travel to Québec Eastern Townships
Enjoy the passing scenery as you leave Ontario and travel east into Québec’s beautiful Eastern Townships. Arrive at your accommodations, where you’ll stay for three nights, giving you plenty of time to settle in and make yourself comfortable. Take some time to explore the grounds, relax, or freshen up after the day’s journey before joining fellow travellers for a welcome dinner.
Stay: Manoir des Sables, Orford, QC (3 nights)
Meals:
D
Day 2: Three Pines Exploring - Day 1: The Abbey, The Manor, and The Library & Opera House
After breakfast, travel through the beautiful countryside to Abbaye de Saint-Benoît-du-Lac, the inspiration for “Saint-Gilbert-Entre-Les-Loups,” the fictional abbey in The Beautiful Mystery.
Enjoy a guided tour, including the monks’ boutique and its award-winning cheese, while your raconteur shares connections to the novel. Continue to Manoir Hovey in North Hatley, the inspiration for “Manoir Bellechasse” in The Murder Stone.
Enjoy lunch at the manor before exploring its beautiful grounds. Then visit the Haskell Library & Opera House, the unique landmark that straddles the Canada–U.S. border and features in The Black Wolf.
Along the way, discover more of the real-life places that inspired Louise Penny’s world of Three Pines.
Meals:
B, L
Day 3: Three Pines Exploring – Day 2: Knowlton and Area
After breakfast, head to Knowlton, a charming village in the Eastern Townships and home to Louise Penny. With its blend of English and French heritage, Knowlton helped inspire the fictional village of Three Pines featured in Still Life
and How the Light Gets In. Visit the Lac-Brome Museum, where your local raconteur shares the connections between the area and the novels. Enjoy an included lunch and some free time to explore Knowlton’s shops and streets before continuing by coach to discover more of the real-life places that inspired Three Pines and its characters. Return to the hotel for an included dinner and an opportunity to share your favourite Three Pines discoveries from the day.
Meals:
B, L, D
Day 4: Old Québec & “Bury Your Dead" Tour
After breakfast, say goodbye to the Eastern Townships and travel to historic Old Québec City. Following an included lunch, explore the city on a two-hour walking tour inspired by Bury Your Dead. In smaller groups, follow in the footsteps of Chief Inspector Gamache as your local guide brings the novel’s settings to life, including the Morrin Centre, the real-life inspiration for the Literary and Historical Society of Québec. Wander the narrow streets and historic landmarks of Old Québec before enjoying a free evening to explore the city on your own.
Stay: Hotel Clarendon or Manoir Victoria, Old Québec City, QC
Meals:
B, L
Day 5: Old Montréal, Journey Home
After breakfast, begin the journey home, travelling west from Québec City. Stop in Old Montréal for lunch and some free time to explore its historic streets, landmarks and shops. Continue homeward with new memories of the places that inspired Louise Penny’s world of Three Pines, and perhaps a fresh perspective on your favourite Chief Inspector Gamache novels.
Meals:
B
