The 5 Must-Do Picnics

There’s nothing better in the summertime than eating in nature with the sun, trees, squirrels, and your dog pulling on his leash to catch the squirrel, right?

Whether it’s to enjoy a P’tit Plaisir cheese with your favorite field fruits picked at the 3 Pouces Vert’s Farm or to munch on a homemade smoked meat sandwich from la Charcuterie Scotstown with a good beer from the Brasserie des 11 Comtés, a picnic always tastes better with local products! Stop by the Tribe-Terre store in Dudswell or one of the MRC farmers’ markets to get what you need. Click here to see the schedule of the farmers’ markets.

For a gourmet picnic with your family, a fun picnic with your partner, or a festive picnic with friends, we recommend a few places that will not leave you indifferent! Download the PDF here.

If the weather is warm and sunny or if you have kids sitting in the back seat, you might want to go for a nice ice cream? Download our dairy counter address book here!

Here are our 5 ”musts” :

1. The King of the Mountain Feast

Where: Rest area at the end of route 257, after the Magnetic Hill rest area, Chartierville, at the entrance of the Frontier Trail

Distance: 1 hour from Sherbrooke

On the border between the two largest countries in North America, at an altitude of 710 m, you can feel like the king of the mountain! Bring your lunch to the summit of Haut-St-François. If you’re looking for an affordable family activity, there’s nothing better than combining a picnic with inexpensive activities! If your kids are dreaming of finding an old treasure buried in a gold mine, jumping at the idea of playing mini-putt, frolicking at the idea of taking ”puppy” on a family hike, or getting excited at the idea of challenging the gravity of the magnetic coast, you’ve found what to do this weekend! A day in Chartierville will satisfy everyone’s appetite.

2. Romance under the Stars 

Where: Relais Panoramique and Halte Éva Sénécal, La Patrie

Distance: 47 min. from Sherbrooke

Are you looking for a remote and unknown place to impress your new lover or to continue to surprise your significant other? What could be more romantic than bringing your partner under the sky of the International Starry Sky Reserve of Mont Mégantic? Well, have a sunset dinner at the Relais Panoramique after stopping at the Halte Éva Sénécal which has a direct view of the Mont Mégantic National Park! Bring your comforter and electric candles to enjoy cheese and cold cuts. Your partner will certainly appreciate the unreal silence where the approving murmurs of the birds resound.

3. Moto-Stop

Where: Parc du Belvédère (Gould Park on Google Maps), Lingwick

Distance: 48 min. from Sherbrooke

To stretch your legs at lunchtime, Belvedere Park in Lingwick offers the perfect combination of a quick break and relaxation by the water. The 625 m trail will lead you to various tables and benches as well as a Panoramic Shed and rocks along the shoreline. On Fridays and Saturdays, order your mussel poutine or smoked trout salad from Les Bobines at the Restaurant La Ruée vers Gould and take it a mile away to enjoy your food in nature.

4. Bike Stop

Where: Walter MacKenzie Park, at the entrance of the Marécage-des-Scots, Scotstown

Distance: 48 min. from Sherbrooke

Looking for new trails to pedal away from the high speed numbered roads? This is it! Why not combine picnicking and biking while visiting a secluded area of protected nature? Although the park is named “Swamp”, the winding, fully gravelled trail only crosses the actual swamp at one point, so there’s no need to worry about mosquitoes! Ideal for toddlers new to cycling, the safe ride will give you the peace of mind you need!

5. Local Escape

Where: Parc des Deux Rivières, East Angus

Distance: 27 min. from Sherbrooke

If you work in East Angus and want to unwind with your colleagues at lunchtime, if you want to remember your tender fishing-and-sandwiches afternoons with your grandfather, or if you’re simply looking for an easy-to-access place to get away from the routine of having dinner at home, the Parc des Deux Rivières offers a number of tables, swings, and benches in peaceful islands along the park’s 6 km of trails. If you’re in a hurry, there’s no need to walk the entire circuit. You can take one of the perpendicular paths to go directly to the tables and benches. This place is the perfect balance between “I want to get out!” and “I want it easy!

So where will you go?