Terra Firma Forest Trails

                                     PENS makes walking on Suttons' mountains possible

I love hiking. Thanks to PENS (le Parc d'environnement de Sutton). 52 kilometres of hiking trail in the Sutton Mountains are yours to discover during summer and fall. PENS is a 40-year-old non-profit organization with a dedicated team of skilled trail blazers (in every sense of the word). Environmentalists of all specialities keep the trails clean and safe  with total attention to ease of ascent, the team consists of experts and volunteers that oversee the grooming of the ground, drainage and maintenance with clearing. Most surprising, they carry out all such tasks by hand!

Pens cleared the old ruined trail on left;  new trail at right

I had the pleasure of hiking one day with Patricia Lefevre, Director of PENS. 

Patricia Lefevre

                                         Together we we hiked the Spruce Trail 

View walking toward lake Vogel

    (PENS cleared the ruined trail at left; new trail at right)

There are many trails that loop around the ski area -- the longest is Round Top at 952 feet. In fact, the region offers four summits with staggering views.

On the 3-kilometre hike to Spruce Lake, Patricia pointed out many beech trees, yellow and white birches, hemlocks, maples and spruce. It was glorious. 

We rested on a tree "seat"

Lingering at Spruce Lake

We then went to secluded Lac Vogel. It's pristine perfect for solitude.

                  Marmite Trail

Take a look at the smooth wooden railing that starts you on your way on this easy woody trail. PENS made those in order to provide support as you go down the few steps. 

This charming path was once used to transport wood and ice from the mountain.

Ruins from the past 

Its forest of lush maples hugs the narrow Sutton River.

 Listen to the little waterfalls tumbling over rocks.

On the way, I spotted chickadees, a blue jay and a woodpecker. This creates an enchanting ambiance as the water ambles on.

The river starts just after the stairs

The 3.8 kilometres lead you to Sutton village. Just follow the yellow sign marking on trees as they stand along the river.

                          What a wonderful way to be at one with rock, river and forest!

“Thank you Patricia for hiking with me, and for inviting me to judge PENS “Together” exhibit of stunning photos taken by locals of Sutton’s magnificent nature”.

Read my article on Mont Sutton

Cantine Sutton Cooks Those Classic Mainstay Meals We All Love

This no frills 18-year-old family-owned restaurant is Sutton’s favourite place for hungry chops. Say hi to co-owners Eric, wife Victoria and her mom, Shirley who you see cooking behind the counter. In fact, Cantine Sutton is so popular, it opens at 5 am and closes at 9:pm. The variety of dishes boggles the eyes and taste buds.  Breakfast is so big here, it has its own menu. The choices are dazzling as is the freshness and care of preparation. 

Co-owner, Eric, sums it up: “Whatever we serve, it’s top quality.” 

The prices are so ridiculously reasonable, yet the potions are 

huge, so trying to pick one dish from the mouth-watering menu is fun: it’s impossible to get bored with food choices here.

In another menu, the amazing variety in the lunch and supper selections dazzle. Like deluxe food billboards, all wall photos exactly duplicate each dish - all specially prepared for the photo shoot. What you see is what you get. Yummie!  

         

There are over 18 kinds of pizza, shrimp with mushrooms, Mexican, barbecue chicken, and pepper steak; plus Cantine is famous for its pizzaghetti, pizzafrites, pizza poutine and pizza Cesar. The pizza is cut in half and in between the second dish sits.

Twenty subs include smoked salmon, roast beef and steak with pepperoni, and BLT. I loved my 12”-roast beef sub that came with every topping imaginable: including, pickles, jalapeño peppers, black olives, Swiss cheese and more.

Eric preparing my sub

My roast beef sub 

Poutine is on the menu - nine different kinds, along with their hotdogs and burgers (you can get two burgers on Wednesday for a mere $6!

The Cantine special burger caught my eye and captured my taste buds at first bite. It’s made with special melted cheese. It complimented the bacon and the dressings you always crave. A dill pickle, tomato and lettuce with relish brought a symphony of taste, as did the macaroni and coleslaw served on the plate. I also had their fresh cut, freshly made French fries – all home made – as every dish is here. 

Smoked meat sandwich and more

I returned every day, feasting on gyros and salads. Their Caesar salad dressing is fantastic: garlic, yoghurt, Dijon mustard and egg yoke. Victoria revealed the alternate pouring of simple ingredients  creates a very smooth soft dressing. The honey in the dressing really gives it a sweet zing. 

Cantine Sutton is super friendly, informal and unstressed. Best thing is every dish is delivered to your table within minutes.

Huge portions!

I loved their automatic soft drink select-and-touch-screen machine. Aside from all your favourites, you can get Doctor Peppers in three different flavours: cherry, vanilla and strawberry! Their ice cream also is a flavour fest. And if biting into a dessert, try their different homemade cookies and banana bread.

Delicious cookies and banana bread

                                                  

The best restaurant breakfast ever!

A mini play area

Cantine Sutton is great for the whole family. 

Cantine Sutton  has its own mini play area

                                         

Call: 450 538-3311.  Cantine Sutton also delivers.

The address is 32, Principale Nord, Sutton Quebec, J0E 2KO. 

LES CAPRICES DE VICTORIA

Victorian Style B and B Beguiles with its Calming Beauty

Imagine staying in a Bed and Breakfast that harkens back to the Victorian era. This award-winning B and B stunningly captures a remarkable piece of this rarefied, bygone period. And it does so with charm and understated elegance. Located in the scenic Eastern Townships, it's only five-minute walk from the hub of Sutton village’s boutiques and restaurants.

 There are lots of happy "tweets" about Les Caprices de Victoria

Maryse Desrosiers

Owner, Maryse Desrosiers, has warmly been welcoming guests into her impeccably cared for B & B since 2007. Maryse’s gentle manner immediately puts you at ease the moment you open the door. Her winning smile, tempered with reserve and patience, may in part be due to her previous profession; she worked as a nurse in Canada’s Great White North for over 30 years. 

Les Caprices dates back to 1905! The plaque outside invites you to ponder its historical significance and the luminary family that once lived in it. 

Maryse shared some of her childhood memories with me. It’s clear, she appreciates all that is authentic and natural, including timeless architecture. Her renovations embody this. “I did a fair amount of necessary renovations, but I made sure to keep the integrity of this historical house to respect its character, original style and aesthetics. Even the slate roof was kept.  The plaque outside invites you to ponder Les Caprices’s historical significance and the luminary family that once lived here.

The interior exquisitely combines the old with the not-so-old. It referencesVictorian décor and its period humour while meshing Maryse’s own memories of the North. 

Antique furniture and original art form 

their own gallery of the past.

It all comes together to create a sublime cocoon of serenity and warmth.

  

All kinds of sculptures and carvings make you smile in more ways than one

Room Reverie

Modern comforts and privacy are key to each of the five spacious rooms located on the second and third floors. Note their iconic names: Josephine, Juliette, Hortense, Charlotte and Victoria. 

There’s a lot of hall space between the soundproof rooms too. Relaxing in all ways, three rooms feature electric fireplaces and luxurious, top quality beds: three rooms have Queen; two rooms have King (my Juliette room had one).  All rooms are lovely.

                                Luxuriate in your claw bathtub

                                      

Every object has original allure Three rooms have balconies. My Juliette room had a balcony, giving a sweeping view to the pastoral-like grounds. 

I wanted to call out to Romeo from it.

Breakfast is a Delicacy of Riches

Lots of fresh locally grown fruit starts your day with entrees flavoured in honey and rosemary or cointreau which brings a tasty zest to your palette.

I loved her stacked buttermilk fluffy pancakes layered with raspberries, soaked subtly in rosemary and honey and yoghurt.

Maple sugar and maple wine flavored them richly. In this delectable dish, chocolate powder was artfully spread around a phantom fork.

   Capricious humour can land right on your breakfast plate! 

Another entrée consisted of melt-in your-mouth pastry – one with cheese, the other with apple. They were made by village baker, Pascal Picarda at La Valse des pains bakery. 

These prefaced Maryse's marvellous home-made smoothie. Topped with fruit and granola, it looked so pretty in the bowl. This smoothie was exceptional.

Breakfast is always a surprise. Maryse made a really tasty dish of pancetta with mushrooms, red peppers and onions. An egg on a baguette accompanied it, or it was the other way round! 

Maryse has a knack for pleasing your taste buds with her own culinary creativity.

Truth is, Les Caprices de Victoria is somewhat addictive.  I'm returning for Sutton’s Fall Festival, and guess where I'm staying?  I can hardly wait to see the parade of pumpkins placed on the wrap-around porch, smiling as guests go for the biggest treat of all… Les Caprices de Victoria.

The website is: www. capricesdevictoria.qc.ca

The address is 63 Principale North Street, Sutton, Quebec

 Call (450) 538-1551