Sherbrooke

Sherbrooke is the largest city in the Eastern Townships (Estrie), with 172,950 residents in the 2021 census, at the confluence of the Magog and Saint-François rivers. About an hour and a half from Montreal via Highway 10, it brings together universities, hospitals and the outdoors, and suits families, students and retirees alike.

Living in Sherbrooke

Its four boroughs each have a distinct feel, from the urban core of the Arrondissement des Nations to Lennoxville, more anglophone and university-oriented. The city is a centre of learning, with the Université de Sherbrooke (more than 33,000 students), Bishop’s University, the Cégep de Sherbrooke and Champlain College Lennoxville. For health care, the Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CHUS) runs two emergency departments, at Hôpital Fleurimont and at Hôtel-Dieu.

Outdoors and nature in Sherbrooke

The Lac-des-Nations promenade forms a 3.5 km loop open year-round, linked to downtown by the Magog River gorge promenade. Parc du Mont-Bellevue, the city’s largest park, offers more than 30 km of trails, free cross-country skiing and a 14-run downhill ski area. In summer, two supervised public beaches welcome swimmers: Plage Lucien-Blanchard, on the Magog River, and the beach at Parc de la Plage-Municipale, on Lac Magog. Cyclists enjoy the 54 km of the Véloroute des Grandes-Fourches.

Culture and local flavours

Downtown, the Quartier des musées brings together the Musée des beaux-arts, the Musée de la nature et des sciences and the MHIST, all within walking distance. The Théâtre Granada and the Centre culturel de l’Université de Sherbrooke keep their stages busy year-round, and 19 murals add colour to building facades. Every July, the Fête du Lac des Nations livens up the shoreline. At the table, the Marché de la Gare brings together a cheese shop, a butcher and a Saturday market in season, Siboire microbrewery serves its beers in the heritage train station, and Ferme cidricole Moulton Hill welcomes visitors from May to September.

Real estate in Sherbrooke

Sherbrooke’s housing stock covers almost every profile: heritage homes, plexes near downtown and the campuses, condos, single-family homes in family neighbourhoods and properties near Lac Magog, in the Deauville sector. Families look for proximity to schools and parks, university and hospital staff for proximity to the campuses, and investors are drawn to plexes. An address’s value depends on its neighbourhood, its access to services and its proximity to nature.

Frequently asked questions about Sherbrooke

Is Sherbrooke a good place to live?

Sherbrooke offers the services of a large city, including two universities, a cégep and a university hospital centre, with quick access to the outdoors: Lac des Nations, Mont Bellevue and public beaches.

How far is Sherbrooke from Montreal?

Sherbrooke is about an hour and a half from Montreal via Highway 10, a distance of about 160 km. Magog is about 30 minutes away.

What types of properties are there in Sherbrooke?

In Sherbrooke, you will find heritage homes, plexes, condos, single-family homes and properties near Lac Magog. The offer varies a great deal from one borough to another.

Thinking of settling in Sherbrooke or selling your property there? See our properties for sale, request a free home estimate or talk to a broker at BEAU, the real estate team.

Photo: Cantons-de-l’Est (Wikimedia Commons user), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons