Staff Pick

Road Trip Sherbrooke → Mont-Mégantic – Dark Sky Preserve

Sherbrooke Notre-Dame-des-Bois

1h30

drive

All seasons

season

The Itinerary

Mont-Mégantic, an hour and a half from Sherbrooke, hosts the world's first International Dark Sky Reserve, designated in 2007. Far from city lights, the sky here is near-perfectly dark — a paradise for amateur astronomers and night photographers.

Route 212 crosses the Eastern Townships, passes through Lac-Mégantic — still marked by the 2013 rail disaster but in vibrant renewal — then climbs to Notre-Dame-des-Bois and Parc national du Mont-Mégantic (Sépaq). The ASTROLab interpretation centre runs nightly summer telescope sessions with guides.

The summit observatory at 1,105 m offers daytime guided tours of the university telescope. In fall, blazing Appalachian colours make the park one of Quebec's finest hiking destinations. Sépaq cabin, shelter and camping accommodations available.

Points of Interest

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ASTROLab

Interpretation centre with evening telescope sessions.
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Summit Observatory

University telescope at 1,105 m, daytime tours.
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Lac-Mégantic

Historic downtown rebuilt after 2013, local shops and dining.
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Three Summits Trail

11 km loop linking Mont-Saint-Joseph, Mont-Mégantic and Mont-Victoria.