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Natural wonders on offer in the small town of Granby
Located in the Eastern Townships region of Southern Quebec, Granby is a small town known primarily for its zoo. Indeed, Granby Zoo is renowned province-wide for its substantial range of species, drawing thousands of tourists to the Granby area. The town of Granby is also a pleasant spot to spend a longer vacation and its proximity to a variety of surrounding natural beauty has seen tourism become an important industry for the region. Although the majority visit during the summer, Granby can be equally as spectacular throughout the changing seasons.
Easy to access and get around
Granby is just an hour’s drive east of Montreal along the highway towards Sherbrooke, which also positions it just a short drive from the border with the United States. This proximity allows Granby to be quickly accessed from Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport as well as being close to US cities such as Plattsburgh and Burlington. It is therefore easily possible to make a day trip to Granby, however many visitors choose to enjoy its peaceful and calmer atmosphere as a break from the larger cities. Consequently, there are a multitude of hotels in Granby to suit varying demographics and budgets. Several of these are located along Rue Principale, the main central street of Granby which also contains an assortment of restaurants, cafes and bars. At the southeastern end of this street lies the Boivin Lake, home to a few more accommodation options which overlook the lake and its encircling parks. The other main road leading through the town is Route 139 running along the northern edge. It is here that Zoo de Granby is positioned, alongside further restaurant and cafe options.
Sights around central Granby
The town of Granby dates back to the early nineteenth century when it was initially settled by businessmen from nearby larger towns. Part of the original settlement appeal lay with the Yamaska River which flows directly through today’s town centre and leads into Boivin Lake. Walking along this stretch provides a pleasant way to explore the town and the array of riverside parks and wildlife. In terms of notable architecture, the most historical structures in the town are nineteenth century churches such as Église Sainte-Famille and the St George’s Anglican Church. Indeed, the variety of Christian religious buildings reflects the shared cultural heritage from France and the UK, although today the majority of Granby’s inhabitants are primarily French speaking. Another point of interest in the town centre is Le Palace de Granby, a performing arts centre showcasing local performances as well as a variety of touring musicians and artists. Thanks to Granby’s small size, any of the points of interest in the town are comfortably within walking distance of most Granby hotels.
The award-winning zoo is the prime destination
The zoo is the main focus for Granby and provides tourism traffic which has knock-on effects for the whole town. During the summer months from late May to early September the zoo is open throughout the week, before dropping to just weekends in the shoulder seasons and then closed all together for a few months in winter. As a result, weekends and school holidays can be hectic as the attraction is very popular with families. However, with such an abundance of species and animal numbers, there is a vast amount to see and experience and the zoo is never short of plaudits. There is also a significant amount of underwater facilities and exhibits housing dozens of water based creatures. Accessing the zoo from downtown Granby is quick and convenient, just three kilometres from Rue Principale. Local buses also serve the zoo area and therefore guests of a Granby hotel can also access the attraction by public transport.
Day trips to nearby nature and smaller villages
The abundance of surrounding nature is also one of the prime draws to the Granby area and this starts with the Boivin Lake to the east of the town centre. The lake has a variety of parks and green areas encircling it, including Daniel-Johnson Park which is within walking distance of Rue Principale. At the other end of the lake lies the CINLB, a nature centre serving a large reservation area around the lake. Visitors can access the reservation through here and enjoy the tranquility and wildlife on offer. Further afield lies the larger Yamaska National Park, home to Choiniere Reservoir and a network of hiking trails, just a 15-minute drive from Granby. In addition, there are many other small villages in the Eastern Townships ensuring guests staying in a hotel in Granby have multiple options for day-trips to experience other sights.