11 Best Towns In Quebec For Retirees
Thinking about where to spend your golden years? Québec might just be the perfect spot. Imagine retiring in a place where French cafés meet boreal forests, where winters leave a fresh dusting of snow over everything and summers buzz with festivals galore, and where small towns offer both charm and community. There are plenty of perks to settling down in “la belle province,” including good healthcare, rich culture, and no shortage of year-round outdoor adventures. Best of all, you don’t have to break the bank: median housing prices in Québec in September 2025 sit around $500,000, leaving more room in the budget for fresh croissants, artisanal cheese, spa days, and winery tours.
Wakefield
Wakefield is a scenic village in the Outaouais region, about 30 minutes north of Canada’s capital, Ottawa, with the added benefit of being close to that city’s excellent hospitals and healthcare services. It is ideal for retired nature lovers, culture buffs, and outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy hiking, skiing, and watersports, and have no plans to slow down in retirement. The town is also popular with tourists who are attracted to the Wakefield Covered Bridge (also known as the Gendron Bridge), a historic wooden bridge that crosses the Gatineau River. While the original 1915 bridge was destroyed by fire in 1984, it was rebuilt and reopened in 1998. Today, you can walk or cycle across the bridge, and the 90-meter-long bridge is part of the Trans Canada Trail, one of the longest hiking trails in the world.
Enjoy more spectacular scenery with a walk to the nearby Moulin Wakefield Mill, which is a 42-room boutique hotel and spa perched in the forest next to MacLaren Falls. Share a bottle of local wine over a plate of home-cut French fries with mayonnaise in the Heron Wine Bar, and toast to choosing Wakefield as the perfect place to retire.
Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Another top town for active retirees is Mont-Saint-Hilaire, a picturesque town in the Montérégie region of Québec, synonymous with its eponymous mountain, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Canada’s first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and a popular weekend hiking destination. The pretty town offers retirees easy access to everyday amenities, including groceries, healthcare, and cafés, all the while being located less than 40 minutes from Montréal.
The area is renowned for its apple orchards, so another way to stay fit is by visiting Vergers Petit et Fils, a family-owned orchard and cider house since 1896, where you can pick your own apples in season, stock up on fresh-pressed cider, and enjoy crêpes in the rustic crêperie post apple-picking.
If you’re looking to spend time in nature while being pampered, book an afternoon of relaxation at nearby Strøm Nordic Spa, where you can enjoy steam baths, Finnish saunas, hot and cold pools, and indoor and outdoor relaxation areas. Before heading home, stop at Ciné-Parc St-Hilaire, one of the first drive-in theaters in Québec (circa 1972), and enjoy a movie night under the stars in the comfort of your own car.
Sutton
Located in the Brome-Missisquoi region of Québec, Sutton is a mountain town offering numerous opportunities, such as hiking, cycling, and skiing, for active retirees who want to stay busy. Sutton is in the heart of Québec’s wine region, with over 22 wineries that can be discovered along the province’s 165-kilometer Route des Vins. With three wineries in the Sutton area alone, retired wine lovers will have more time to check them out, like the Château Ste-Agnès, a neo-Renaissance style château in a vineyard surrounded by stone walls.
Nothing says relaxation more than spending time with gentle alpacas at Alpagas Sutton, perfect for petting, feeding, or taking the grandchildren on a self-guided 1.5-kilometer walking circuit around the pastures, where you can read more about the animals via interpretive panels. Spend some time getting to know your new neighbors with a stop at the local pub on the Rue Principale (Main Street), L'Abordage, for a craft beer brewed onsite and a classic Québec Poutine.
Sainte-Rose-du-Nord
Sainte-Rose-du-Nord is in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region of Québec, and is often called “the pearl of the Fjord,” thanks to its postcard-like setting on an inlet called Baie Sainte-Rose on the Saguenay Fjord’s north shore. The heart of the village is the wharf, where retired paddlers can launch a kayak or a canoe into the water and explore the bay. If you want to go further afield, you can take a guided boat tour with Navettes maritimes du Fjord and explore the nearby Parc national du Fjord-du-Saguenay on a 3-hour stopover.
In the small town, visit the Musée de la Nature to see collections of various animals, plants, and minerals found in the region. Shop for local artisan products, including fresh honey, at Apicurieux, or check out Aventure Rose des Vents and learn the sport of Nordic skiing (a cross between cross-country and downhill skiing).
The nearest large town to Sainte-Rose-du-Nord is Saguenay, about 45 minutes away by car, where you’ll find a good local hospital, big box stores, and cultural venues, before retreating to your new peaceful fjordside village.
North Hatley
North Hatley is in Québec’s pretty Eastern Townships and sits on the shores of Lake Massawippi, surrounded by historic churches, cozy cafés, art galleries like Emporium North Hatley, and one-of-a-kind shops, like Massawippi Mercantile. More than a coffee shop, “Le Merc,” as it is affectionately known, is like a community hub that serves breakfast and lunch, and dinners from Thursday to Saturday, accompanied by live jazz music, and sells Montreal-based BKIND wellness products and curated items for your new home.
The village is renowned as the location of Manoir Hovey, a luxurious hotel built in 1898, modelled after George Washington’s Mount Vernon residence. Perfect for visiting friends and relatives, the hotel also has a day spa and a 2025 Michelin-starred bistro, Le Tap Room. The nearest big city to North Hatley is Sherbrooke, about 20 kilometers away, and home to the Université de Sherbrooke, Bishop's University, and the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, a leading medical center should the need arise.
Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue
Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue is a waterfront town located at the western tip of the island of Montreal, about a twenty-five-minute drive from the big cosmopolitan city, making it a good retirement option with its proximity to top-notch healthcare at the McGill University Health Center (MUHC). One of the star attractions of Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue is the Promenade du Canal, a boardwalk along the Sainte-Anne Canal where Lac Saint-Louis meets Lac des Deux Montagnes. It’s perfect for strolling along during the summer months with a coffee and a pastry from Café Au Bout de L'Isle.
Home to top-ranked McGill University’s Macdonald Campus and John Abbott College, a vibrant nightlife in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue will help keep retirees young at heart. Go yourself, or bring visiting children to Singh’s Arcade, a retro-inspired game lounge with milkshakes and a full kitchen built inside a restored movie theatre, or Annies Sur Le Lac, a popular bar serving pub-style food on the boardwalk.
Dunham
Another village in the heart of Québec’s wine region, Dunham was one of the earliest towns to be established in the Eastern Townships, twelve kilometres from Canada’s border with Vermont, making visiting family and friends in the U.S. a breeze. The perfect town for creative retirees who want more time to explore artistic pastimes, there are numerous shops, boutiques, and art galleries to discover. More than just a microbrewery, the Brasserie Dunham is a historical building dating back to 1865 that was once a stop on a stagecoach line. Today, you can sample craft beer, have a bite to eat, or sit on the terrace.
The eMobilité Café is a great spot to rent a European eBike, try-before-you-buy, and explore seven nearby vineyards. The shop’s website provides six suggested bike tours to follow, ranging in difficulty from mostly flat to steep hills. Another route to follow by bike or car is the Boulevard des Arts. This circuit lets you discover 38 artists in 21 studios, creating everything from paintings and pottery to basketry and ceramics.
Saint Sauveur
Saint-Sauveur is located in the Laurentians region of Québec, home to Mont Saint-Sauveur, a popular winter ski destination that morphs into a fun waterpark during summer months with water slides, lazy rivers, and wave pools, perfect for visiting kids and grandkids. Downtown Saint-Sauveur exudes a warm village-like vibe, with great café-bistros around every corner. Brûlerie des Monts is a good choice for freshly roasted beans to enjoy inside or take home.
Staying active is easy in the Laurentians, with lots of nearby mountains that are prime for hiking. If you prefer cycling, the P’tit Train du Nord Linear Park has you covered. It’s a multi-use path that traverses 234 kilometers along an old railway bed through the Laurentians, starting in nearby Saint-Jérôme, where you’ll also find the Hôpital régional de Saint-Jérôme if health services are needed. There are kilometer markers, restrooms, bike repair shops, cafés, and even small bed-and-breakfasts all along the path if you want to turn a day trip into an overnight ride. During the winter, the path turns into a cross-country ski trail.
Tadoussac
There’s more to the small town of Tadoussac than the iconic Hôtel Tadoussac with its distinctive red roof that graces its postcards, but it’s still a beautiful location for visiting children and grandchildren. Tadoussac is in the Côte-Nord region of Québec, where the Saguenay River meets the St. Lawrence River. Nature lovers, outdoor enthusiasts, and retirees seeking a slower pace of life would thrive in the small town, renowned as one of the world's best spots for whale watching, with over 13 species of whales drawn to the marine life sanctuary, Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park. Spend an afternoon watching fin, humpback, minke whales, and belugas on a boat tour with Croisières AML, then visit the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre to learn more about the whales that swim in the St. Lawrence River.
For retirees considering Tadoussac, essential services are close by in Sacré-Cœur, with full healthcare available within two hours in Baie-Comeau or Saguenay, offering the perfect balance of tranquility and dependable access to medical care.
Magog
Another gem in the Eastern Townships region of Québec, Magog is for lake lovers, thanks to its location on the freshwater lake that straddles the border between Québec and Vermont, Lake Memphrémagog. The 50-kilometer lake is the town’s main attraction, and ideal for retirees who love to kayak, paddleboard, or relax on its shores. If the downtown core is too busy, consider visiting the nearby urban oasis known as the Marais de la Rivière-aux-Cerises, a protected 1,200-acre wetland and nature reserve. There is an extensive boardwalk and trail system that lets you wander through marshes and forests, home to over 200 bird species, plus beavers, turtles, and frogs. The reserve is particularly proud of its network of 1.2 kilometers of stilt trails, giving you a bird’s eye view of the wetland.
There’s a vibrant cultural scene in Magog, on display at the Musée international d’art Naïf, which means “naïve art,” or artists who lack formal training. The art form has a rich tradition in Québec, and the museum showcases about 850 paintings created by artists from 34 countries.
Chelsea
Chelsea is a small town north of Gatineau, Québec, and about 10 kilometers north of Ottawa, the National Capital. It is the gateway to the 361-kilometer Gatineau Park, which is very scenic, with over 200 kilometers of hiking trails through the forest. For retired history buffs, an unusual must-see landmark, the photo-worthy surreal Carbide Willson Ruins, is what remains of a fertilizer plant, still visible near a cascading waterfall, constructed by a little-known pioneer of electrochemistry, Thomas “Carbide” Willson. Nearby Meech Lake offers swimming from both O’Brien and Blanchet beaches, as well as canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and water sports. The Visitor Centre in Chelsea is a great place to start learning about the stunning park located right in your new neighborhood.
After exploring the great outdoors in Chelsea, stop in at Les Fougeres, an award-winning restaurant that serves flatbread pizzas baked from a hearth oven. It’s also a convenient gourmet food store that offers weekly take-home three-course meals, ideal if you want to do less cooking in retirement.
Enjoy Retirement in Québec’s 11 Best Small Towns
Retiring in Québec offers a little something for everyone, from the fjords of Sainte-Rose-du-Nord to the vineyards of Sutton and Dunham, the lake life of North Hatley and Magog, and the cultural energy of towns like Mont-Saint-Hilaire and Chelsea. Picturesque settings, active lifestyles, and charming village centers make these towns ideal for retirees who want beauty, community, and adventure right outside their doors. And with median home prices around $500,000, plus access to good healthcare either locally or within a short drive to larger centers like Ottawa, Montréal, Sherbrooke, or Saguenay, retirement in Québec is as practical as it is appealing.
