8 Best Places To Call Home In Quebec In 2025
If you like nature, culture, history, and top-notch cuisine, there are many places in Quebec you would love to call home! The natural beauty of the land and a good life of pleasure await you. The cost of housing and transportation is generally lower in Quebec than in other provinces, such as Ontario. Some towns are predominantly French-speaking, while others have English-speaking populations. The people in the small towns will make you feel at home. They are known for their warmth, hospitality, and attitude of enjoying life to the fullest.
Matane
Here is a safe town where you could settle down amidst beauty and convenience. Only a few hours away from the city, but for a salmon or fly fisherman, you can fish right in town on the Matane River. Housing is affordable, and the local Matane shrimp and cold-water prawn are a worldwide delicacy served in restaurants like Bistro du Capitaine at 985 Avenue du Phare or La Fabrique brew pub on Rue St-Jérôme.
The friendly welcome you will receive from the local people, combined with the opportunity to enjoy your favorite water activities like fishing, boating, swimming, or paddleboarding, makes living here the best of both worlds.
Chelsea
When you decide to make your home in Chelsea, you will be invited into a warm and welcoming community. Cultural activities abound, and La Fab is a cultural center located at 8 Chemin Mill, showcasing musicians, performers, and artists. Housed in a lovingly restored 150-year-old church, you can enjoy everything from classical music and choirs to fiddle festivals. The local community center, the Meredith Centre, offers hockey, skating, yoga, and pickleball, providing recreation for the whole family. There are outdoor skating rinks and municipal parks that are open every day for family outings. There are also nature trails, such as the Voie Verte Chelsea trail, which was converted from a train track and runs for 22 km along the Gatineau River.
As you walk along this trail, you will see metal sculptures made by a local artist. Pamper yourself at the Nordik Spa Village, located at 16 Nordik Road, where you will find a soothing experience designed to promote your well-being. You can shop the boutiques at La Fab, get fresh produce at the Old Chelsea Market on Old Chelsea Road, or hike the Gatineau Park, among the finest in Canada. Treat yourself to a delightful dining experience at L'Oree Du Bois, located at 15 Chemin du Kingsmere. Savor the country-style creton pate spread, the duck confit, or the venison, gourmet dining based on traditional French recipes. Take your family to the four-course Sunday brunch at the Maple Shack next door to the restaurant for an exceptional experience. Tonique at 18 Chemin Scott will be a spot where you can relax and meet friends for brunch, enjoy the delicious, homemade, freshly prepared food and drinks, especially the smoothies, and unwind. Your home will be part of a rural lifestyle, offering a modern take on a traditional French way of life.
Baie-Comeau
Since its inception as an industrial town, with a paper mill that produced paper for the renowned Chicago Tribune, this town has consistently been prosperous and progressive. It is an industrial port on the Gulf of the St. Lawrence River, so if you love the sea, you will be happy here. Cycling, fishing, hunting, paddleboarding, or hiking about in a vast forest will enrich your soul. Living where you can see seabirds, whales, and seals from the cliffs is to live in a truly special environment. A nearby restaurant, Restaurant St James at 20 Avenue Cartier, offers the best crab sandwich ever and a terrace to watch the sunset.
If you're a fan of poutine, the food truck at 8A Avenue Cabot, La Poutinerie, will satisfy your cravings. This area has one of the best bird-watching parks in Quebec. Parc Nature de Pointe-aux-Outardes protects the various ecosystems, but you can also stay overnight in an amazing giant birdhouse! Bring your binoculars and enjoy yourself. If you make your home here, you will be surrounded by an amazing natural landscape with beaches, marshes, salt flats, and more. Still, you will also find sophisticated culinary restaurants and good shopping, such as at the Rossy department store located at 300 Boul. Lasalle. Home here will be the best of both worlds.
Mont-Tremblant
This town is well-known as a world-class ski resort area, but living here, you will have access to all the amenities of an excellent all-season lifestyle. From a race circuit Circuit Mont-Tremblant at 1281 Chemin du Village with a members-only driving club to shops on the Rue de Saint-Jovite, such as bookstore Librairie Carpe Diem at 6 Rue de Saint-Jovite #814, your hometown will offer you lots of activities to keep you happy. In the off-season, you can benefit from less traffic and people but savor your home.
Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré
Although known for its famous Shrine of St. Anne, living in the beautiful Laurentian Mountains, you can enjoy activities such as kayaking, hiking, cycling, and golf, as well as a small-town lifestyle, once the tourist season is over.
The Ni Vu Ni Cornu Workshop and Gallery, located at 10005 Royale Ave, showcases contemporary artists. With local markets in the summer season for produce in this fertile area and specialty pastry shops like Praline & Chocolat at 7874, Ave Royale, rumored to have the best croissants in Quebec, your life will be good. Home will be your haven.
Magog
In the eastern townships of Quebec, when you live in Magog, you will be part of a warm and wonderful community, known for vibrant festivals like the Magog Country Festival, featuring music, dancing, and family entertainment on the shores of Lake Memphremagog, where 60% of Quebec's wine production is produced, making your home here a satisfying and relaxing experience.
Founded in 1821 by an American revolutionary, Ralph Merry III, Magog's Merry House, located at 708 Principale Street West, can be visited and showcases the roots of the town that has become the lovely town it is today. Le Cep d'Argent Winery offers the blue lavender farm and tastings. What a sensory experience to enjoy right in your own town!
Joliette
Your home in Joliette will be a lifestyle of outdoor experiences and a rich cultural heritage. There are many heritage buildings preserved, such as The Arsenal, a former military riding school at 585 Archambault Street, built in 1908. There is a Tudor-style brick railroad station originally built in 1901. Joliette Station is at 368-380 Champlain Street. At the Musée d’art de Joliette, you will be surprised to find this hidden treasure, featuring 8,500 works of art. If you're a fan of microbreweries, be sure to try the many beers and ciders at Alchimiste Microbrasserie, located at 681 rue Marion.
Shop downtown for treats at Choco-Chocolat at 554, Boul. Manseau or relax with friends at the Albion Pub and Restaurant at 408 Boul. Manseau. The Beautiful Excuse Restaurant, located at 524 Saint-Viateur Street, will delight those who enjoy unusual menu items, such as frog's legs or black pudding. Home here is a vibrant place to live, with modern conveniences and a rich heritage. Making your home here means you can explore nature at its finest, while still having all the comforts of home.
Percé
With a population of 3,095, this town boasts beautiful scenery and a tranquil lifestyle deeply rooted in nature. The world-famous Percé Rock is located here, and outdoor recreation plays a significant role in daily life. Bonaventure Island is home to the largest migratory bird refuge in North America.
There are places to go, such as Pub Aire Salin, located at 182 Route 132-O, offering good food, music, and drinks, or Pit Caribou, situated at 155 QC-132 in Percé, featuring a heated, covered terrace and a friendly vibe. Your home here will be set in stunning scenery, offering a warm, comforting, and relaxing lifestyle.
No matter what town in Quebec you choose to live in, you can be assured that the glorious beauty of the natural surroundings, the food to 'die for', and the warm ambiance of the local shops and charm of the people will make it the best place to call home for you and your family!
