Sherbrooke, QC
A large city in southern Quebec, Sherbrooke is the province’s sixth largest city. The city sits at the confluence of the St. Francis and Magog Rivers, making it exceptionally beautiful. Plus, it is surrounded by mountains, lakes and rivers, which just adds to its picturesque setting. This, in addition to its strong economic, cultural and education centres, as well as its numerous parks, makes it a top choice for many renters. Not to mention its history, museums and fabulous recreational activities. Sherbrooke is a charming place to live, with lots of perks.
There are six different boroughs within Sherbrooke, with Mont-Bellevue being one of the trendiest areas in terms of living and hanging out. This is where the city’s downtown is located, as is Université de Sherbrooke. It is also home to Mont Bellevue Park, which is the largest park in the city. Most Sherbrooke residents will list this as one of the top places to go in the city as a result of its fantastic winter recreational activities. In the summer, you can head to Parc Jacques-Cartier, which is not far from the city’s largest shopping mall; Carrefour de l'Estrie.
One of the most affluent boroughs in the city is Rock Forest–Saint-Élie–Deauville, which happens to be where most of the English-speaking communities can be found. Sherbrooke is a predominately French speaking city, with over 90 percent of its residents using it as their mother tongue. In terms of schools, there are a few English-language schools, though most teach in French. As well, Université de Sherbrooke is a French-language institution, while Bishop's University teaches primarily in English. The university is located in Lennoxville, which has a mixture of Anglophone and Francophone residents.
Getting around Sherbrooke is pretty easy, as it features a great network of buses that travel to all areas of the city. This makes it easy for students to get to class or other residents to get to work. Plus, it means getting to places listed in a Sherbrooke city guide, like the Sherbrooke Museum of Fine Arts, Sherbrooke Nature and Science Museum, Marché de la Gare and Granada Theatre, a simple task. As well, on weekends, if you don’t have your own car, you can easily visit any of the parks to go skiing, cycling, paddle boarding or hiking, or to play a game of tennis, football, rugby or baseball.