Sherbrooke is the main city of Quebec's Eastern Townships, set where the Magog and Saint-Francois rivers meet. It is French-speaking, practical, and more regional capital than postcard town, but the centre has enough old brick, church towers, riverside paths, and student energy to reward a stop.
The city makes a good base for the softer side of southern Quebec: lakes, wooded hills, small wineries, and Loyalist-era towns spread out toward the Vermont border. Sherbrooke itself is best approached slowly, with a walk through downtown and the old north-end neighbourhoods, then time along the Magog River gorge or Lac des Nations.
Two universities keep the city younger than its size suggests. That gives Sherbrooke a steady supply of cafes, bars, small cultural events, and inexpensive places to eat, especially when compared with Montreal and Quebec City.