Cycling in Potton

Cycling routes

Potton offers a multitude of options for cyclists. The area is quite rugged, so all the routes have a certain level of difficulty, but we have included a few suggestions for routes that we think are doable for families with a little perseverance.

The most wonderful roads in Potton with the most beautiful views lead us on gravel. The gravel roads are generally in very good condition throughout the summer, and can be ridden with gravel bikes without any problem, and even with endurance bikes with wider tires.

• Potton Bike Tour #2 – Manson for families

• Potton Bike Tour #3 – The Adventurer

• Potton Bike Tour #4 – Owl’s Head for families

• Potton Bike Tour #5 – The Potton Tour

That said, we also offer a tour entirely on asphalt.

• Potton Bike Tour #1 – The Pioneer Route

Also, for the more seasoned cyclist, you can choose Mansonville/Potton as a starting or ending point for your longer rides. Here are some ideas:

• The Jay Peak Climb (in Vermont) – about 90 km with 1500m of D+.
• The Pottonman Circuit – 183 km with 2250m of D+
• Or, if you live on the South Shore of Montreal, why not bike to Potton or bike back home? That’s about 140km.

Finally, you can simply hop on your bike and go discover the villages and hamlets of Potton yourself.

Whatever you choose, there are many choices and options abound. Be careful on the road and enjoy the breathtaking scenery of Potton Township.

Tour #1 – Pioneer Route

• Distance: 44km
• Elevation gain: 544m
• Surface: Asphalt
• Start: Place Manson
• Finish: Place Manson

This is the only circuit entirely on asphalt that we offer. This is an excellent challenge for the intermediate and advanced cyclist.

You can extend this circuit as you wish to Magog (via the Chemin des Pères), Eastman (along the 245) or Glen Sutton (via the Vallée-Missisquoi).

Brief description of the route:

• From Place Manson, take Route 243 North towards the former spa area of Potton Springs and its sulphurous spring, now a center for health and spiritual healing.
• Continue towards Bolton-Est to turn right on Chemin Nicolas-Austin towards Austin. Nicolas Austin, founding father born in 1736 in England, settled in 1790 on Pointe Gibraltar after the American Revolution.
• At Fisher Pond, turn right on Chemin Cooledge towards Knowlton Landing, a former wharf that was very active in the 19th century. Turn right around the old coaching inn built by Lévi Knowlton and his son Miles in 1828. Today, it is an inn called l’Aubergine.
• Go up Chemin du Lac towards the hamlet of Vale Perkins, which owes its name to Samuel Perkins who settled there in 1795 on the lot cleared by Nicolas Austin.
• Shortly before Vale Perkins, a surprise awaits you on your left: the Ukrainian chapel of Saint-Jean-Baptiste. It was Myron Monczak who drew the plans to give it the typical architectural form of the wooden churches of the Carpathians.
• In the hamlet of Vale Perkins, a stop is a must to visit an authentic general store built around 1840 by Charles H. Gordon and run by the Jewett family since 1944.
• At the stop on the right, join Mansonville by the Vale Perkins road which offers a breathtaking view of Jay Peak Mountain, the 9th highest mountain in Vermont with an altitude of 1209m.

Tour #2 – Manson for families

• Distance: 11km
• Elevation gain: 173m
• Surface: mostly gravel
• Start: Place Manson
• Finish: Place Manson

This tour is one of two family tours we offer. This one gives you a taste of the beautiful landscapes of Potton. Like all circuits, it also presents a certain challenge, since no circuit in Potton is flat.

Brief description of the route:

• Starting at Place Manson, you have a station to check your bike.
• Take the 243: you will cross the heart of the village with the Saint-Cajetan Church and the round barn built in 1912, a heritage jewel.
• Shortly after the Anglican cemetery, turn left on West Hill, a historic road since the first settlers chose to settle in these green hills that you will cross.
• Take Fitzsimmons Road on your left to the intersection. At the intersection with Chemin des Marguerites, turn left to join Chemin Miltimore and Route de Mansonville along the Missisquoi-Nord River to reach Place Manson. It owes its name to David Ames Manson, mayor in 1875 then Liberal deputy for Brome County from 1880 to 1882. You can still see his green house in Place Manson.

Tour #3 – The Adventurer

• Distance: 33km (with option of 27km or 37km)
• Elevation gain: 475m (woth option of 415m or 550m)
• Surface: mostly gravel
• Start: Place Manson
• Finish: Place Manson

This circuit is an abbreviated version of circuit #5, but still presents a major challenge with its elevation that will challenge you while making you discover magical viewpoints.

You can reduce this circuit (5km and 60m of D+ less) by taking a left on Leadville from Bellevue Road (but you will miss the covered bridge) or you can decide to lengthen the route (4km and 75m of additional D+) and continue on Leadville Road to Owl’s Head Road where you will turn left.

You can also decide to do this tour from Mount Owl’s Head, which gives you a halfway break at Manson Place in the village of Mansonville.

Brief description of the route:

• From Place Manson, which owes its name to David Ames Manson, mayor in 1875 then Liberal deputy for the county of Brome from 1880 to 1882, pass in front of the town hall, cross the Missisquoi-Nord river and turn right in front of the Maison Manson to take Bellevue. Very quickly, you will understand the name of this path since it offers magnificent views of Jay Peak in Vermont.
• Continue on Bellevue.
• If you want to take a shortcut, turn left on Leadville, otherwise keep going.
• And if you want to take a detour, take a little further to the right on Chemin de l’Aéroport, then turn left on Chemin du Monastère to see the Russian Monastery of Saint Transfiguration built in 1974 and 1979 by Bishop Vitaly Ustininov. Admire. On the pediment of the monastery, you will observe a mosaic representing Christ in glory (detour of about 8km round trip). Return to Bellevue.
• Continue along the path to the Frontière covered bridge, built in 1896.
• Take Province Hill Road and pass through one of Potton’s many maple groves. The citizens of the Missisquoi Valley in Vermont gave the name of Province Hill to these highlands located on the other side of the border.
• Turn right on chemin de Leadville and immediately left on Laliberté. Unless you want to extend your circuit: then continue straight until you reach the Owl’s Head road, which you will take on your left.
• At the top of Laliberté, you can take a break at the Relax Stop if you take 200m to your right, with another magnificent view of Jay Peak, Mont Round Top, Mont Singer and Mont Sutton.
• Otherwise, continue on your left by Chemin Owl’s Head towards Mont Owl’s Head. You pass in front of the golf course: why not have a drink on the terrace of the Club Haus du Golf?
• Continue on Chemin Owl’s Head and turn right on Chevreuils then left on Chemin du Panorama: the view of Lake Memphremagog is magnificent! You are right in the middle of the Owl’s Head ski resort, founded by the Korman family in 1965. Fred Korman entrusted the design of the slopes to Olympic champion Bob Richardson. What had started as a hobby for this electrician from Mansonville quickly turned into a four-season centre. Thanks to the vision of Fred and Lilian Korman, the center has continued to grow to the delight of families with its real estate development. Destination Owl’s Head took over the torch in 2018. Owl’s Head owes its name to the Abenaki people, in memory of their leader.
• The notoriety of the Township of Potton with visitors is largely due to this majestic mountain which dominates Lake Memphremagog, at its feet; it is also the pride of the township residents. Conical in shape and of volcanic origin, it can be spotted for dozens of kilometers around.
• Take Chemin Girl’s Camp, which runs along Lake Memphremagog and ends on Chemin George-R.-Jewett. Girl’s Camp owes its name to Camp Memphrémagog, affectionately referred to as the girls’ camp, in operation from 1938 to 1960. The American press publicized the camp as “the most fashionable girl’s camp”.
• Take a right to make a small detour by the wharf and the municipal beach if you want to dip your feet in the water. (*note that wharf and beach are closed until June 30th, 2023). Until 1952, this wharf was used for floating timber to Newport, Vermont as well as for travellers using ferries such as the Lady of the Lake and the Anthémis.
• Head up Chemin Jewett to admire the Jewett General Store, built around 1840 by Charles H. Gordon and run by the Jewett family since 1944, on the corner of Chemin du Lac.
• Turn right, then left on Peabody. You pass in front of the old schoolhouse which was also a chapel, today a private house.
• We climb Peabody for about 4 kilometers before reaching the highest point with a superb view of Owl’s Head.
• We continue on Peabody to join the 243, not before crossing the Missisquoi-Nord River.
• Turn left on the 243. As you enter the village, you will see the Catholic cemetery on the left and the Anglican cemetery on the right.
• You will cross the heart of the village with the round barn, built in 1912, a heritage gem, and the Saint-Cajetan Church.
• So you return to your starting point.

Tour #4 – Owl’s Head for families

• Distance: 7km
• Elevation gain: 170m
• Surface: Mostly gravel
• Start: Ski Owl’s Head
• Finish: Ski Owl’s Head

This circuit is one of the two family circuits that we offer. Rather than starting from Place Manson, you leave from the Ski Owl’s Head parking lot to go halfway to the municipal beach of Vale Perkins. Like all circuits, this one also presents a certain challenge since no circuit in Potton is flat!

Brief description of the route:

• You leave from the main parking lot of the Owl’s Head ski resort. You are right in the middle of Owl’s Head station, founded by the Korman family in 1965. Fred Korman entrusted the design of the tracks to Olympic champion Bob Richardson. What had started as a hobby for this electrician from Mansonville quickly turned into a four-season centre. Thanks to the vision of Fred and Lilian Korman, the center has continued to grow to the delight of families with its real estate development. Destination Owl’s Head took over the torch in 2018. Owl’s Head owes its name to the Abenaki people, in memory of their leader. The notoriety of the Township of Potton with visitors is largely due to this majestic mountain which dominates Lake Memphremagog, at its feet; it is also the pride of the township residents. Conical in shape and of volcanic origin, it can be spotted for dozens of kilometers around.
• Continue on Chemin du Mont Owl’s Head, passing behind the MTN House (the main chalet of the ski resort), then left on Chemin du Panorama: the view of Lake Memphremagog is magnificent!
• Take Chemin Girl’s Camp, which runs along Lake Memphremagog and ends on Chemin George-R.-Jewett. Girl’s Camp owes its name to Camp Memphrémagog, affectionately referred to as the girls’ camp, in operation from 1938 to 1960. The American press publicized the camp as “the most fashionable girl’s camp”.
• Take a right to make a small detour by the wharf and the municipal beach if you want to dip your feet in the water. Until 1952, this wharf was used for floating timber to Newport, Vermont as well as for travelers using ferries such as the Lady of the Lake and the Anthémis.
• Head up Chemin Jewett to admire the Jewett General Store, built around 1840 by Charles H. Gordon and run by the Jewett family since 1944, on the corner of Chemin du Lac.
• Take a left on Owl’s Head Road, grit your teeth to climb the slope which, after a first fairly steep incline, softens to bring you back to the main parking lot. Watch out! Don’t miss the fork to Mont Owl’s Head road, because if you stay on Owl’s Head road, you will get to the golf course and you will have to turn around.

Tour #5 – The Potton Tour

• Distance: 45km
• Elevation gain: 699m
• Surface: Mostly gravel
• Start: Ski Owl’s Head
• Finish: Ski Owl’s Head

This tour is suitable for seasoned gravel cyclists.

Brief description of the route:

• We leave the Ski Owl’s Head parking lot through the resort to reach Girl’s Camp Road which takes us to the top of the Vale Perkins municipal wharf.
• We pass in front of the Jewett General Store, built around 1840 by Charles H. Gordon and run by the Jewett family since 1944, to drive one kilometer on the asphalt before turning left on Peabody. You pass in front of the old schoolhouse which was also a chapel, today a private house.
• We climb Peabody for about 4 kilometers before reaching the highest point with a superb view of Owl’s Head. The notoriety of the Township of Potton with visitors is largely due to this majestic mountain which dominates Lake Memphremagog, at its feet; it is also the pride of the township residents. Conical in shape and of volcanic origin, it can be spotted for dozens of kilometers around.
• We continue on Peabody to join the 243, not before crossing the Missisquoi-Nord River.
• Just before entering the village of Mansonville, we turn right on Chemin West Hill which brings us, climbing, towards the Ruiter Valley.
• Cross the bridge over the Ruiter Brook and turn left towards Dunkin along the creek. Turn left. You follow the cascading Ruiter stream for more than 2 km towards the Missisquoi River. From 1918 to 1926, several sawmills were operated on this stream, including those of the Singer Sewing Machine.
• When you get to Dunkin, turn left on chemin de la Vallée-Missisquoi. Dunkin is both an anchor point in the Missisquoi Valley and a gateway to the Ruiter Valley which enters the Sutton Mountains massif. The hamlet was founded in 1796 by Colonel Hendrick Ruiter. This loyalist soldier built the first saw and grain mills in the township. Dunkin was named in 1895 for Christopher Dunkin, a politician who passed the Temperance Act or Dunkin Act in 1864.
• At the T-junction, instead of turning left towards the village, turn right and immediately turn left onto Chemin de l’Aéroport (be careful when crossing!)
• After a few kilometers, you can see the concrete slabs of the old airport on the right.
• At the T intersection, turn right onto Bellevue to reach the Potton covered bridge, known as the border bridge, after a few kilometers, one of the ten covered bridges that still exist in the Eastern Townships. Built in 1896, it overlooks Mud Creek. The United States border is a few hundred meters away.
• We begin a climb on Province Hill, we cross fields and maple groves, before turning right on Leadville Road.
• Before arriving in Leadville, turn left on Laliberté (or you can decide to extend the route by 4km and 75m of additional elevation gain) and continue to Chemin Owl’s Head where you will turn left).
• At the top of Laliberté, we turn left on Chemin Owl’s Head, we pass in front of the golf course to a little further turn right and finish with a last climb towards our starting point.