🦫 From Sherbrooke to the Pyrenees — this week in the Townships

Hey there, Townshippers

Sometimes the most local stories travel the farthest.

This week, we’re raising a glass to a Sherbrooke-born name that’s about to pour pints in the French Pyrenees. It’s a reminder that what starts here, in small dining rooms, breweries, farms, and rinks, can carry well beyond our borders.

Closer to home, winter is still very much in its element: festivals, travel talks, winter markets, and dark skies that feel almost cinematic.

Let’s get into it. 👇

On a quiet stretch of mountain road in southwestern France, a familiar Eastern Townships name will soon hang above the door of a renovated stone barn. This spring, Siboire Microbrasserie, born and brewed in Sherbrooke, will open its first European location in the village of Estaing, nestled in the Pyrenees.

For many Townships residents, Siboire is more than a brewery. Since 2007, it has been a gathering place where students, families, and entrepreneurs have marked milestones over a Sherbière or Trip d’Automne. Now, nearly two decades after its founding, the team is taking that community-first spirit across the Atlantic.

According to reporting by La Presse, the French expansion grew from a personal connection: one of Siboire’s partners has family operating a farm in the Pyrenees, and the idea of opening a small destination pub there evolved organically from that relationship. Rather than launching in Paris or Lyon, Siboire chose a rural, tourism-driven region known for hiking and cycling—an echo, in some ways, of the Townships’ own blend of nature and hospitality. La Presse

The new location will reportedly operate out of a converted barn on the family’s property, with a modest indoor capacity and sweeping mountain views outdoors. Some signature Siboire beers will make the journey, brewed locally under French regulations, alongside new creations inspired by regional ingredients.

For Eastern Townships readers, this isn’t just a business headline, it’s a reminder of how far local ambition can travel. Siboire’s story has always been rooted in place: local grain, local partnerships, local gathering spaces. That foundation appears to be exactly what gives it the confidence to plant new roots abroad.

As the Pyrenees prepare to pour their first Siboire pint, there’s a quiet pride here at home. A Sherbrooke-born brewery, shaped by Townships community life, is about to introduce a taste of Estrie to Europe, one glass at a time. siboire.ca

🎶 Beyries – Du feu dans les lilas — Fri, Feb. 27 — Maison de la culture de Waterloo: Beyries is known for intimate, emotionally rich performances, and this one is built for that kind of close, listening-room vibe. Expect a set that leans into her repertoire across multiple albums, with French and English moments that feel personal rather than “big arena.” Details 👉 mcwaterloo.com

🎭 Musée des beaux‑arts de Sherbrooke – Winter Exhibits & Gallery Visit — Starts Feb. 28 — Sherbrooke: Explore visual art at this regional museum showcasing local and Canadian works in a historic, restored building downtown. The museum’s permanent collection and current galleries offer an enriching cultural outing any day this week; guided tours are often available on weekends. Open Wed–Sun 10 AM–4 PM, and admission is modest. Details 👉 mbas.qc.ca

🎉 Plaisirs d’Hiver – Cowansville Winter Festival — Sat, Feb. 28 — Place du 150e, Cowansville: A free winter celebration perfect for families and friends! Enjoy outdoor snow games, ice sculpture workshops, inflatable fun, curling-style games, bungee-style activities, a fire pit and treats like queues de castor throughout the afternoon. Details 👉 cowansville.ca

🍁 Saveurs du coins — Sat, Feb. 28 — Cégep de Granby: This is an easy win for anyone who loves snacking their way through local products. Tourism students from Cégep de Granby host a mini “gourmet fair” with booths where you can discover, taste, and buy items from regional businesses. Details 👉 saveursducoin.wixsite.com

🌍 Les Grands Explorateurs: Ouganda, aux sources du Nil — Sat, Feb. 28 — Salle Maurice-O’Bready, Sherbrooke: A travel-talk escape hatch for late-winter: Uganda, big landscapes, and the long-running fascination with the Nile’s sources. These presentations mix storytelling, images, and on-the-ground perspective—easy to enjoy even if you’re not a hardcore “travel lecture” person.  Details 👉 centrecultureludes.ca

🏥 Big upgrade at CHUS Fleurimont: the new ER & Pavillon Enfant Soleil is live: The CIUSSS confirms the move is complete, the emergency department and key family/children’s units have officially shifted into the Pavillon Enfant Soleil and the new emergency, with doors opening for urgent cases starting 6 a.m. on February 22, 2026. Translation: the same care, now in newer, roomier spaces designed for families.  Source 👉 Santé Estrie

🤝 Magog hands out $133,955 to keep local life… lively: Magog’s council approved $133,955 in support for 28 community organizations across sports, recreation, culture, and community services. The list is delightfully “everything-town,” with help for clubs and groups that keep kids active, adults connected, and weekends less boring. There’s also a family-friendly perk in the mix: some funding supports free registration for a 3rd child (or more) in a family for certain sports groups. Source 👉 Ville de Magog

💚 Cowansville boosts student encouragement: Cowansville is marking the Journées de la persévérance scolaire with a message locals can actually get behind: behind every report card is a human who benefits from encouragement. To keep it fun (and very Cowansville), the City is sharing short video capsules featuring two camp staff personalities talking about perseverance and motivation.  Source 👉 Cowansville

⏱️ Magog service “micro-closures” (aka: plan your errands like a pro): A quick heads-up from the City, a few municipal services had short, exceptional closures for administrative reasons, think “closed for a couple hours,” not “vanished into the void.” The notice spells out specific windows, including the écocentre (Feb 19, noon–3:30 p.m.), community centre reception (Feb 20, 8–11 a.m.), and Bibliothèque Memphrémagog (Feb 20, 10 a.m.–noon), with normal schedules resuming afterward. Source 👉 Ville de Magog

🏠 Granby green-lights a big, community-minded home base for 55+ residents: A new 101-unit housing project for autonomous seniors (55+) has been announced at 111, rue Robitaille, with a mix designed to stay affordable long-term (including 74 social/affordable units and 27 “non-speculative” units). The City says it’s contributing $6.1M overall (direct funding plus a long municipal tax credit), within a broader public funding package. Source 👉 Granby

This inviting 4-bedroom home in Sherbrooke hits that sweet balance between everyday comfort and thoughtful design, ideal for families or anyone who wants room to grow.

Inside, the flow is comfortable but not cramped: a welcoming living area, a kitchen ready for casual cooking or entertaining, and bedrooms that feel like peaceful retreats.

Outside, the yard and surrounding neighbourhood offer that blend of quiet residential charm with easy access to shops, parks, and services.

👉 View the full listing here

If You Could Sleep Under the Stars…

You’ve got one crystal-clear winter night in the Townships.

No clouds. No city glow. Just sky. Are you:

🌌 Stargazing at Mont-Mégantic. 🏔️ Night walking on a snowy trail. 🔥 Sitting by a fire outside. 🏒 Under rink lights with skates on.

👉 Hit reply with your pick, and tell us where.

From rural France to rural Estrie, the common thread this week is place. The pride of building something rooted. The joy of winter gatherings. The quiet awe of a sky full of stars. Whether you’re clinking glasses locally, heading to a winter event, or bundling up for a clear night outdoors, there’s something grounding about this season here.

Stay curious, stay warm, and we’ll see you next week. ✌️

- The Eastern Townships Now team 🦫