North Hatley, Quebec

North Hatley, Quebec
—  Village  —
Location within Memphrémagog Regional County Municipality.
Coordinates (3125, chemin Capelton): 45°16′45″N 71°58′20″W
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Estrie
RCM	Memphrémagog
Established	October 25, 1897
Electoral Districts Federal	Compton—Stanstead
Provincial	Orford
Government
• Mayor	Michael Page
• Federal MP(s)	France Bonsant (BQ)
• Quebec MNA(s)	Pierre Reid (PLQ)
Area
• Land	3.34 km2 (1.3 sq mi)
Population (2006)
• Total	722
• Density	216.2/km2 (560/sq mi)
• Change (2001-06)	3.2%
• Dwellings	414
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Postal Code(s)	J0B 2C0
Area code(s)	819
Access Routes	Route 108
Website	www.northhatley.org

North Hatley is a village of 750 people, located at the north end of Lake Massawippi. It is in the county of Stanstead, which is part of the Memphrémagog Regional County Municipality in the Eastern Townships region of Quebec, also known as Estrie or Cantons de l'Est in French. It is a haven for artisans, artists, writers, theatre lovers and sporting people of all sorts. Its antique shops, art galleries, golf course, inns and summer theatre are widely supported by visitors and residents alike.

A pier on Lake Massawippi.

North Hatley was also the location for the shooting of a few films, including Secret Window with Johnny Depp, The Human Stain with Nicole Kidman and Anthony Hopkins, and Hatley High, a Canadian film that is set in the small town. Actor Donald Sutherland and movie producer Jake Eberts, who have houses in the area, have visited the town on many occasions.

Over fifty authors, some famous, others less so, are associated with North Hatley. Some of the most notable are Hugh MacLennan, F.R. Scott, Gérard Godin and Roland Giguère, six Governor General's Award winners for a total of 11 awards, and a Pulitzer prize.

The village has always been a popular summer resort, starting in the late 19th century. North Hatley owes most of its grand houses and particular architecture to the first summer people – aristocrats, captains of industry and large landowners, mostly Americans from the South. For some time after the American Civil War (1861-1865) many wealthy southeners renounced New England (Yankeeland) as a summer retreat and continued further north into Canada, some by private railway car. Rumour has it that many drew their blinds in passing through New England. This rich history is what gives the village its distinctive character. Over the years the Canadian establishment came to discover North Hatley and many of the great houses built by Southern families changed hands. To this day, however, an American summer colony continues to return.

Increasingly the village became a summer destination also for wealthy Montrealers. In recent years, Jean Charest has spent his vacations here. The presence of Charest brought many notables to the village, including Jacques Chirac. Chirac resided during his stay at the Hatley Inn (Auberge Hatley), renowned for its cuisine and very extensive wine selection. Sadly, it was destroyed by fire in 2006 and has not been rebuilt.

Today North Hatley is a favourite weekend destination for Montrealers, but also receives visitors from all over the world, including Europe, Japan (in foliage season) and South America, and there are many B&Bs in and around the village, such as La Raveaudiere[1] that cater to them.

The town is also known for its luxury lakeside five-star inn, the Hovey Manor, or Manoir Hovey [2]. It is a member of the Relais & Chateaux association and has a high-end restaurant specialized in contemporary Quebec cuisine which is rated one of the top in the province.

North Hatley United Church.

The lakeside village is also one of a few primarily-Anglophone enclaves in the dominantly French-speaking province; others being Hudson, Quebec and nearby Brome Lake. Like Hudson and Brome Lake, North Hatley is known for its beautiful surroundings, hospitable residents, and active bilingualism. Locals usually have to drive to the nearby towns of Magog or Sherbrooke to find big-city amenities, although there are smaller stores and cafés in the town which are open year round. Those include Saveurs & Gourmandises (a bakery and pastry shop), Emporium (antiques), Épicerie Lebaron (food market and gift shop) and The Pilsen Pub, among others.

A few steps from 'downtown' is a scenic 9-hole golf course and driving range, open to the public, the North Hatley Golf Club [3].

North Hatley was mentioned in the television show The X-Files as the location of the Cigarette Smoking Man's hideout (in the episode "The Red and the Black").

North Hatley was the setting for the 2003 film Hatley High. Many of it's landmarks, including the North Hatley sign, can be seen throughout the movie.