Step inside Pinôt Boutique Hotel, a modern countryside gîte for travellers of the Eastern Townships

Pinôt Boutique Hotel brings a contemporary vibe to the rambling turn-of-the-century, Queen Anne-style Maison Tartre on Sutton’s main road.

'Eclectic' and 'exuberant' are how late 19th and early 20th-century revival style of stately homes like this usually get described, but those words are equally apt to describe the very modern gîte (a French word dating back to the Middle Ages to describe humble lodgings where a traveller or pilgrim can rest).

Enter from the large veranda into Pinôt’s gracious interior, and the enormity of the renovation and transformation of the space into a calm oasis is apparent. The high-ceilinged space has been opened up with a long farmhouse table for shared breakfasts in a creamy, pale yellow dining room. There’s a view through a sunny kitchen to the expansive two-level garden, by way of a large living room with a spacious inviting couch and lots of comfy seating.