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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Granby
Granby, Québec
Give Granby 1 night (2 if you have kids): the zoo plus Lac Boivin paths fill a day; base here only if you have a car.
Granby is a small Eastern Townships city of about 69,000 people, 80 km east of Montréal off Autoroute 10, and it lives on one big draw: the Granby Zoo, one of Quebec's largest, with a water park and rides attached. Around it sit a shallow lake with flat bike paths, a provincial park in the marsh next door, and a downtown of poutine counters and BYO-wine bistros. It is a family stop, not a city break: one full day covers the zoo, half a day covers the lake and downtown. Without a car you are limited to the bus from Montréal and three local bus routes, so most travellers come by road, often as a night between Montréal and Sherbrooke or Magog.
- Country
- Canada
- Local name
- Granby, Québec
- Best months
- Jun–Sep (zoo, lake, beach); late Feb–Mar for sugar shacks
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr for outdoor sights (zoo closed in winter; check dates)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget C$90–140 excl. bed · Mid C$150–230 excl. bed · High C$250+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Info-Santé (health advice) 811
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee and pastry downtown | C$4–8 |
| Poutine or burger at a cantine | C$12–18 |
| Bistro main course | C$20–35 |
| Gastronomic dinner main | C$50–62 |
| Local bus ride | C$3.25 adult; child 12 and under free |
| Zoo adult day ticket | C$41 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YUL · Montréal-Trudeau
- About 1 h 15 min by car via Autoroute 10; no direct rail link to Granby.
- YHU · Montréal Saint-Hubert
- Smaller field; about 1 h by car. Check seasonal routes.
Typical fares
- Limocar bus Montréal → Granby
- about C$23, 1 h 50 min, one direct bus a day Mon–Fri
- Local bus, single ride
- C$3.25 adult; child 12 and under free
- Taxi across town
- C$12–20
Get around
Downtown is walkable in 15 minutes end to end. Three local bus/taxibus routes (South, North, Centre) run seven days a week, roughly every 30 min on weekdays and hourly on weekends; adult fare about $3.25. The zoo and Yamaska National Park are outside the centre: reach them by car, bike or taxi. The Route Verte and L'Estriade bike paths pass through town.
See and do
Known for
- Granby Zoo (zoo, water park and rides)
- Lac Boivin and its nature paths
- Yamaska National Park marsh and beach
- Giant Omelette on 24 June
- Classic car show in late July
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Yamaska National Park (Roxton Pond) | Car via Route 139 and local roads, about 20 min | About 30 min |
| Magog | Car via Autoroute 10, about 45 min | About 1 h |
| Sherbrooke | Car via Autoroute 10, about 50 min; Limocar bus on the Montréal–Sherbrooke line stops in Granby | 1–1.5 h |
| Bromont | Car via Autoroute 10, about 20 min | About 30 min |
| Montréal | Car via Autoroute 10, about 1 h 15 min; Limocar bus about 1 h 50 min | 1.5–2 h |
Sleep
- Downtown (rue Principale, rue Dufferin)
- Walk to restaurants, Victoria and Miner parks, the market; B&Bs and suites here.
- Route 112 strip (rue Principale north)
- Motels and larger hotels with parking and pools; you need a car for everything.
- Lac Boivin / Route Verte side
- Quiet stays on the bike path; best if you ride, 10–15 min drive from downtown.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimair-SEE |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ?kom-BYEN sa KOOT |
| I would like… | Je voudrais…zhuh voo-DREH |
| Where is the toilet? | Où sont les toilettes ?oo son lay twa-LET |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaîtla-dee-SYON seel voo PLEH |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- The zoo is the reason most people come: buy dated tickets online, arrive at opening in July–August, and expect a full day with the water park.
- Zoo and many attractions are seasonal: confirm opening dates before booking a winter trip.
- Restaurant kitchens in a town this size close early on weeknights; check hours the same day.
- Autoroute 10 is fast but the last stretch into town is local roads: allow extra time in summer traffic.
Granby is a low-risk small city; the real issues are summer heat at the zoo, ticks and mosquitoes on the marsh trails, and deer on Autoroute 10 at dusk. 911 for emergencies, 811 for health advice.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Granby yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Granby Zoo (zoo, water park and rides)
- Lac Boivin and its nature paths
- Yamaska National Park marsh and beach
- Giant Omelette on 24 June
- Classic car show in late July
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Ville de Granby: www.ville.granby.qc.ca/
- Granby Tourism: granbyregion.com/
- Granby Zoo: www.zoodegranby.com/
- Sépaq — Yamaska National Park: www.sepaq.com/pq/yam/
- Limocar: limocar.ca/en/
- Wikivoyage: Granby (Quebec), revision 5259631 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5259631
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
GranbyGranby, Québec
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Granby; the US consulate general and most others are in Montréal. Check your own country's list.
French is the everyday language; a bonjour on entry goes a long way.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/granby-quebec). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.