A late-summer, slow sojourn in southern Vermont – The Boston Globe

“Slow down! You’re moving too fast,” said our backseat driver as we cruised the country roads in southern Vermont. We were driving at the speed limit, but he was right. The view of sloping hills, forests, and rolling farmlands, sliced with rippling streams and tinged with autumn hues, was going by too fast. We slowed down, weaving along backroads to Route 100, arguably the most scenic road in the Green Mountain State. There were cows grazing on hillsides, fieldstone walls bordering classic farmhouses and well-kept barns, farmstands filled with late summer and fall produce, and views of distant mountain peaks.

Despite our lackadaisical, slow-mo pace, we had a destination in mind: the oh-so-sweet village of Weston, a quintessentially Vermont hamlet, in the shadows of the Green Mountains. The former mill town, set along the West River, is surrounded by the Green Mountain National Forest, with stunning fall foliage views. It’s home to the oldest theater company in Vermont, and the classic — and sprawling — Vermont Country Store. Better yet: it has a new boutique hotel, and a recently opened French bistro.

Stay & Dine

We’d be happy to check into The Weston for a weekend and never leave the property. Formerly the Inn at Weston, the re-imagined property has been completely renovated. It has a nice feel — elegant and refined, without being fussy, staying true to the historic, rural setting. Housed in two Colonial-style buildings on Main Street — the historic Main House and adjacent two-story Carriage House — are nine rooms and suites, a bar, wine room, fitness room, spa, and the Left Bank restaurant. It’s filled with antiques and fine art, surrounded by gardens with a backyard bocce ball court, firepits, and dining patio.

Rooms and suites are uniquely decorated with a mix of art and furnishings, modern baths, and luxe linens and toiletries; all but one have gas fireplaces.

After checking into the hotel, we joined The Left Bank’s executive chef Bretton Combs on a tour of The Farm at the Weston. The Farm includes a quarter-acre of cultivated land and a heated greenhouse. We walked between rows of heirloom tomatoes, onions and leeks, carrots and parsnips, cukes and beans, lettuces and potatoes, turnips and squashes, and more.

That evening at The Left Bank, we dined on farm-to-table dishes, including a purple dragon carrot and cucumber soup, brussels sprout chips, hand-cut frites, and beet salad, all showcasing produce from the farm. There was also a caviar selection, New England oysters, cheese platters, and entrees like Parisian steak frites, cod piccata, and bouillabaisse.

Shop & Play

You have to love a town with two historic general stores. The family-owned Vermont Country Store, founded in 1946, is a sprawling 12,000-square-foot space, chockful of stuff from around the world, including a huge selection of Vermont-made goods. There are shelves filled with old-fashioned penny candy, a toy section with classics like Tiddlywinks and potholder-making kits, specialty foods, sheets and blankets, and men’s and women’s clothing. You could easily spend a couple of hours browsing the merchandise, then treat yourself to a creemee from Mildred’s Dairy Bar, located next to the store.

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Across the street is the Weston Village Store, with a variety of Vermont T-shirts and souvenirs, homemade fudge, and a cooler filled with old-fashioned, handcrafted sodas. There’s also a small cheese tasting counter where you can sample artisan cheeses made in Vermont and elsewhere.

Wander down to the Village Green and to the Mill Museum and the Farrar-Mansur House. The Mill Museum was built in 1785 as a sawmill and used later a gristmill. On display is a variety of equipment used in blacksmithing, farming, woodworking, and more. The Farrar-Mansur House was built in 1795 and is a fine example of an early American Colonial home. Several rooms are furnished with period antiques, early-19th-century brass, copper and pewter items, quilts and samplers, china, glassware, and art.

The world-class Weston Theater Company operates out of two venues. The contemporary Walker Farm venue, which opened in 2017, is a flexible space used for live music, cabaret, and special events. The Playhouse is the original theater housed in a 306-seat Greek Revival building and used for large, top-quality productions. “The Woman in Black,” an adaptation of Susan Hill’s classic ghost story, is playing through Oct. 20.

Ready for some fresh air and a little exercise? Head down Route 100 about five miles to Lowell Lake State Park. The Lowell Lake Trail is a nice loop hike, about 3.5 miles, with views of the lake, and a Revolutionary War-era cemetery.

Mosey on home

We’d suggest a meandering detour from Weston to the village of Chester, another sweet little town where three branches of the Williams River meet. The town has two historic districts. The Stone Village Historic District has 10 Greek Revival buildings, made of stone from local quarries. The Chester Village Historic District has a mix of Victorian and Federal-style buildings, now housing a handful of shops and galleries. There’s a self-guided brochure and walking map for each district, available at shops, restaurants, and inns in town, as well as the Town Hall and the Information Center on Main Street.

And of course, take your time getting home, following sinuous backroads through southern Vermont (look at maps 26 and 27 in the Vermont Atlas & Gazetteer), stopping at farm stands, cheese shops, and general stores along the way. You remembered to pack a cooler, right?

Diane Bair and Pamela Wright can be reached at bairwright@gmail.com