Vermont’s Alburgh Town is a quiet rural area surrounded by Lake Champlain
Alburgh Town covers a peninsula jutting southward from Canada into Lake Champlain in the northwest corner of Vermont, bordering Canada and New York State. “Alburgh is one of the only places in the United States that is not connected to any other land mass in the United States,” says Heather Gleim, a sales agent and Realtor with Century 21 North East. Indeed, the area is connected to the rest of the U.S. mainland only via the three bridges that lead off the peninsula. Lake Champlain is the primary appeal for this area. “The lake is the draw here,” Gleim says. “That’s the whole thing.” The town is a largely rural area that surrounds Alburgh Village, a small community of about 600 people. Summers draw more visitors and seasonal residents to enjoy the area’s outdoor beauty and recreation opportunities. “It’s for people who want quiet,” Gleim says. “There’s beautiful scenery. But to go to Hannaford’s for groceries, you have to drive 25 minutes.”
The Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge spans the Missisquoi River, linking Alburgh Town to the mainland.
Lake Champlain borders rich farmland throughout Alburgh Town’s rural landscape.
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A wide range of properties and prices amid fields, forest and lakeshore
The peninsula is a mix of farmland, forest, and scenic lakeshore, with pockets of homes scattered throughout. “It’s farms, some people who have lived there their whole lives, and then those of us who buy second homes for the lake,” Gleim says. Prices and styles vary widely, from fixer-uppers and small bungalows or Cape Cods in or near Alburgh Village to expansive lakefront homes. Homes needing some updates can run between $55,000 and $115,000; smaller, move-in-ready homes start around $180,000, while large, custom homes on the water can run up to nearly $1.3 million. The median price for a single-family home is about $225,000, significantly below the national median.
Alburgh Town has several small fixer-upper cottages perfect for renovation near Lake Champlain.
Alburgh Town offers affordable real estate, with most homes priced between $180,000 and $300,000.
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Lake access, state parks, camping, golf and unique attractions
Lake Champlain and the surrounding islands are chock-full of possibilities for outdoor recreation, with numerous state parks, wildlife refuges, campgrounds and golf courses. Within the town is Alburgh Dunes State Park at the peninsula’s southern tip, Goose Point Campground and Lakewood Links Golf Club. “Lakewood Links is a great course,” Gleim says. Knight Island State Park, only accessible by boat, offers remote tent and lean-to camping. Isle La Motte, accessible by land via the bridge from Alburgh, is home to two attractions. “The oldest fossil reef in the world is there,” Gleim says. The Chazy Fossil Reef, now a National Natural Landmark, features fossils approximately 450 million years old. Saint Anne’s Shrine offers a glimpse into not-quite-so-ancient history, with a history stretching back to the 1600s.
Alburgh Dunes State Park in Alburgh Town offers sandy beaches, birding, and stunning lake sunsets.
Fossils can be found at Fiske Ridge Preserve, an abandoned quarry on Isle La Motte near Alburgh Town.
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Events from Island Arts and a Halloween food drive
Island Arts is a nonprofit that hosts live music, bird walks, kids' classes and more from its location south of Alburgh Town on North Hero. Emmons Island Haunted Trail raises money and food donations during its annual Halloween event on Grand Isle.
Roads through the Champlain Islands to New York and Canada
U.S. Route 2 crosses Grand Isle and North Hero to the south, runs up the length of the peninsula and then across Lake Champlain to Rouses Point, New York. Vermont Route 225 runs north to the Canadian border. Montreal, Quebec, is about 50 miles north. Interstate 89 is accessible near Swanton, about 12 miles west. Burlington and Burlington International Airport are about 45 miles south. The area’s remote atmosphere does mean that emergency services are a little far out. The nearest hospital, Northwestern Medical Center in Saint Albans City, is nearly 25 miles away.
A local K-8 school and regional school choice for high school students
The area’s remote landscape and small population mean there aren’t many schools here. Grand Isle Supervisory Union runs a handful of schools for students from kindergarten through either sixth or eighth grade, including Alburgh Community Education Center. This K-8 school earns a D-plus grade from Niche. Families can then opt for various middle and high schools in the region via a school choice process. One such school, Missisquoi Valley Union School, is a middle and high school near Swanton, about 14 miles from Alburgh Village. MVU, as it’s known locally, scores a C.
Alburgh Community Education Center is a public school located in Alburgh Town for grades pre-k through 8th.
Missisquoi Valley Union Middle and High School in Swanton is 18 miles east of Alburgh.
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Few local establishments, but more within driving distance
Shopping and dining choices are limited in Alburgh Town, but there are more options throughout the area. Nearby supermarkets include Price Chopper in Champlain, New York, 10 miles from Alburgh Village, and Hannaford’s in Swanton, about 13 miles away. VT Bakehouse serves pizza in the village. For more dining options, residents can explore the rest of the Champlain Islands. “The North Hero House is a really nice inn with a restaurant and bar that overlook the water,” Gleim says. “And Lakewood Links has a nice restaurant called the Feral Fox.”
Vermont Bake House in Alburgh Town is known for artisan breads, sweet treats, and comfort food.
The Feral Fox is a modern eatery in Alburgh Town known for craft cocktails and farm-to-table meals.
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Written By
Ty Phelps
Photography Contributed By
Matt Barrett
Video By
Nick Seitz
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Mona Branon Lemieux,
an experienced agent in this area.
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