Falls Village’s artsy shops and quiet vibe off the Appalachian Trail
Named for the Great Falls, a 60-foot waterfall on the Housatonic River, Falls Village is a quiet, rural part of Canaan with a little, often magnetic downtown. Lenore Mallett, a real estate advisor at William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty who has 9 years of experience selling homes, says that most people seem to find Falls Village while they’re looking for homes in the greater Litchfield County area, but it doesn’t take them long to fall in love with it. “People love Falls Village because you get this feeling that you’re in this quaint little village in Vermont. You’ve got the white churches and the cute shops and it’s very walkable,” Mallett says. “I think people are very charmed with it.”
The village has a friendly atmosphere, blending small-town charm and rural quiet. “You see a lot of locals walking their dogs, kids going around on bikes. A lot of the shopkeepers are out and about and they’re all very friendly,” Mallett says. With easy access to the Appalachian Trail, a small but steady stream of hikers from around the country pass through the village to fuel up, spend the night or explore.
Hiking on the Appalachian Trail, expert-level white-water rafting
Easy access to the Appalachian Trail brings interesting visitors to town, but it also provides residents with a chance to explore one of the country’s most famous hiking trails whenever they want. “You can hop on for just a loop — a short hike — or you can go for a longer walk, depending on what you want,” Mallett says. The Great Falls are another major draw for their beauty. Just below the falls, the Class IV white-water Rattlesnake Rapids are popular, but recommended only for experienced rafters. Kayaking and canoeing are also options along quieter parts of the Housatonic River, but strong currents mean swimming is discouraged in most of the river.
Historic homes with potential for acreage
Falls Village’s colonial homes sit a little closer together near the village’s center, but many are stretched along wooded country roads. Land is easy to come by, with many houses having an acre or more. For those who want smaller lots, some houses sit on half an acre or less. Some of these homes were built in the mid-1900s, but many were built in the 1800s, so it’s easy to find historic homes here. Homes don’t go for sale in Falls Village very often, so prices are hard to estimate. Four homes sold in 2024 and prices ranged from $615,000 to $750,000. Mallett says, though, that homes cover a wide range, from fixer-uppers in the $300,000 range to the occasional large, updated home with acreage for over $1 million.
High-end artistic shops and local eats on Main Street
Falls Village’s stamp-sized downtown is walkable and quaint, with local restaurants and a few artsy, high-end shops. “There’s one shop I love, Marché, that’s in an old bank building, and they have beautiful homewares from France and stuff you wouldn’t be able to find locally, but they go and source it in Europe,” Mallett says. Another shop, 100 Main, partners with local artisans to curate clothes, housewares and garden items. John Robshaw Shop sells high-end, specially sourced textiles and home goods.
A couple of restaurants fill the spaces between Falls Village’s shops. Off the Trail Café is the go-to spot for a daily dose of caffeine and a quick breakfast, lunch or sweet treat, and it’s a frequent stop among hikers. Mallett says the café sometimes features interesting hikers on its social media. Falls Village Inn, which doubles as an inn for visitors, is another popular spot. It offers lunch on the weekends and dinner throughout the week. “They have a really popular burger night every Monday night,” Mallett says. Groceries are a bit of a drive; most residents drive 7 miles to Stop & Shop in Canaan or 8 miles to LaBonne’s Market in Salisbury.
Small schools and agricultural education with hands-on learning
Children in Falls Village attend Lee H. Kellogg School for kindergarten through eighth grade. Located on Main Street, the small school has a B-plus from Niche and a student-to-teacher ratio of 7-to-1. Students then move on to Housatonic Valley Regional High School, which also earns a B-plus. Although the high school is also relatively small, its agricultural education program includes an animal barn, mechanic shop and aquaculture lab.
Route 7 and traveling to Torrington or smaller nearby villages
U.S. Route 7 runs through Falls Village, but most of its other roads are relatively quiet country roads, including state Route 126, which doubles as Main Street. It’s this road that leads to Torrington, about 19 miles away. Charlotte Hungerford Hospital is in Torrington, but the smaller Sharon Hospital is a little closer at about 12 miles from Falls Village.
Classic cars and motorcycles on display once a year
The Falls Village Car & Motorcycle Show is a big annual event, bringing an estimated 500 vehicles. “They have food trucks and they have music, and they have contests for best in show,” Mallett says. “It’s a really neat event.”
Occasional flooding on roads
Heavy rain can cause the Housatonic River to rise. Occasionally, this leads to flooded roads in the village. These roads may need to be shut down until the flooding passes.
Written By
Christina Norwood
