It is located on the western shore of Lake Memphremagog in the Estrie (Eastern Townships) region of Quebec, and is one of the municipalities in Brome County.

Of these, Mansonville is the business center and the seat of government (Municipalite du canton de Potton) for the township.

Formerly a sleepy community, Mansonville has experienced some growth and prosperity because of its proximity to the Owl's Head ski resort.

Like many Eastern Townships and New England villages, Mansonville grew up around a water-powered mill which exploited a head of water above a fall on the North Branch of the Missisquoi River.

The mill ceased operating with electrification in the early 20th century, which allowed economies of scale and centralized manufacturing in larger centres.

Mansonville, like many Eastern Townships communities, has long had a mixture of French and English-speaking residents and is home to over twenty nationalities and ethnic groups.

Religious diversity is present, and in Mansonville, Roman Catholic, United (closed 2011) and Anglican churches are located a few yards apart.

The area encompassed by the township is part of the larger territory originally inhabited by the Abenaki tribe.

[5] A number of place names originate from them:[6] The Eastern Townships of Quebec were opened for settlement by the Constitutional Act of 1791.

[13] Other early settlers of Potton Township were David Blanchard, Col. Henry Ruiter,[14] Moses Elkins, and the Perkins, Manson, Gilman, and Coit families.

[16] It, and the homonymous municipality township erected in 1845, derive their name from the town of Potton in England, located in Bedfordshire, near the village of Sutton.

Portions of the 1998 movie "Free Money" were filmed in Vale Perkins, Highwater, Mansonville, and near Mount Owl's Head.

Some exterior scenes for the third season of the Quebec police thriller La Faille (2022) were filmed in Mansonville on September 21 and 22, 2021.

Among the more prominent peaks are:[24] Potton is well known for the many sugar bushes that produce maple syrup, considered among the most remarkable in the Quebec.