As Quebec faces climate change and an increasingly older population, this contribution seeks to discern those factors that attract or retain residents in exurbia notwithstanding long daily commutes. As house prices in exurban areas usually are high, residential choice cannot be accounted for by economic factors alone. This paper thus examines an essential component of exurbia, one that, in the eyes of many, makes it a “healthy environment” to live in – namely, its proximity to nature. What makes this proximity to nature attractive for residents? Is it because of the outdoor activities it permits or the abundance of greenery and open spaces? What relationship do exurban residents have with the nature surrounding them? Within the context of a qualitative research on urban sprawl, 132 residents from six exurban sectors in the Quebec metropolitan area (Canada) were interviewed through semi-structured interviews. These sectors were formerly associated with either resorts or agricultural activities. Questions focused on residential choice, spatial representations of city, suburbs, countryside and village, places frequented in the metropolitan area and relationship to car. Several respondents indicated that what they seek in their living environment are those same elements they were familiar with during their childhood in low-density suburbs or rural communities, two areas where most of them came from. Personal biography thus appears to influence residential choice. In order to live in close proximity to nature, respondents are willing to settle in areas far from the city, which they deem essentially as being polluted and concrete-laden. According to respondents, the dependency on car ownership their lifestyle entails as well as encroachment on agricultural land, wetlands, and woodlands are not causes for ecological concern, a finding that poses major challenges in terms of sustainable development.