Île d’Orléans, Island of Enchantment: Saint-Pierre

Île d’Orléans is but a small island on the Saint-Lawrence River about five kilometers east of downtown Québec City, away from the hustle and bustle of urban life and the tourist mob, but its historical and cultural significance cannot be discounted. In fact, diminutive as it is in the whole province of Québec, it is considered the “Birthplace of New France” and the “Cradle of French civilization in North America.”

Île d’Orléans was one of the first parts of the province that was settled by the French. In the 17^th century, more than 300 families came here from north-west France, mostly from the Normandy and Pitou regions, to establish permanent homes in what was then New France. Some have stayed there for centuries, while others have spread out to the mainland. A large percentage of French Canadians can actually trace their ancestry back to the early residents of this island.

But it is even older than that. The island has long been inhabited by Indigenous tribes. In fact, the Huron peoples called it Minigo, meaning “enchanted island.” When French explorer Jacques Cartier first set foot on this land in 1535, he named it Île de Bascuz (Island of Bacchus), after the Greek god of wine, because of the abundance of wild grape vines growing all over the island. When he returned a year later, he renamed it Île d’Orléans in honour of Henri II, Duke of Orléans and the second son of Francis I, the then-King of France.

The first settlers were attracted by the island’s fertile soil and since the early days of colonization, agriculture has been the main livelihood of its people. Known as “The Garden of Québec,” it remains a largely rural place and its current inhabitants have preserved its pastoral heritage, even after the island became more accessible with the completion of the Pont de l’Île in 1935 that connected it to the mainland in Beauport.

And despite the increase in traffic and the influx of visitors, the island has maintained its historical character and traditional way of life. More than 600 of its houses and buildings were classified as heritage property and in 1990, the entire island was designated a National Historic Site of Canada, thus protecting it from commercial development.

Today, Île d’Orléans is a popular destination for day-trippers from Québec City, as well as avid cyclists and hiking enthusiasts. It has also carved its place as the epicentre of Québec’s agri-tourism movement and a culinary haven. Just 15 minutes from Québec City by car, and about 8 kilometers wide and 35 kilometers long, it can easily be explored from a few hours to a full day, depending on the number of stops you choose to make.

A 60-kilometer road called Chemin Royale circles the whole island and three main roads, Rue d’Orléans, Route Prévost, and Route des Prêtre, connect it from north to south near the western tip. You may have heard that Chemin Royale was featured in a 1975 song entitled, “Le Tour de l’Île” composed by Francophone musician and Île d’Orléans-native, Félix Leclerc.

If you travel along the perimeter of the island along this route, you will be treated to its spectacular landscape, from jagged coves and capes to hilly reliefs and small valleys, as well as the stretch of greenery with fields of berries and luscious vineyards, not to mention the gorgeous scenery stretching along the banks of the Saint Lawrence River. No wonder, Sir Felix was inspired by the beauty and had set it to music.

Though I have never heard his song which, for sure, was written in French, I think I could relate with his wistful sentiments. When my family and I drove around the island, we simply fell under its spell – so simple and rustic, yet full of warmth and charm.

From the bridge, we traveled counterclockwise via Chemin Royale. Following this road will give you the opportunity to see all six villages that comprise the island – Sainte-Pétronille, Saint-Laurent, Saint-Jean, Saint-François, Sainte-Famille, and Saint-Pierre.

Saint-Pierre

As we arrived in Saint-Pierre, we were aware that we were almost at the end of the loop. Saint-Pierre is the most populated part of the island due to its proximity to the bridge, and appears to be the busiest with the number of inns, restaurants, shops, and other business establishments along the main road.

It has a number of attractions. The most notable is the Espace Félix Leclerc, a cultural and interpretation centre that pays homage to the Québec poet and singer who lived here for 20 years and for whom the centre is named. Inside, there is a café with an open stage that gives both established performers as well as emerging artists the opportunity to practise their craft before a live audience. There is also a gift shop that has items celebrating the life and work of Félix Leclerc. And for nature-lovers, outside is a 2.5-kilometer footpath leading down to the Saint Lawrence River that you can take for a leisurely stroll.

Another central attraction are the Churches of Saint-Pierre. And yes, you heard it right – two churches standing side-by-side. The older one was built in 1717 and is the island’s oldest. The newer one was erected in the mid-20^th century. We were told that services are no longer held in the old church but behind the former altar, there is a large handicraft shop in a vestry that is even older than the church itself since it was constructed in 1695. This is where local artisans display a wide selection of exclusive traditional and contemporary handcrafted articles, including quilts, woven rugs, knits, woven items and postcards of the island. Occasionally, it is possible to meet the artisans onsite.

We stopped at Domaine Steinbach, a cidrerie and a lodge. It was closed but we were able to walk around the premises and take photos. Outside, there were posters advertising the cider tasting they offer and a list of products they sell aside from ciders. They also have an air-conditioned multi-media presentation room where visitors can watch a video showing the four-seasons of life at the cidrerie.

It would have been a fun activity for our family and by just looking at the ciders they have available for sampling (blackcurrant appetizer cider, strong cider, ice cider, raspberry aperitif and dessert cider, and maple syrup aperitif and dessert cider), I could taste regret in my mouth. We stayed for a bit at the terrace to watch the last few minutes of the sunset amidst the panoramic view of the river and the mountains.

Beside the shop, there is an ancestral home that is now used as a lodge with a dining room. I think this may be one of the places we’d consider staying at next time we visit. Aside from being pretty and situated in a private corner, the lodge offers massage services!

Across the street is Cidrerie Verger de Bilodeau, another apple orchard and cidrerie that offers apple-picking, guided tour and tasting, petting zoos, picnics, and entertainment for children. They sell alcholic and non-alcoholic ciders, as well as apple juice, apple butter, apple jelly, apple syrup, apple mustard, a variety of maple products, and gift baskets!

Not far from the cidreries is Le Nouveau Théâtre de L’Île d’Orléans, home to a local professional theatre group established in 2011. In the summer, they present comedy plays in their 172-seater, air-conditioned theatre. Since its inception, they have put together the regions’ talented artists and craftsmen to produce fantastic shows, and I am guessing, all in French!

A few kilometres away from the church is an interesting winery and economuseum called Cassis Monna et Filles run by the Monna family who came to Québec from Southern France, where they owned a distillery of fine wines and spirits. Today, the 5^th generation members continue the tradition. They are the first to produce blackcurrant wines (cassis) and Crème de Cassis in Québec.

Blackcurrant, a remarkably fragrant, purplish-black berry grows well in this region due to its damp and well-drained soil protected from the spring frost by the nearby river. Their 16-hectare farm produces many varieties of blackcurrants which in turn produces 50,000 bottles of cassis per year.

The facility has a small museum that features a display on how the berries are harvested and transformed into Crème de Cassis, the key element to a Kir cocktail. At their wine cellar and boutique, you can taste and purchase their high-end blackcurrant alcoholic beverages, as well as blackcurrant by-products such as syrups, vinaigrettes, jellies, compotes, jams, marmalades, mustards, and even blackcurrant ketchup and blackcurrant-onion confit. They also exclusively offer blackcurrant delicacies developed in collaboration with local gourmet artisans - Les Canardises (Crème de Cassis foie gras mousse), La Miellée de Morphée (churned black currant honey), and La Nougaterie (nougats, meringues, marshmallows, and others).

At their La Monnaguette Restaurant, you can enjoy culinary treats inspired by blackcurrants. It has a charming terrace decorated by colourful flowers overlooking the bridge. They also have a dairy bar that offers 18 scrumptious flavours of gelato and sorbet, and apparently, their artisanal blackcurrant-vanilla one is the most popular. I couldn’t help but think of my late dad-in-law, who would have loved every bit of this place, since he was a big blackcurrant fan.

Apart from this winery, we spotted a couple more signs for other wineries – Vignoble Isle de Bacchus and Saint-Pierre Winery, and another sugar shack called L’en Tailleur, all of them offering tours, tasting, and fine restaurants. I realize one has to start the island tour very early in the morning in order to do all these! So much to do, so little time!

When we had finally reached our starting point, I felt a wave of contentment for having the opportunity to see the island at a glance, but at the same time, a pang of disappointment for not having seen and experienced everything it has to offer, and a yearning to come back.

It is a small island indeed, but within a few hectares of land lies a hearth abundant with artistic, cultural, familial, maritime, agricultural, social, and natural heritage that is treasured, preserved, and proudly displayed. A few hours spent there is like a full immersion to centuries-old ways of living and an invigorating treat to the senses. Its bucolic landscape and breathtaking vistas will do wonders to the soul.

I read from a brochure that the island is likened to a huge fish swimming in the Saint-Lawrence River, and by looking at the map, it is indeed shaped like a fish. The tail of this mythical fish points in the direction of the mother country, France, from which came its first European inhabitants, while its head points to the city built by Samuel de Champlain, the founder of New France. And  it remains fixed and steady amidst an infinite number of tides with opposing currents, enduring despite the passage of time and the strain of history.

Île d’Orléans, for me, will always be a well-spring of enchantment, beckoning me to come back and discover its mysteries…and I will definitely go back.