The air is crisp, the leaves are changing colours and the orchards are blooming with beautiful apples just waiting to be plucked. Pack up your little ones (or your best pals!) and make the most of apple picking season at one of these orchards near Montreal.
You’ll find apples aplenty here, but also cider, brandy and Amorak apple-flavoured vodka – but don’t go looking for this stuff in the trees. You’ll have to visit their shop to sample the good stuff. Make it a family trip to Verger Lafrance to enjoy the outdoors, apple picking and much more. They’re open every day from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, located on the chemin Principal in Saint-Joseph-du-Lac.
In addition to picking (and tasting!) apples, you’ll also be able to sample homemade cider or enjoy a delicious traditional crêpe bretonne. You’ll find nearly 30,000 apple trees and 15 varieties of apples in these orchards, including Honeycrisp, Belmac, Empire and Red Delicious. Les vergers et la cidrerie Denis Charbonneau (Denis Charbonneau Orchards and Cidery) are located on the Rang de la Montagne, in Mont-St-Grégoire.
At this orchard on rang Double in Rougemont, family comes first. Play areas, a mini-farm and free walks await your little ones and are sure to bring out plenty of smiles and laughter on an autumn day. In addition to all the apple picking fun you can handle, they offer gourmet products like curry apple butter, port jelly, spreads and much more.
Part of the M.C. Dubeault Farm, a family-owned establishment that has operated for two centuries in the Saint-Eustache region, La magie de la pomme opened its doors a little over 20 years ago. Jn their vast expanse of land, you’ll find an orchard, a maple grove, corn and soya fields, as well as pumpkin and squash crops. Visit their website to find details about their numerous group activities. The magic happens on the chemin Fresnière, in Saint-Eustache.
Pick-your-own apples, a cidery and a boutique (open all year round), as well as a creperie (open weekends all year) awaits you at Petit & Fil on chemin de la Montagne in Mont-Saint-Hilaire. Starting in September, you’ll have your pick of McIntosh, Spartan, Cortland and Empire apples. Enjoy!
The operators of this orchard have been apple growers for three generations now, so you can bet they know what they’re doing. Picnic areas await you under some 12,000 apple trees, as well as apple and cider products. You can find all of this on route 202, in Hinchinbrooke.