Île d'Orléans is Quebec City's pantry: along a single country road you move from spring asparagus to summer strawberries, then to autumn apples and grape harvests. This calendar sets out, month by month, what is being harvested on the island and at which producers, with the drive time from La Petite École — our house to rent at the centre of the island, 15 minutes from Quebec City. Periods marked "confirm" are regional windows: since everything depends on the weather, always check the opening with the producer before you drive out.
The month-by-month calendar
Here, at a glance, is when each product is in season on Île d'Orléans. Dark cells mark the heart of the season; pale cells mark the early or late edge, which is more weather-dependent.
| Product | May | June | July | Aug. | Sept. | Oct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asparagus | ● | ● | ||||
| Strawberries | ◐ | ● | ◐ | |||
| Raspberries | ● | ● | ||||
| Blueberries | ● | ● | ||||
| Blackcurrant | ● | |||||
| Sweet corn | ● | ● | ||||
| Field vegetables | ◐ | ● | ● | ◐ | ||
| Apples | ◐ | ● | ● | |||
| Grapes (harvest) | ● | ● | ||||
| Pumpkins & squash | ● | ● |
● Heart of the season ◐ Early / late (weather-dependent)
What each month brings
- May — Asparagus, the first product of the season, opens the year (regional window early May to late June, confirm with producer). It is also apple-blossom time in the orchards.
- June — The first strawberries arrive around mid-June. U-pick begins once the season is "in full swing," often the last week of June.
- July — Peak strawberries, then raspberries and blueberries start. The first field vegetables appear at the farm kiosks.
- August — Raspberries and blueberries, the blackcurrant harvest (early August, to confirm), sweet corn, and apple u-pick starting late in the month.
- September — Full apple season, the start of grape harvests at the vineyards, pumpkins, squash and fall vegetables.
- October — Last u-pick apples (through mid-October), the end of the grape harvest, pumpkins for Halloween. The fall colours are spectacular.
The producers and their season
Here are the island's producers offering u-pick, a farm kiosk or tastings, with what you'll find, the village and the approximate drive time from La Petite École (in Saint-Laurent, at the centre of the island). The links go to their official website, where opening dates are kept up to date.
| Producer | Village | What to pick / buy | Season | Drive ~ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferme Guillaume Létourneau | Sainte-Famille | Strawberries and raspberries (u-pick), sweet corn, pumpkins, field vegetables (potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, onions, leeks…) | Strawberries from late June; vegetables and pumpkins through the fall | about 15 min |
| OhBio — Ferme Jean-Pierre Plante | Saint-Laurent | Organic strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and vegetables, maple products | Strawberries in early-to-mid summer; blueberries after | about 5 to 10 min |
| Ferme François Gosselin | Saint-Laurent | Strawberries (u-pick), raspberries, blueberries, maple products | Strawberry u-pick from mid-June to mid-July; on sale June to October | about 5 to 10 min |
| Cidrerie Verger Bilodeau | Saint-Pierre | Apples (u-pick), ciders and ice cider, a mini-farm for children | Apple u-pick from late August to mid-October; shop June to mid-October | about 15 min |
| Cassis Monna & Filles | Saint-Pierre | Blackcurrant (crèmes, liqueurs, gelato), économusée, La Monnaguette restaurant with river views | Blackcurrant harvested in early August (to confirm); restaurant and shop open in summer | about 15 min |
| Vignoble Ste-Pétronille | Sainte-Pétronille | White wines (tastings, terrace with a Quebec City view), wood-fired pizzas | Shop and terrace open May to October; grape harvest in the fall (to confirm) | about 10 to 12 min |
| Vignoble Isle de Bacchus | Saint-Pierre | Red, white and rosé wines, aperitifs and ice wine; cellar tastings | Grape harvest in the fall, September-October (to confirm) | about 12 to 15 min |
Drive times are approximate: Île d'Orléans is toured by a single country road (Chemin Royal), and the full loop is about 67 km, but from the centre of the island most producers are roughly 10 to 20 minutes away. Add to this the famous asparagus of Île d'Orléans, sold in spring (roughly early May to late June) at the farm kiosks along the road — the very first local product of the year.
Making the most of your harvest outing
Check the opening before you leave. U-pick dates shift from one week to the next with the weather. Several producers announce the start of harvests on their Facebook page or website — a quick look saves a wasted trip.
Bring a cooler. Strawberries, raspberries and blueberries are fragile; on a hot day a cooler protects your haul for the drive home and lets you carry cheeses and charcuterie from nearby kiosks.
Plan a designated driver. If your day includes cider, wine or blackcurrant-liqueur tastings, appoint a designated driver — or, better, sleep on the island and enjoy it without watching the clock.
Come early. The best fruit goes in the morning, and some farms close once the fields are picked for the day. Mornings are also cooler for the kids.
Where to stay at the heart of the harvest
La Petite École de l'Île d'Orléans — After your pick, come home to our 1839 one-room schoolhouse turned house to rent on Île d'Orléans, at the centre of the island in Saint-Laurent. An ideal base: most producers are roughly 10 to 20 minutes away, and Old Quebec just 15 minutes. A fully equipped kitchen to cook your harvest, a wood-burning fireplace and river views, sleeps up to 6. Book your stay.
Want to round out the circuit? See our flavour trail of Île d'Orléans (cheesemakers, chocolatiers, markets). To combine countryside and city, discover Le Caïman in Quebec City, our lofts in the Saint-Roch district — a few days at La Petite École for the harvests and quiet, then a few days downtown, steps from Bar Le Sacrilège on rue Saint-Jean.
Sleep at the heart of the harvest
A fully equipped kitchen to cook your pick, at the centre of the island. Book direct and save.
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