6 Foodie Outings to Try This Fall

Fall is synonymous with apple picking, and the Québec City area has plenty of orchards that offer a pick-your-own experience, including Ferme Arthur Cauchon in Côte-de-Beaupré and Verger du Roy in Portneuf. The first also turns out delicious apple pies and butters and other apple products, while the second makes excellent apple juice, as well as apple cider vinegar aged in oak barrels.

Île d’Orléans is also known for its orchards and ciderworks. You can pick apples and sample ciders at Cidrerie Verger Bilodeau, Vignoble Domaine Sainte-Famille, and Domaine Orléans, among others. While you’re there, pick up a bottle of ice cider to enjoy back at home. It’s a tasty way of cozying up on those shorter, cooler evenings.

Want to find the perfect carving pumpkin for Halloween? Many farms let you pick your own squash and pumpkins, including L’Arc-en-ciel du Paradis in Portneuf, Verger Laval Gagnon and Ferme Guillaume Létourneau on Île d’Orléans, Ferme Bédard Blouin in Beauport, and Ferme Arthur Cauchon in Côte-de-Beaupré.

In Saint-Augustin, you’ll find pumpkins ripe for the picking and a picture-perfect setting at Jardin Saint-Augustin. It’s the place to go to capture a beautiful fall day spent with family or friends. Some farms also offer tastings or outdoor games like Ferme Le Bunker on Île d’Orléans.

Many wineries close in the fall, which means September is often last call for a blissful hour or two spent on the patio of a local winery. The vineyard views are stunning in the summer, so imagine how gorgeous they are when the leaves turn in the fall! If you have a little more time, take the opportunity to explore the wine route, a two-day itinerary.

Fall is also the season of harvest bounty. After tending to the soil and watching their crops ripen in the summer sun, our farmers are ready to fill those market stands with fruit and vegetables. You’ll find plenty of farmer’s markets to choose from in the Québec City area, including five in Québec City (Grand Marché de Québec, Marché public de Sainte-Foy, Marché Saint-Sauveur, P'tit marché de St-Jean-Baptiste and Marché public de Limoilou).

Québec beer is good in every season, but there’s something special about patio season. September and October offer many days perfect for prolonging the vibe. And the Québec City area has its share of iconic craft breweries. La Souche, La Barberie, and La Korrigane are all excellent options if you’re in the city centre.

In the fall, when the vines are in their full glory and the grapes for the next vintage are ripe, many wineries open their doors to would-be winemakers. On some days, the general public is invited to help pick the grapes, often in exchange for a good glass of wine and sometimes a lunch. Space is limited and it’s a very popular activity, so you’ll need to book as soon as the vineyard starts taking reservations. In the Québec City area, try Vignoble Domaine de L’Ange-Gardien, Saint-Pierre Le Vignoble, Vignoble Domaine Sainte-Famille, Domaine des 3 Moulins, Vignoble Isle de Bacchus, and Vignoble du Mitan.