Welcome to Île d'Orléans - Quebec

Welcome to Île d'Orléans
Île d'Orléans has been inhabited forever. The Native Indians were the first people to be drawn to the island due to the abundance of fish and game, and were undoubtedly attracted to "Minigo", "the Enchantress", as they called it, because of its mysterious charm. The fertile soil then attracted the first settlers who established one of the first colonies of New France. 300 families, now living in other parts of the American continent, can trace their roots back to Île d'Orléans (See First Coming Families). The island is described as the "microcosm" of traditional Quebec and as the birthplace of francophones in America. Today, Île d'Orléans is recognized as being the most important district of Quebec.


The island, situated 5 kilometres down-river from Quebec City, is cradled between the Laurentian Plateau or Canadian Shield and the Appalachian Mountains. Its eastern point marks the boundary between the St. Lawrence and its estuary. The layout of the land reminds us of the island's seigneurial past. Today with its 7000 inhabitants, the island maintains its longstanding agricultural tradition producing a wide range of products and also offers an exceptional concentration of horticultural diversity. Its rich natural elements interspersed with its outstanding architectural treasures offer a diverse collection of charming and surprisingly moving landscapes.


Known as the "Garden of Quebec", the Island has for many years provided nearby Quebec City with fresh produce such as seasonal fruit and vegetables, cereals, maple products, as well as farm produce and boasts of a long-standing reputation for quality and authenticity. Tourism has become an integral part of the island's economy, offering an undeniable escape from every day life to more than 600,000 visitors each year. Ïle d'Orléans offers each visitor first class accomodation from a vast choice of quality B&Bs and inns, excellent regional cuisine and local produce all sold in local shops and roadside stands, a rich cultural heritage, pastoral scenery, the works of local artists and craftsmen, and, of course, the ever present majestic St. Lawrence.

Up to 1935, the island was cut off from the rest of the continent by the St. Lawrence seaway thus retaining its traditional rural way of life. For the first three hundred years the colony experienced great hardships and many mishaps; in spite of this it maintained its pastoral image its reputation as a peaceful haven and its history of mysterious legends. With the inauguration of Taschereau Bridge visitors would discover time and time again the ancestral heritage and historical treasures that until then had been carefully preserved by the islanders.

Source : http://www.iledorleans.com/eng/portrait-de-lile-dorleans.asp