Known for its strawberries, apples, vineyards, and chocolaterie, and chocolaterie, cycling around the Island of Orleans never gets old. Located just minutes from Quebec City, the tour of the island offers a beautiful route that allows cyclists to discover picturesque villages such as Sainte-Pétronille, Saint-Jean, and Saint-Laurent, and explore local artisan shops, vineyards, and restaurants that offer delicious local cuisine.

It is suggested to start the route directly on the Island, in Sainte-Pétronille. The Sainte-Pétronille Church offers a large, uncrowded and free parking lot. If there ever is a wedding or celebration, you can park near the recreational park (on the way to the church). The first 10-15 kilometers of the route are quite challenging with an uphill false-flat, but afterwards, it quickly becomes calm with beautiful descents and straight lines.

You may start your bike ride from any of the places mentioned above. Most of these places have large parking lots and are used to have cyclists, so it shouldn't be a problem.

It is also possible to start the route from Quebec and reach the Island of Orleans by crossing the bridge. For this option, it is necessary to plan about 4 hours and 100km in total. The bridge is not very well cleared and is quite dangerous, so be very careful!

There are so many beautiful places on the Island that it's hard to choose just one stop. But, here are our favourites, starting from the west counterclockwise:

• ~ 34km - St-Francois Observation Tower: At the very end of the island on the west side, it is possible to stop where there are picnic tables, toilets, and of course, the observation tower for a 360 view of the surroundings. Note: Priot to the Observation Tower's climb, there is a convenience store (Dépanneur du Quai) and an ice cream shop (Fromagerie Ferme Audet Île d'Orléans). It's perfect for getting a quick snack before the ascent!
• ~ 47km - Chez Mag + Microbrasserie de l'Île from Orleans: First, the famous snack bar Chez Mag is simply a must-see. Both locals and tourists line up there for for over an hour sometimes. Everything is absolutely delicious, but the lobster rolls are worth the detour.
  Diagonally across from Chez Mag snack bar is the Microbrasserie de l'Île. The terrace is superb and it's a great place to have a beer with friends.
  But don't be too indulgent or festive, there are still about 20 kilometers left to the loop. That's why many cyclists prefer to finish their ride and then head back to this place to enjoy the rest of their day.
• ~ 62 km - Cassis Monna et Filles : Having built its reputation over the years, Cassis Monna & Filles is also a popular destination on the Island of Orleans. Located near the entrance of the Island, the area can be quite busy.
• ~ 64 km - Smith House Coffee : With more than 7 cafes in the Quebec City area, Maison Smith has become well-known to locals. Being their very first location and the “mother house,” the Cafe/Boutique Maison Smith on the Island of Orleans has a little something extra that the other places don't have. Is it the freshness of the coffee? The small backyard? It's up to you to discover.
• +++ There are vineyards all over the Island. Let yourself be tempted by the one that inspires you.

Île d'Orleans is a popular tourist destination and the roads can be quite busy in the summer. It's not uncommon for the bridge to be congested between 9:00am and noon and on the return between 2:00pm and 4:00pm. Be sure to plan your outing carefully, especially during peak hours!

Also, the island is a place that is always windier than the city since it's never really sheltered. If the day looks very windy, make sure to check the wind direction. The wind normally comes from the West, which means that the second half of this route will be against the wind.