Sugar lovers are already getting excited about spring. Sticky fingers, sugar highs and ear-to-ear grins: sugaring off is an essential Québécois tradition! To take full advantage of the season, head over to Montérégie: THE gourmet destination to satisfy your sweet tooth with friends or family. Whether you’re looking for a vegetarian (or gluten-free) menu, kid-friendly activities or live music, you can find the just-perfect sugar shack for your gang in the region. Here’s our top 10 list!
Sucrerie de la Montagne, Rigaud
Season: Open year round
Experience: La Sucrerie de la Montagne has been a mainstay in the region for over 40 years. An official Québec Heritage Site and Canadian Signature Experience, this charming village will take you back to another era with every visit. It’s no surprise that it’s been featured on the front page of The New York Times twice!
Menu: Traditional menu including split pea soup, crusty bread, maple-smoked ham, baked beans, omelette soufflé, country-style sausage, meatball stew, salt pork, old-style mashed potatoes, tourtière, fruit ketchup, homemade pickles, sugar pie and crepes with maple syrup.
Special attractions: Live traditional music, horse-drawn carriage or sleigh rides, and a tour of the sugar shack, bakery and general store, which features a wide array of maple products.
Good to know: Stay overnight in one of the magnificent period cottages right in the middle of a forest of hundred-year-old maple trees. It’s sure to be a unique experience!
Note that for the 2020 season, the Sucrerie de la Montagne has decided to donate a portion of proceeds from meals to the Breakfast Club of Canada.
Sucrerie des Gallant, Très-Saint-Rédempteur
Season: February 29 to May 2, Wednesday to Sunday
Experience: Located right on Mont Rigaud, Sucrerie des Gallant was built from trees felled by the 1998 ice storm. Taste the best maple delicacies in a log pavilion full of history!
Special offer: Sucrerie des Gallant is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and the team is taking this opportunity to treat its customers with a $20 meal (taxes and tip not included). The offer is available from Wednesday to Friday, by reservation only. Please enter the promotional code “rabais20” when making a reservation. Not valid April 8, 9, 10 or 13.
Menu: Traditional menu including country-style split pea soup, coleslaw with maple vinaigrette, omelette, baked beans, homemade tourtière, meatball stew, oreilles de crisse, maple ham, maple sausage, crepes rolled with apples and maple sauce, sugar pie, maple fudge cake, pouding chômeur and French toast.
Special attractions: Sleigh rides on weekends between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and live music on Saturday nights
Good to know: For a sweet getaway, reserve one or more nights at Auberge des Gallant, just-a 5-minute walk from the sugar shack. The Maple Spring Break package is ideal to get away from the daily routine.
Érablière Charbonneau, Mont-Saint-Grégoire
Season: February 22 to May 3
Experience: A fun atmosphere with activities for kids and a warm décor make Érablière Charbonneau the just-perfect destination to celebrate the sugaring season with family and friends.
Menu: Traditional menu including split pea soup, cretons, coleslaw, baked omelette, maple sausage, baked beans, salt pork, homemade tourtière, meatball stew, cinnamon rolls and crepes with maple coulis.
Special attractions: After a hearty meal, what better way to burn off a big meal than at Arbraska Mont-Saint-Grégoire? It’s right on the property! You can also head out for a hike on Mont Saint-Grégoire, but remember that the trail belonging to Érablière Charbonneau ends at the first lookout. Enjoy pony rides, farm animals, Saturday night dances and evaporator room visits throughout March and April.
Good to know: Note that Arbraska Mont-Saint-Grégoire is open on weekends from February 29 until October. It’s also open during spring break. Make reservations on the Arbraska website.
Érablière La Goudrelle, Mont-Saint-Grégoire
Season: February 29 to April 26
Special offer: La Goudrelle is celebrating their 50th anniversary this year: it will be a sugaring season to remember! Take advantage of the occasion and enjoy a 2-for-1 deal on the opening weekend of February 29 to March 1. There will also be surprises on family weekend (March 7 and 8) and closing weekend (April 25 and 26).
Experience: There’s no getting bored at La Goudrelle. You’ll come for the food but want to stay for the activities! And with rustic charm to boot. The sugar bush is on Mont Saint-Grégoire. It’s everything you need to ring in the spring!
Menu: Traditional menu including split pea soup, homemade coleslaw, head cheese, smoked ham, maple sausage, baked beans, crepe soufflé, homemade doughnuts and mini sugar pies.
Special attractions: Indoor games for kids, dance hall with music, hiking and snowshoeing trails on the mountain, snowmobile tours of the sugar bush (free between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on weekends), ropes course for kids aged 5 to 12, farm animals, horse-drawn carriage (1 to 5 p.m. on weekends), pony carousel (1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends) and face painting.
Cabane à sucre Handfield, Saint-Marc-sur-Richelieu
Season: March 6 to May 9, 2020, Wednesday to Sunday
Experience: Built on a centenarian sugar bush of over 42 acres, this heritage sugar shack charms visitors with its unique cachet: axe-hewn beams, three stone fireplaces, old wood stove and antique tools.
Menu: Traditional menu including coleslaw and pickled vegetables, fruit ketchup, spiced cretons, split pea soup, old-style baked beans, La Cabane omelette, signature oreilles de crisse, homemade pork sausage, L’Aubergiste meatball stew, heritage sugar pie, buckwheat crepes and pancakes, lumberjack’s cake. And a must-have: Handfield’s famous bone-in smoked ham!
Special attractions: Traditional music, tractor-drawn carriage rides (weekends between 9:30 a.m. and 8 p.m.) and horse-drawn carriage rides (weekends from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.).
Good to know: Are you vegetarian or do you have celiac disease? We’ve got you covered! Mention any meat-free, pork-free or gluten-free diets when making reservations at the Cabane à sucre Handfield. And to keep the fun going, spend the night at the cozy country-style Auberge Handfield, just a quick drive from the sugar shack.
La Cabane du Coureur, Saint-Marc-sur-Richelieu
Season: March 1 to May 10, Friday to Sunday
Experience: What makes La Cabane du Coureur stand out? A gourmet experience that’s at once refined and down-home. Their exquisite menu combines traditional and contemporary flavours that will please even the pickiest eaters.
Menu: Menu including original creations by chef Jean-Sébastien Giguère like lower St. Lawrence sturgeon cones, maple teriyaki pork ribs, “all-dressed” slow-cooked pork blade roast and crepes fried in duck fat with maple butter.
Special attractions: A wine list with more than 100 bottles, with many available by the glass. There’s also a great selection of local beers.
Good to know: Vegetarian and vegan menu options are available upon request. New this year: the Cabane du Coureur is offering a line of ready-made meals. Tourtière, yule logs, foie gras torchon and much more. A delight!
Érablière Maurice Jeannotte, Saint-Marc-sur-Richelieu
Season: March 28 to May 9 ***Opening postponed
Experience: This sugar shack has been completely renovated for the 2020 season. Come for its family recipes and friendly atmosphere!
Menu: Traditional menu including split pea soup, homemade pickles, coleslaw, omelette, ham, baked beans, maple cocktail sausage, bacon ($), tourtière ($), sugar pie, beignets and crepes.
Special attractions: Dancing on Friday and Saturday nights, evaporator room tours, snowshoe trails and more. Any beer lovers out there? The sugar shack’s craft brewery has a selection of 8 beers you can pair with your meal. Cheers!
Good to know: Vegan options are available upon request.
La Maison amérindienne de l’érable, Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Season: Open weekends in March and April
Experience: The Maison Amérindienne de l’Érable is just perfect for anyone in search of something different this sugaring season. You’re invited to experience a meal inspired by the Vallée-du-Richelieu First Nations, meet the master sugarmaker in the evaporation room and attend an information session on the discovery of maple water by Indigenous peoples. A great way to experience First Nations culture!
Menu: Indigenous menu featuring pumpkin soup and bannock (First Nations bread), chicken thighs marinated in maple and wild herbs, wild and white rice blend with a vegetable salsa, Iroquois corn salad and Atikamekw-style crustless sugar pie with maple coulis.
Good to know: The full sugaring season visit includes 3 museum exhibitions, maple snow taffy and access to the sugar bush trails for a nature walk. Reservations required.
Cabane à sucre des Vergers Hillspring, Franklin
Season: March 15 to April 19
Experience: With over 30 years of maple syrup production under their belt, members of the McKenzie-Émond family welcome you for a classic sugar shack experience.
Menu: Their traditional menu includes split pea soup, coleslaw, marinated onions, baked beans, omelette, ham, sausage, oreilles de crisse, maple syrup pie, salt pork, maple duck beaks and maple apple crumble.
Special attractions: Live music on Saturday evenings and a mini-farm.
Les Vergers Ivanhoë Faille, Franklin
Season: March 7 to April 26
Experience: Known for their exceptional products during the blueberry and apple-picking seasons, Les Vergers Ivanhoë Faille is also a great attraction during sugaring season with a mouth-watering contemporary menu.
Menu: Menu including cheese omelette soufflé, maple and rosemary root vegetables, ham pastries, rolled apple crepes with maple syrup, creamy maple pie, and blueberry pouding chômeur.
Special attractions: The property features 30 km of snowshoeing and cross-country ski trails. It’s a great way to work off the guilt of one too many maple taffies!😉 Rentals not available. Reservations required for the restaurant.
