chemin royal (royal road)

JohnRWebb

We crossed the bridge and came up the hill stopping at the tourist information centre to pick up a map as we were told to do so by our hotel receptionist. We continued onward and turned left as the guy in the tourist information shop had suggested we did. The land was flat the buildings very pretty, we stopped and bought some apples and strawberries from a farm and then continued driving alone this road as you will see from the many photos we took before we left and headed back to our hotel.Thank you for reading this John & Sue Eastbourne UK

georgia1998

We rented a car and picked up a tourism brochure while we were there. It included a tour guide to the island, with what attractions to look out for and points of interest along the way. Since we visited in mid-November a lot of the attractions/tours were closed for the season, but what a lovely drive around the island. Each little town seemed to have a different economy (apple orchards in one, vineyards in another, etc) and it was extremely interesting to see. Highly recommend this driving tour a short distance from Quebec City.

trainfan2000

This is one of the nicest drives in Canada. It is not perhaps the most scenic, but it is an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. The road runs around the island and it really doesn't matter which way you drive it. As you drive you will pass through the six parishes on the island. Make sure that you get a map and some information from the tourist bureau as you come on the island. As you drive you will pass lovely pastoral scenes, beautiful old parish churches and shrines, cideries, wineries, and a couple of breweries as well as a chocolate shop and many craft stores. Take time to explore these places - they are well worth the time if they seem to interest you. Often you can get a sample of the items offered. At the east end of the island is an observation tower giving a great view of the St. Lawrence River and the mountains on the north side of the river. Make sure to stop in St. Jean - most of the houses have a plaque attached to them that explain their history. If you can find it, take the road that runs across the center of the island, Route du Mitan to see a different view of this beautiful island. Relax and enjoy for a day.

IMUK

Although this is just a short drive away from Quebec city, the island feels like a world away. The villages are pretty and the views over the St Lawrence river on a clear day are captivating. There are plenty of opportunities to stop and while away some time in the cafes or walking around the villages en route.

Tracyloe

We spent a pleasant morning driving around the island. We intended to only drive the southern half and cut back across the middle but missed our turn. Thank goodness we did. I had the best poutine and homemade chips of my life at a stand next to a potato field. Ocean views, quaint homes, churches, and farm fresh food. We also bought a basket of strawberries from a stand that we are still dreaming about. I think all future strawberries will be disappointing.

UveO

It is a pretty long drive, but the view is beautiful. The houses next to the road, the perfect organisation of the fields and the yards around the houses is a dream. The wilderness, green and quiet of the place is just a dream.

Canucksontheloose

A scenic drive for under an hour to do the entire loop around the Island. Bring/buy a picnic lunch for the summer time, stop by the tourist office to pick up your map and explore the villages. We chose to picnic at the Parc Maritime de St. Laurent, which charged for entering the premises (should have read the fine print on the map!) but it was quaint to visit. The highlight was the Chocolate Shop in Ste-Francoise village -- yummy scoops of ice cream and home-made chocolates, the latter costing about a $1 each. SO WORTH IT! We liked the drive where we could see the stunning white basilica of Ste. Anne-de-Beaupre gleaming across the river like a beacon of strength. The drive was a bit long and boring for my kids so next time we will make a stop to the observation tower near the Chocolate Shop. Note: there is one gas station on the Island, near the bridge.

Golferboy18

We drove around a portion of the Chemin Royal on l'Ile d'Orleans on a Sunday afternoon. It was very busy, with lots of cars and motor bikes. It was a beautiful drive. Lots of stone houses and prosperous-looking businesses. We wanted to stop at the chocolaterie, but the parking lot was full of cars and bikes, and there was a line-up to get into the parking lot. We did stop at the Friterie de l'Ile for an ice cream cone just before crossing the bridge back to the mainland. We would like to explore more fully another time.

Boutip

I love driving around the island with no set goal apart form taking your time to visit. I usually stop by some random attraction and enjoy what is there and the absolutely gorgeous view.

tomsV3678HT

What a delight to ride around the island, from Ste. Petronille and its view of Quebec City to the lookout tower at the Northern tip. This is real Quebec with its farms, fields and architecture. We have gone through in different seasons and it is always a wonder. And they produce the best strawberries I have ever eaten!

Ben0844

This is a fun drive of about 45 miles.It may take you 1 hour if you don't stop anywhere but it is not the purpose.You can start your tour either way (right or left) when up the hill after crossing the bridge (do not go straight).The stops I recommend:- Cassis Mona & Filles; - Esace Félix Leclerc (St-Pierre);- Church of the village of St-Pierre (crafts store in the back);- Artisan cheese factory in the village of Ste-Famille;- Village of St-Francois Candy Store and St-Francois chocolate factory, both near the Church.* St-Francois is actually the nicest village on the island.- Ste-Pétronille shore and view of Québec City.- Ste-Pétronille chocolate factory (same as St-Francois but much more busy).Enjoy !!

Happyrocker

Chemin Royal is a drive around the island - takes around an hour without any stops. There are a number of places to stop (chocolate, ice cream, wineries). The chocolate and ice cream stops were good, the wineries weren't all that impressive. It was worth our time, but if we came back to Quebec we wouldn't need to do it again.

vancouverluke

we drove here on a sunny, brisk afternoon and drove around and down to the water. It's a very cute island with red leaves on the trees and classical old houses everywhere. we got some hot chocolates and walked down to the water and stood on the rocks by the sea. I would highly recommend spending some time here as it is beautiful

johnandbabette

We visited at the end of October on a beautiful but chilly fall day. The upside was that we had the island pretty much to ourselves, the down side was that just about everything was closed. Not a problem, we had come to enjoy the scenery and that we did. Our first stop was at the visitor center where the lady was friendly and helpful, there is only one road so the choice is either a clockwise or counter clockwise circumnavigation, we chose counter clockwise and stopped for a fantastic view of Quebec City across the St Lawrence. We found a small grocery which was open so were able to pick up a picnic lunch which we enjoyed in our car parked in a church lot looking at the St Lawrence flow by and thinking of how lucky we were to be on this lovely island

TukosMom

The Ile d'Orleans is just across the bridge from Quebec City and it's a delightful change of pace. Instead of city life, this is a drive through the country with lots and lots of apple orchards, just a few wineries and mostly, farms. It's a very small island and one road (#368) circles the whole thing. You can go either way when you come off the bridge and end up at the same point. We went right and found some lovely waterfront homes and Bed and Breakfast places (I suspect this is the most commercial part of the island), but it was mostly a drive through farms, orchards and some eateries. Our stop for lunch was at Moulin d' St-Laurent which was fabulous.