Île d'Orléans (; en, Island of Orleans) is an island located in the Saint Lawrence River about east of downtown Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. It was one of the first parts of the province to be colonized by the French, and a large percentage of

French Canadian French Canadians (referred to as Canadiens mainly before the twentieth century; french: Canadiens français, ; feminine form: , ), or Franco-Canadians (french: Franco-Canadiens), refers to either an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to Fren ...

s can trace ancestry to early residents of the island. The island has been described as the "microcosm of traditional Quebec and as the birthplace of

francophone French became an international language in the Middle Ages, when the power of the Kingdom of France made it the second international language, alongside Latin. This status continued to grow into the 18th century, by which time French was the l ...

s in North America." It has about 7,000 inhabitants, spread over 6 villages. The island is accessible from the mainland via the

Île d'Orléans Bridge The Île d'Orléans Bridge, known locally as the Pont de l'Île, is a suspension bridge that spans the Saint Lawrence River between the Beauport borough of Quebec City and Île d'Orléans (Orléans Island) in the Canadian province of Quebec. It ...

from Beauport. Route 368 is the sole provincial route on the island, which crosses the bridge and circles the perimeter of the island. At the village of Sainte-Pétronille toward the western end of the island, a viewpoint overlooks the impressive ''Chute Montmorency'' (

Montmorency Falls The Montmorency Falls (french: Chute Montmorency) is a large waterfall on the Montmorency River in Quebec, Canada. Location The falls are located on the boundary between the borough of Beauport, and Boischatel, about from the heart of old Que ...

), as well as a panorama of the St. Lawrence River and Quebec City.

Geography

The Island of Orleans is situated between the

Laurentian Plateau The Canadian Shield (french: Bouclier canadien ), also called the Laurentian Plateau, is a geologic shield, a large area of exposed Precambrian igneous and high-grade metamorphic rocks. It forms the North American Craton (or Laurentia), the anc ...

Canadian Shield The Canadian Shield (french: Bouclier canadien ), also called the Laurentian Plateau, is a geologic shield, a large area of exposed Precambrian igneous and high-grade metamorphic rocks. It forms the North American Craton (or Laurentia), the anc ...

to the north and the Appalachian Mountains to the south. Its north-eastern point marks of the St Lawrence river middle estuary, where the fresh water begins to mix with salt water. The island is separated from the mainland by 2 channels; to the north-west is the Île d'Orléans Channel and to the south-east is the Grands Voiliers Channel. Of irregular form with jagged coves and capes, the Island of Orleans is long and wide at the widest point. It is in circumference, with a total surface area of . It has a hilly relief, small valleys, and gradual crests that reach a maximum height of about at Sainte-Pétronille and Saint-Laurent in the south. The main streams of Île d'Orléans are:Poirier, J. (1962)
La toponymie de l'Ile d'Orléans
''Cahiers de géographie du Québec'', 6(12), 183–199S. *

Chenal des Grands Voiliers The Chenal des Grands Voiliers (''English: channel of tall sailships'') is a channel of the St. Lawrence River, between Île d'Orléans and the south shore of Quebec, in the province of Quebec, in Canada. On the southeast shore of Île d'Orléans, ...

(SE side of the island) * Chenal de l'Île d'Orléans (NW side of the island) * Rivière Dauphine (Saint-Jean) * Rivière Lafleur (Saint-Jean) * Rivière Maheu (Saint-Laurent) * Ruisseau du Moulin (Saint-François) * Rivière du Moulin (Saint-Laurent) * Rivière du Moulin (Saint-Pierre) * Rivière Pot au Beurre (Sainte-Famille) * Rivière de la Savane Administratively, the island is within Quebec's Capitale-Nationale region, and constitutes the

L'Île-d'Orléans Regional County Municipality L'Île-d'Orléans is a regional county municipality in central Quebec, Canada, in the Capitale-Nationale region. Its seat is Sainte-Famille-de-l'Île-d'Orléans. The population in the 2016 census was 7,082 people. The RCM consists solely of th ...

. It is further subdivided in the municipalities of: *

Sainte-Famille-de-l'Île-d'Orléans Sainte-Famille-de-l'Île-d'Orléans (Sainte-Famille prior to September 12, 2017) is a municipality in the L'Île-d'Orléans Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada, part of the administrative region of Capitale-Nationale. It is situated alon ...

* Saint-François-de-l'Île-d'Orléans *

Saint-Jean-de-l'Île-d'Orléans Saint-Jean-de-l'Île-d'Orléans is a municipality in the Capitale-Nationale region of Quebec, Canada. It is part of the L'Île-d'Orléans Regional County Municipality, on the southeastern side of Île d'Orléans. Prior to April 5, 2003, it was kn ...

* Saint-Laurent-de-l'Île-d'Orléans * Sainte-Pétronille *

Saint-Pierre-de-l'Île-d'Orléans Saint-Pierre-de-l'Île-d'Orléans is a municipality in the Capitale-Nationale region of Quebec, Canada, part of the L'Île-d'Orléans Regional County Municipality. It is situated on the west side of Orléans Island, and accessible by Quebec Rout ...

The entire island is part of the Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord federal electoral riding, and the

Charlevoix–Côte-de-Beaupré Charlevoix–Côte-de-Beaupré is a provincial electoral district in the Capitale-Nationale region of Quebec, Canada, that elects members to the National Assembly of Quebec. It consists of the entire territory of the following regional county mu ...

provincial electoral riding.

History

The island had long been inhabited by Indigenous peoples. The Hurons called it ''Minigo'' (meaning "Enchantress") because of its charm. The French explorer

Jacques Cartier Jacques Cartier ( , also , , ; br, Jakez Karter; 31 December 14911 September 1557) was a French-Breton maritime explorer for France. Jacques Cartier was the first European to describe and map the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the shores of th ...

first set foot on the island in 1535 near the present-day village of Saint-François. And called it ''Île de Bascuz'' (from

Bacchus In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; grc, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, festivity, and theatre. The Romans ...

) because of the abundance of wild grapes growing on the island. Officials later changed the name to Île d'Orléans in honour of the second son of King

Francis I Francis I or Francis the First may refer to: * Francesco I Gonzaga (1366–1407) * Francis I, Duke of Brittany (1414–1450), reigned 1442–1450 * Francis I of France (1494–1547), King of France, reigned 1515–1547 * Francis I, Duke of Saxe-Lau ...

, who became Henri II,

Duke of Orléans Duke of Orléans (french: Duc d'Orléans) was a French royal title usually granted by the King of France to one of his close relatives (usually a younger brother or son), or otherwise inherited through the male line. First created in 1344 by King ...

. The island was also known as ''Grande Île'', ''Sainte-Marie'', and ''Saint-Laurent'' for certain periods in the 17th and the 18th centuries. Early French settlers, mostly from Normandy and other provinces in northwestern France, were attracted to the island because of its fertile soil. They colonized it according to the seigneurial system of New France, which is still evident in its layout by featuring residences close together with outlying long and narrow fields and a common. In 1661, the first parish of Sainte-Famille was founded, followed by another four parishes in 1679 and 1680. By 1685, there were 1205 mostly French inhabitants and 917 livestock. In 1744, colonists completed the ''Chemin Royal'' (Royal Road), which encircles the entire island. Jean Mauvide, a

surgeon In modern medicine, a surgeon is a medical professional who performs surgery. Although there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon usually is also a licensed physician or received the same medical training as ...

for the King of France, built the ''Manoir Mauvide-Genest'' in 1734 as his residence. In 1759, it was occupied by British General James Wolfe when his forces occupied the island shortly before the Battle of the Plains of Abraham during the Seven Years' War in which Britain was victorious. In the 19th and early 20th century, several boatbuilding yards operated on the island, especially in Saint-Laurent-de-l'Île-d'Orléans. Together with the thriving fishing industry of that era, they gave the island a maritime character. In 1935 the Pont de l'Île was completed, and the bridge brought much more traffic. However, the island has maintained its pastoral image and historic character, with more than 600 buildings classified or recognized as heritage property. In 1990, the entire island was designated a National Historic Site of Canada. Today, the island is a mix of suburban communities and farms and is a popular destination for day trippers and bicyclists. File:Beaupre Jean Bourdon 1641.PNG, Map of Beaupré and Île d'Orléans, drawn in 1641 by

Jean Bourdon Jean Bourdon ( – 1668) was the first engineer-in-chief and land-surveyor in the colony of New France, and the first attorney-general of the Conseil Superieur. Bourdon came to New France in 1634 and he was designated as the engineer to Gover ...

File:Carte du gouvernement de Québec levée en l'année 1709 - Isle d Orleans.jpg, Map of the government of Quebec drawn in 1709 by Gédéon de Catalogne File:Église St-Pierre (Île d'Orléans).jpg, Saint-Pierre church (1717) File:Manoir Quebec.jpg, Manoir Mauvide-Genest File:Sainte-Famille - Maison Drouin.jpg,

Maison Drouin Maison Drouin (also known as Maison Cyril-Drouin) is a farmhouse located in a rural setting in Sainte-Famille-de-l'Île-d'Orléans, Quebec, Canada. It was built between 1729 and 1730, then extended between 1734 and 1736. One of the oldest houses ...

in Sainte-Famille File:Die Seigneurie Saint-Jean-de-l'Île-d'Orléans, zwei Türme.jpg, Mock-up door of make-believe l'Île-d'Orléans seigneurie

Economy

Since the days of the first French settlers, agriculture has been the main economic activity. Potatoes, strawberries, apples, blueberries, raspberries and maple syrup is produced. There is also viticulture and cheese production. The island, known as the "Garden of Quebec", is still an essentially rural place famous locally for its produce, especially strawberries, apples, potatoes and wineries. Sugar maple stands produce

maple syrup Maple syrup is a syrup made from the sap of maple trees. In cold climates, these trees store starch in their trunks and roots before winter; the starch is then converted to sugar that rises in the sap in late winter and early spring. Maple tree ...

and other products. While the old trades of fishing and boat building have been abandoned, the island's rich cultural heritage and pastoral scenery has led to a flourishing tourism industry. It attracts more than 600,000 visitors each year. Numerous bed-and-breakfast inns, regional cuisine restaurants, roadside fruit stands, art galleries and craft shops also attract visitors: *

the church of the Sainte-Famille from 1743 and the interpretation centers

Maison de nos Aïeux Maison (French for "house") may refer to: People * Edna Maison (1892–1946), American silent-film actress * Jérémy Maison (born 1993), French cyclist * Leonard Maison, New York state senator 1834–1837 * Nicolas Joseph Maison (1771–1840) ...

and

; * Saint-François-de-l'Île-d'Orléans the observation tower, the beach and the chocolate factory on Île d'Orléans; *

the café "La Boulange", the Catholic church, the promenade on the shore of the St. Lawrence and the Mauvide-Genest Manor (National Historic Site of the Canada); * Saint-Laurent-de-l'Île-d'Orléans the "La Chalouperie" museum at the maritime park and the Île d'Orléans marina; * Sainte-Pétronille the island's chocolate factory and the painter's house

Horatio Walker Horatio Walker LL.D. (May 12, 1858 – September 27, 1938) was a Canadian painter. He worked in oils and watercolours, often depicting scenes of rural life in Canada. He was influenced by the Barbizon school. Life and work Early life ...

; *

the Félix Leclerc space and the Bellevue with the giant sculpture of

Félix Leclerc Félix Leclerc, (August 2, 1914 – August 8, 1988) was a French-Canadian singer-songwriter, poet, writer, actor and '' Québécois'' political activist. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada on December 20, 1968. Leclerc was posth ...

. Also for years there has been a strong movement of the inhabitants of city of Quebec, who own second homes around the periphery of the island of Orleans.

Notable people

is buried in Saint-Pierre. There is the

Espace Félix Leclerc Espace may refer to: *ESPACE, a complexity class in computational complexity theory *Espace musique, a Canadian radio service *Espace 2, a Swiss radio station *Radio Espace, a French radio station *Espace Group, a French media company *Group Espace ...

, today a museum and performance hall, in his honor.

In art and culture

Several chansonniers have made reference to Île d'Orléans in their songs, in particular: *

Yves Duteil Yves Duteil (born 24 July 1949, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine) is a French singer-songwriter. He is the third child to be born in the family. Duteil is a noted proponent of the French language, the rights of children and the respect of ...

refers to the island in his song ''La langue de chez nous'' (Our language). *

will make a song of it : ''Le Tour de l'île'' (The Island Tour). * Jean-Pierre Ferland refers to the island in ''Chanson pour Félix'' (Song for Félix) *

Sylvain Lelièvre Sylvain is the French form of Silvanus. It may refer to: People *Sylvain Archambault, Canadian director *Sylvain Bied (1965–2011), French footballer and manager * Sylvain Cappell (born 1946), American mathematician * Sylvain Chavanel (born 197 ...

refers to the island in his song ''Le fleuve'' (The river) *

Monique Leyrac Monique Leyrac, (26 February 1928 – 15 December 2019) was a Canadian singer and actress who popularized many songs by French-Canadian composers. Early life Leyrac was born Monique Tremblay in Montreal, Quebec.Alexis Luko, Rachelle Taylor an ...

refers to the island in her song ''La fille de l'île'' (The Island Girl) *

Tire le Coyote Tire le coyote is the stage name of Benoît Pinette (born 1981 in Sherbrooke, Quebec), a Canadian folk-rock singer-songwriter from Quebec. He is most noted for receiving a Juno Award nomination for Juno Award for Francophone Album of the Year, Fr ...

refers to the island in his song ''Calfeutrer les failles'' (Caulk faults)

Gallery

File:Pont Ile d'Orléans fleuve st Laurent.jpg, Panoramic view of the North shore, Saint-Laurent river, Île d'Orléans bridge File:Parc nautique (Île d'Orléans).jpg, Île d'Orléans Marina File:Chalouperie (Île d'Orléans).jpg, Museum ''La Chalouperie'' at "Parc maritime de Saint-Laurent" (English: Saint-Laurent Maritime Park) File:IleOrleans.JPG, View of the north shore of the St. Lawrence River File:Saint-Laurent-Québec.JPG, The frozen St. Lawrence River at the Île d'Orléans bridge

References

External links

* *
Official Tourist Website of Île d'Orléans
{{DEFAULTSORT:Orleans, Ile D' Landforms of Capitale-Nationale Islands of the Saint Lawrence River River islands of Quebec Heritage sites in Quebec (Cultural Heritage Act) National Historic Sites in Quebec