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Philion Ecological Orchards

U-Pick, Artisan Ice Cider and Agrotourism Experience

Located just 35 minutes south of Montreal and only minutes from the charming village of Hemmingford, Philion Ecological Orchards offers a unique agrotourism experience in the heart of the Montérégie region, with breathtaking panoramic views of the Adirondack Mountains.

A six-generation family legacy, the orchard spans more than 100 hectares and benefits from a unique microclimate influenced by the St. Lawrence River, the Richelieu Valley and Lake Champlain. The estate features over 4,500 apple trees and 1,400 pear trees producing premium-quality fruit using environmentally responsible and ecological farming practices.

Recognized as one of the leading agrotourism destinations in southern Quebec, Philion Ecological Orchards offers pick-your-own apples, pears and plums seven days a week from late August through October 31st. Visitors can discover more than 15 apple varieties while enjoying the beauty of the countryside and the authentic flavours of Quebec’s terroir.

Visitors can also enjoy:

scenic outdoor picnic areas throughout the orchard
walking trails and peaceful forest landscapes
guided tractor wagon rides through the orchards
free tastings of internationally award-winning artisan products
a farm boutique featuring local products, apple desserts, honey, maple products, terrines, caramel spreads, ciders and pear wines

The orchard is especially known for its award-winning artisan beverages, including Friga ice cider, Gaïa ice pear wine, Octave pear wine, sparkling pear beverages and a variety of handcrafted cider products.

Educational tours and interpretive panels allow visitors to learn more about the orchard’s century-old history, ecological farming methods and the Philion family heritage that has shaped the estate for generations.

Whether you are planning a family outing, a countryside picnic, an apple-picking experience or a local food and cider tasting tour in Montérégie, Philion Ecological Orchards offers an authentic and memorable experience in the Hemmingford region.

Visits by appointment during the off-season.

Philion Ecological Orchards

Opening hours

By appointment from November to mid-August

Open 7 days a week from late August through October 31st

Tarifs

Free cider and wine tastings

Tastings

Free cider and wine tastings

U-Pick

Apples, pears and plums.

Boutique

Friga is an ice cider developed from a carefully chosen selection of five varieties of apples, hand-picked and ripened to perfection. After they are harvested in the fall, they are immediately placed in cold storage until it’s time for exposure to the natural cold of Quebec winters. To avoid altering the flavour, fallen apples are not added to this blend. After a period of freezing, the apples are crushed and pressed. The extracted juice is left outside until its water freezes and separates from the natural sugars. This process is called cryoconcentration. It is followed by many months of low temperature fermentation to develop optimum flavour and bouquet.

Gaia is a pear ice wine made from hand-picked pears that are crushed and cold-pressed. To avoid altering the flavour of perfectly ripe fruit, fallen pears are not used. The sugars are concentrated by the natural cold of Quebec winters, using a process known as cryoconcentration. This is followed by many months of low temperature fermentation to develop optimum flavour and bouquet.

Apples
• Cortland
• Délicieuse jaune
• Délicieuse rouge
• Empire
• Ginger Gold
• Paula Red
• Honey Crisp
• Fameuse
• McIntosh
• Red Cortland
• Royal Gala
• Jersey Mac
• Lobo
• Northern Spy
• Russet
• Spartan
• Wealthy

Pears
• Flemish Beauty
• Clapp’s Favourite

Plums
• Mont-Royal