It was a gorgeous August day - the kind you hope for when planning a trip, smile at your good luck with the weather during, and remember fondly for years afterward.

With an early start, we'd explored much of Quebec City via car (the first thing you do, when you've got a disability and walking is not an easy choice). I loved this city instantly, including the many colorful doors in Old Quebec City, the art everywhere, living history around every corner - including the Holy Door at the Basilica. We were traveling with Michelle, a guide that taught us much about this area, who mixed history with art, a Quebecois who flawlessly switched between French and English, a new friend that loved to laugh and regaled us with the vivacity of life in Quebec City. 

Michelle and I, already laughing...

We rode the cable car up to the top of Montmorency Falls (a waterfall higher than Niagara!), some of us a bit shaky, some of us snapping photos nonstop (yours truly), and all of us marveling at the beauty before us. At the top, we explored the area, visited a history exhibit within the Manoir, and gazed at the fishers - both men and gulls - at the bottom of the falls. On the way back down, in the cable car, Michelle pointed to the distance and noted we'd be going THERE for lunch.

View from the top of the cable car route, Montmorency Falls

Where was there, across the river? A long, fertile island with a storied history - a French explorer named it Bacchus in 1535 because of the fields of grapes, then renamed it Île d’Orléans in 1536 in honor of the son of the François I, the French king. This island was one of the first settled sites in New France, and lies a few kilometres away from Quebec City. You cross to the island via the bridge over the St. Lawrence River. The whole island is an historic district, and has been an extremely fertile area for millenia. 

Go to any market in the province and you'll see tasty, plump ruby red Île d’Orléans strawberries. They're famous - and delicious! Take a look:

Much is grown on the island, and products have their own certification (Savoir-faire île d’Orléans). It's a gastronome's delight, but let's focus on the grapes. Because, well... wine.

We drove around the island, at times on small lanes that reminded us of Ireland, and other times on broader roads. We passed stunning views, charming houses, a chocolaterie (!!!), museums and shops and places to stay and art galleries and restaurants and boulangeries and fields of those famous strawberries, and finally rolled up to an unprepossessing white building with a lovely stone patio, vineyards as far as the eye could see, and, in the distance, those same falls we'd just visited an hour or two earlier. 

LOOK! A waterfall!

That white building with the green roof? There was a tiny sign out front that noted the existence of deliciousness. 

Michelle is a genius.

The building, resembling a barn, but with a much better smell (notes the farm girl), hides a treasure within - the vineyard store of Vignoble Ste-Petronille, which produces 85 % white wines (Acadie, Chardonnay, Frontenac Blanc, Pinot gris, Riesling, Vandal-Cliche, and Vidal), and 15% reds (Frontenac, Marquette, St. Croix). This special terroir, combined with organic farming, results in delicious, sought-after wines. 

We headed into the wine tasting cellar and Michelle, who loves this place and knew the routine, put us on the list for a table at the restaurant. But I digress. Ed, who rarely drinks, discovered something he LOVES: ice wine. We learned about ice wine, Ed tasted happily, and I fell in love with the way the sunshine coming through the windows made gems of each of the bottles of wine. 

Soon, our names were called and we were seated. One of Michelle's favorite QC restaurants, Panache, has a food truck here, called (not surprisingly) Panache Mobile. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE FOOD TRUCKS. Watching the movie Chef only increased that love. But what madness is this? Perhaps only on this gorgeous île would a food truck have an open patio with summer seating, a terrace with a view. In partnership with the vineyard, Panache Mobile is the on-site restaurant. Didn't I tell you Michelle is a genius?

You can purchase a bottle of wine to go with lunch (or some to take with). We perused the menu (summer menu shown above - check the website for current hours and offerings at this pop-up restaurant) with much discussion - it ALL looked so good.

Purchase wine to go with your lunch at a vineyard. Smart choice!

See that gelato cart? Yep.

Michelle and I split an île d'Orléans crispy and crunchy green bean salad with lemon vinaigrette and a flavorful lobster roll, Ed had a hamburger (of course!), and Lillie chose the Summer vegetable pie with basil peso, arugula, and parmesan - and loved it. Note: You can add poutine as a side! I love Canada. 

Summer vegetable pie with basil peso, arugula, and parmesan

Michelle and I split the green bean salad and lobster roll. GET THIS.

Even Lillie's Coke knew what was going on...

We chose scoops of refreshing gelato for dessert.

In all my travel planning, I never expected such a lovely meal, al fresco, with the falls and vineyards as our view, and the laughter and joy of dining with family and a new friend. 

This visit to île d'Orléans, unknowingly presaged by many boxes of the local strawberries eaten on our epic road trip at picnics all throughout Maritime and Atlantic Canada, was one of the best afternoons and meals I've ever had. Thank you, Michelle! WE LOVE YOU!

This island? It's magical. Stay as long as you can! 

My video all about that delicious ice wine didn't turn out (alas). So, take a look at another happy foodie:

For more Information:

http://www.vignoblesp.com/?lang=en#le-vignoble
http://tourisme.iledorleans.com/en
https://www.quebecoriginal.com/en

All photos courtesy and copyright Wandering Educators