Private tour going to a sugar shack in Quebec City?

[not in ks anymore]

Does anyone know of a private tour which would include sightseeing and a sugar shack visit/meal? We will be in Quebec City in May. Any advice or experience in visiting a sugar shack would be appreciated.

[Ephraim]

It's WAY past the season for that... you will likely need to form a rather large group to get them to open for the day.

 

Sugar shacks (erabière in French) is a very seasonal activity. It's like asking to go skiing in July. It's possible, but just not going to be the same.

[jp2001]

Some bigger touristic places are opened year round. I agree that it is not the "real thing" but it can still be interesting.

[Jade13]

What about at the end of August?

[YXU AC*SE]

I have to agree with Ephraim. Going to a cabane à sucre in May (or August for that matter) is like staring at an inoperable ski lift in the summer. Part of going to a sugar shack is going out into the bush via horse-drawn sledge to see the sap being collected, the boiling off process at the cabane, and eating pancakes outside in the cold drenched with warm maple syrup.

 

That said, I have held a corporate event at Érablière le Chemin du Roy (during sugaring off season), which is easily accessible from Québec, about 15 mins WSW of the city limits in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures. Their website is here: http://www.erabliere-cheminduroy.qc.ca/

 

If you somehow get to Île-d'Orléans, Le Relais de Pins (http://www.lerelaisdespins.com/ -- their website is only in French, but there is contact info there) in Sainte-Famille is a quick stop as well, where you can grab a bite to eat. I've stopped there for lunch when I've been touring around the island.

 

Scott.

[Ephraim]

I have to agree with Ephraim. Going to a cabane à sucre in May (or August for that matter) is like staring at an inoperable ski lift in the summer. Part of going to a sugar shack is going out into the bush via horse-drawn sledge to see the sap being collected, the boiling off process at the cabane, and eating pancakes outside in the cold drenched with warm maple syrup.

 

And how do you do "tire" (pronounced \ˈtir\) out of season? Do you think they could make icee with no flavour and put it on that?

 

It's really a very seasonal thing. I don't even know if you can find "oreille de crisse" out of season in Quebec. It's the sled. The walking around in the muck. The pouring syrup on everything, including the eggs and potatoes. The sitting at tables with other people and the dancing.

[YXU AC*SE]

For tire d'érable (maple taffy) I have seen done with shaved ice, versus snow.

 

 

Oreilles de crisse (literally translated from Québec vernacular is 'Christ's ears', but more formally known as grillades de lard) is fried salt pork for the uninitiated. Really it's an heart attack in waiting, but with all the maple syrup you're eating, it is really race to see if the adult onset diabetes will get you first.:D American equivalent would be a pork rind.

 

I guess advice to the OP, if you have your heart set on going, go, but please realize at best you'll only be getting about a third of the experience of if you were to go in season (early March-ish to mid-April -- depending on the weather -- the sap runs best when the temperatures range from -5C / 23F at night up to +5C / 40F in the day.)

 

 

Scott.

[not in ks anymore]

Thanks to all for your advice. The ship has a tour going to a sugar shack, so I didn't know it would be off season for the real thing. It looks as though it might be better to wait until another time, rather than participate in a tourist trap sort of evening. My original idea was to circumvent the ship tour cost of $99 pp and arrange our own tour for 4 for about 1/2 that amount. Given the fact it is a 15 minute taxi ride to & from, I'm not sure it is really feasible. We'll either have to bite the bullet and pay $99 for a $28 meal and transportation or wait until another trip. I appreciate your advice.

[travelbig]

Our roll call group had a good tour with toursvieuxquebec.com .

For English click on Old Quebec Tours, then click on City and Country Tours.

We went on the second one down on the list. Saw a lot, stopped a lot, and the island is really beautiful.

[not in ks anymore]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

[travelbig]

I just remembered, the viator.com half day tour goes to the island too.

Don't know how it compares in price.