It was very hot this summer, and now that the air is cooling down and the blossoms have fallen from the trees, you can even spot little apples on the streets of Montreal and in the parks.
It’s apple season, and it officially begins in September (today, September 1). And for the season, we know where we’re going to pick apples—in an orchard at the foot of a European-style castle.
Depending on whether the weather is nice or not, the Abbey of Saint-Benoît-du-Lac (technically, not a castle) has a fairy-tale atmosphere or a gothic romantic feel. Its orchards will be open every weekend starting September 5, 2026.
THE ABBEY OF SAINT-BENOÎT-DU-LAC
The Abbey, a European-style building that gives it the look of an old-world castle, was completed in 1952. It is home to a congregation of Benedictine monks, who have been settled on the Lac Memphrémagog peninsula since 1912. The congregation’s motto is “in beauty and peace.”
The building is geometric and modern, yet constructed in the rationalist monastic tradition. The interior, organized into geometric shapes and featuring tones that evoke the colors of the Eastern Townships forest, is a must-see if you’re visiting the Abbey.
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The monks at the Abbey live in seclusion from the world, praying and working according to the Rule of Saint Benedict. They have orchards, a cider house, and a cheese dairy—the products are sold in a small on-site shop. You can also stay overnight at the Abbey of Saint-Benoît-du-Lac or go to pray in the church.
Every fall, the Abbey opens its orchards to the public for apple season, and you can go pick your own apples and take a stroll there on weekends starting September 5, 2026, through Thanksgiving.
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THE SACRED APPLE PICKING AND THE ABBEY’S ORCHARDS
The orchards at the Abbey of Saint-Benoît-du-Lac are lovingly tended year-round by the monks and contain more than 3,500 apple trees. You can pick your own apples there, or pick up a bag of apples from the Abbey and go for a walk. The view alone is worth the trip.
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APPLE PICKING AT THE ABBEY OF SAINT-BENOÎT-DU-LAC
EARLY SEPTEMBER
Red Free, SunnyBrook, Paulared, Sunrise, Lobo
MID-SEPTEMBER
Mcspur, Jonamac, MacIntosh (early variety), Summerland, Redcort, Silken, Ginger Gold
LATE SEPTEMBER
Gala, Honeycrisp, McIntosh, Royal Cort, Belmac
OCTOBER
Cortland, Fameuse, Haralson, Honeygold, Empire, Liberty, Spartan, Golden Russet
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PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Where? Saint-Benoît-du-Lac Abbey, 1 Principale Street, Saint-Benoît-du-Lac, QC
When? The orchards are open Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., from September 5, 2026, through Thanksgiving (October 12, 2026).
What?
Apple prices:
All varieties except Honeycrisp = $1.50/lb
Honeycrisp = $2.50/lb
Pears = $2/lb
