That’s it, summer vacation’s over, and Montreal is filling up with students, and the finance bros are putting their BOSS suits back on – and we’re all heading back to the office.
Autumn will also bring one of Quebec’s most beautiful seasons: color. It’s when the leaves on the trees turn yellow, red and orange – and when the streets smell of pumpkin spice latte.
After the walk in the woods and the pumpkin patch, we propose a weekend (perhaps Thanksgiving weekend) on a sublime island full of history and mystery.
It’s a bit far from Montreal – almost 5 hours away – but Isle-aux-Coudres is well worth the detour. If you’re visiting Quebec City, it’s much closer, a 1h50min drive away…
It’s one of those islands where time has stood still, and an aura of legend reigns.
Isle-aux-Coudres
Technically, “Isle-aux-Coudres” is the municipality located on l’île-aux-coudres.
The island, which is 10km long and 4km wide, is in the middle of the St. Lawrence River – between Baie Saint-Paul and Les Éboulements.It faces the Charlevoix region, which is also one of the most beautiful in Quebec.
You can get there by ferry or by plane, but the easiest way is to hop on the boat from Charlevoix and enjoy the view all the way to the island.
You can get there by car, but we recommend bringing your bike; you can cycle around the island (about 23km) very easily to see everything. There’s the mill, the farms, a 2-day itinerary by clicking here. And, of course, there’s a pit stop at the mysterious Roche Pleureuse…
Isle-aux-Coudres legend: La Roche Pleureuse
Near one of the rocky shores of Isle-aux-Coudres, there’ s a large rock that “cries”. Water flows from it constantly, all year round, and in addition to the geological oddity (which was quickly debunked when we found a small hole from which the water flows) of this viewpoint, there’s a local legend that explains the inexplicable…
Here’s the legend;
“That summer of 1805, Charles Desgagnés, at the head of his men at sea, was about to embark earlier than usual on his voyage to the “old country”; he wanted to be back at Isle-aux-Coudres by the last fine days of September to get married. By the end of May, his three-masted schooner loaded with square timber was ready for departure. After an evening of dancing, the crew bid farewell.
As for Charles’ fiancée, she spent the summer preparing the dwelling already built on the tip of the island, since this is where they would be living after their wedding. By the end of September, her trousseau had been completed, and she was beginning to feel the clock ticking. Not an afternoon went by without her going to sit on a stone by the sea. In the evenings, she would return slowly to her father, who told her that some sailing ships in windless seas took even longer to make the trip.
When the weather had cooled and the flocks of geese had finished flying over the island, Louise had to content herself with gazing out of the gable window at the sea.
It was a long winter without entertainment, and as soon as the ice disappeared, she got into the habit of spending the whole day on the tip of the island, weeping and recounting her sorrows to herself in hushed tones. One evening in May, Louise didn’t return home.
For several days, all the islanders searched for her. One morning, stepping over tall clumps of sea grass, her father paused for a long time to look at a large stone surrounded by wildflowers, under which a trickle of water was escaping. After resting his head on the large stone, he beckoned the men back to their lodgings.
Louise, transformed into a stone, has been mourning her fiancé, lost at sea, ever since.” – Municipality of Isle-aux-Coudres
And also… to visit on Île-aux-Coudres
The Moulins de l’Île-aux-Coudres
In addition to its history dating back to the earliest days of colonization, the island is also known for its windmills. From mid-May to mid-October, you can even visit them.
These are grain mills (wheat, buckwheat and rye flour), and you can take part in a workshop on freshly ground flour, or take some home with you!
Where? 36 Chemin du Moulin, Île-aux-Coudres
When? May 16 to October 13, 2025, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
How much?
ADULT: $13.92
BABY (5 years and under): FREE
CHILDREN (ages 6 to 15 inclusive): $6.96
FAMILY PACKAGE I: $29.79
(2 adults and 1 child)
FAMILY PACKAGE II: $34.79
(2 adults + 2 or more children)
DISABLED PERSON: $7 (accompanying adult free)
Cidrerie et Vergers Pedneault
Apple season is starting… and Pedneault Orchards, a family-run apple producer since 1918, is one of the best places to pick apples.
You can pick your own, taste ciders, and take home rose salt (we don’t know what it tastes like, but we’re really intrigued).
Where? 75 Chemin de la Traversée, Isle-aux-Coudres
When? Pick-your-own opens August 30, 2025, weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
How much? you pay for what you pick, IN CASH ONLY
Enjoy your visit to île-aux-coudres!