
Explore ORCHARDS
The first orchards in the Mont Saint-Hilaire Biosphere Reserve date back to 1751. Many orchard plots have disappeared over the past century, making way for forests or urban development. However, some orchards still exist around the edge and along the sides of the Mont Saint-Hilaire, which gives it a bucolic feel in the springtime, and adorns it with colour in the fall. The orchards form a protective green belt around the mountain, which is why it is important to maintain these productions. This combination of mountain and orchards is likely what draws so many visitors to this area during apple season, and why apple growing is so successful in this region. The apples and cider from these orchards give the city its regional and international renown.