Review: La Maison de l’Île d’Orléans

La Maison de l’Île d’Orléans reinvents the bed and breakfast concept as a bed and brunch. Their motto: Every day Sunday. It is the winner of the 2022 Quebec Guest House of the Year, awarded by the Travel & Hospitality Awards.

Here, relaxation is the order of the day. Discover this guesthouse that offers two rooms of superior comfort and a four-course gourmet brunch in the morning. In the midst of preparing for the next season, the hosts invited Milesopedia to discover and test the new menu.

The Maison de l’Île d’Orléans opens only in summer, from May to October.

Reservations can be made directly on their website or on Booking.com. It is also possible to contact the hosts directly by email to make reservations.

The rate includes the room and the next day’s brunch for two people.

As an independent institution, the points to be used for savings are flexible travel points that are redeemable for a statement credit. You could use American Express Membership Rewards points, CIBC Aventura points or National Bank À la carte Rewards points.

For example, you’d need 24,400 Amex Membership Rewards points, 19,520 CIBC Aventura points or 29,280 NBC Rewards points to cover the $244 room rate.

The guest house has two rooms on the first floor. Both are identical and offer a magnificent view of the river.

The queen bed has an adjustable mechanized headboard. The memory foam mattress is extremely comfortable, guaranteeing a good night’s sleep.

In the rooms, there are USB outlets to charge your electronic devices, high-speed wifi and a smart TV.

On the first floor are the living room, the dining room and the chef’s kitchen. In summer, meals are served outside except in case of very bad weather.

Each room has a private bathroom of remarkable size for a bed and breakfast. The large glass shower is equipped with a rain head.

Toilet essentials are all provided: hair dryer, shampoo, shower gel and a small vanity kit.

The highlight of this guesthouse is its four-course gourmet brunch. The owners were inspired by the breakfasts served in the great Relais & Châteaux inns in France for their concept.

Yves Blanchette, chef and co-owner, takes pleasure in cooking with local products from Île d’Orléans. In partnership with a variety of local farms and producers, the vast majority of the ingredients used in the dishes come from the island.

The menu consists of two appetizers, a main egg dish and a dessert.

All this is accompanied by a mocktail and a hot drink of your choice (coffee, hot chocolate, tea, etc.)

Each plate is presented, served, and explained with care.

The menu changes according to the chef’s wishes. His repertoire consists of more than 40 different dishes and you can specify your food preferences. Please note that there are no vegetarian or vegan options.

For my part, I tasted the Mimosa quail eggs, a beet carpaccio with salmon gravlax, a soft-boiled egg on a broccoli emulsion and a chiboust cream with strawberry jam. The mocktail served was a sparkling strawberry and mint drink.

For those who don’t have time to stay at the table for more than two hours to enjoy the four courses, the chef offers an Express formula.

It is a single hearty dish, also served with a mocktail and a hot drink.

I tried the smoked salmon bagel and the Mec Muffin, a twist on the classic breakfast sandwich. The whole thing was absolutely delicious.

The Maison de l’Île d’Orléans has a heated salt water pool. It is the only lodging on the island with a swimming pool.

The large courtyard offers a petanque lane and a croquet lawn. A campfire pit is also available.

The establishment is located in the village of Saint-Jean-de-l’Île-d’Orléans, about 20 minutes from the bridge linking Quebec City to the island. The St. Lawrence River is just a few steps from the door.

Parking is free.

The location is ideal for a walk in the village and watching the impressive liners sailing on the river.

Open in summer, the Mitan Road allows you to cross from north to south. Otherwise, the Royal Road is the road that goes around the whole Île d’Orléans.

The owners, Sylvie Lavoie and Yves Blanchette, are very kind and will do everything possible to ensure that your stay will meet your expectations. Their bed and brunch is a warm house with hotel-like comfort.

I strongly recommend that you stay there for one night en route for a longer roadtrip or for a weekend getaway.

The gastronomic lunch is gourmet, well thought out and will satisfy your hunger until the afternoon.

Île d’Orléans is a popular summer destination for agrotourism. Visitors come for the quiet countryside and the abundance of local producers. It’s a food lover’s paradise and I left feeling inspired (and with a car trunk full of local ingredients!).

The ride around the island can be done by car or by bike. The road is dotted with farms and establishments where you can taste and buy products at the source.

During my stay, I visited a blackcurrant producer, a microbrewery and a poultry farm. I am already looking forward to my visit this summer to see everything Île d’Orléans has to offer.