Quebec
Quebec’s food festivals: Montréal en Lumière, 18 to 28 February 2027, and the province’s classics, from maple syrup to poutine and Montréal bagels.
At a glance
- Home of Montréal en Lumière, 18 to 28 February 2027
- Canada’s French-speaking province, on the St. Lawrence River
- The heartland of maple syrup and the birthplace of poutine
- Montréal is its largest city, Quebec City its capital
- 1food festival
Food festivals in Quebec
Matias Garabedian from Montreal, Canada, CC BY-SA
Cities and towns in Quebec
abdallahh from Montréal, Canada, CC BYMap of Quebec
What to taste in Quebec
Maple syrup (sirop d’érable)
Made in early spring in the sugar shacks of the province, also sold as maple taffy on snow.
Poutine
Fries topped with fresh cheese curds and hot gravy.
Tourtière
A spiced meat pie of Quebec home cooking.
Fromage en grains (cheese curds)
Fresh curds that squeak when eaten, the base of poutine.
Quebec’s winter festival is Montréal en Lumière, at the end of February, when guest chefs from abroad cook with some of Montréal’s best tables, says Tourisme Montréal. The province lies along the St. Lawrence River, and French is its official language.
The sugar shack calendar
| Season | What to eat |
|---|---|
| Late February | Guest chefs’ menus at Montréal en Lumière |
| Early spring | Maple syrup and taffy on snow at the sugar shacks |
| All year | Poutine, cheese curds, tourtière |
A sugar shack (cabane à sucre) is a farm where maple sap is boiled into syrup. Many serve a hearty set meal in the season.
The Office québécois de la langue française gives the sugaring season (temps des sucres) four to five weeks, from mid-March to the end of April: the sap runs well when the trees freeze at night and thaw by day.
Maple country in figures
Quebec is the leading maple syrup producer and supplies 73% of world production on average, says the Quebec government.
| In 2024 | Quebec |
|---|---|
| Farms holding a production quota | 7,838 |
| Taps in production | 54 million |
| Syrup produced | 239 million pounds (about 108,000 tonnes) |
| International exports | 704.8 million Canadian dollars |
- Where: Chaudière-Appalaches holds 47% of the quota-holding farms, ahead of the Estrie (13%) and the Centre-du-Québec (12%).
- Four grades: golden (delicate taste), amber (rich), dark (robust) and very dark (strong).
- A national day: the Journée nationale de l’érable falls on the third Sunday of October.
Montréal and Quebec City
- Montréal: the largest city, home of Montréal en Lumière and of the bagel and smoked meat shops.
- Quebec City: the capital, with the walled old town on the cliff above the river.
Reading a Quebec menu
- Cabane à sucre: a sugar shack, and the meal served there in spring.
- Tire d’érable: maple taffy, hot syrup poured on snow and rolled on a stick.
- Cretons: a spiced pork spread, eaten on toast at breakfast.
Before you go
- Language: French is the sole official language.
- Winter: Montréal en Lumière runs in late February, in the cold.
- Alcohol: the minimum legal age to buy alcohol in Quebec is 18.
- Getting there: Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) is the main gateway.
Frequently asked questions
When is Montréal en Lumière?
From 18 to 28 February 2027. The 2026 edition ran from 27 February to 6 March.
What is the legal drinking age in Quebec?
18.
What food is Quebec known for?
Maple syrup, poutine, tourtière and fresh cheese curds. In Montréal, bagels and smoked meat.