Cheese Travel in Canada

The Cheese Regions

Quebec

The Route des fromages splits the province into 15 circuits. In the Eastern Townships, visit the Abbaye de Saint-Benoît-du-Lac and Fromagerie La Station. Near Quebec City, Les Fromages de l'isle d'Orléans makes the Paillasson behind a big window, and Charlevoix has tastings at Migneron. On Lac Saint-Jean, the Musée de la Vieille Fromagerie Perron tells the cheddar story. Closer to Montreal, there are the Abbaye d'Oka shop, the Jean-Talon and Atwater markets and the Friday evening parties at the Fromagerie du Presbytère.

Ontario

The Oxford County Cheese Trail links more than 30 stops around Ingersoll, Woodstock and Tillsonburg, centred on the Ingersoll Cheese Museum. East of Ottawa, Fromagerie St-Albert has a free gallery over its factory floor. In the Trent Hills, Empire in Campbellford and Ivanhoe in Madoc run factory stores. Two festivals bracket the summer: the Great Canadian Cheese Festival in June and the Wellesley Apple Butter and Cheese Festival in September.

British Columbia

The farm visits are on the islands. Salt Spring Island Cheese has windows into every room of its goat dairy and free samples, and Little Qualicum Cheeseworks near Parksville offers a free self-guided farm tour. Natural Pastures in Courtenay sells from its factory shop, and in the Okanagan, Upper Bench in Penticton pairs its own cheese with its wines.

The Maritimes

On Prince Edward Island, COWS Creamery lets you look into the cave where Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar ages. In Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley, Fox Hill Cheese House in Port Williams has a viewing window on cheesemaking days.

When to Go

• All year: Saint-Benoît-du-Lac, La Station, St-Albert, the Ingersoll museum, Fox Hill, Salt Spring and the city markets.
• May: Mountainoak's Big Cheese Days on Saturdays near New Hamburg, Ontario. The Fromagerie du Presbytère Friday evenings start in late May.
• June: the Great Canadian Cheese Festival (13 and 14 June 2026, Peterborough). The Perron museum opens on 1 June, and Île d'Orléans in early June.
• July and August: the high season in Quebec, when the guided visits at Saint-Benoît-du-Lac (late June to early September) and La Station's guided tours run, and terraces and dairy bars are open.
• September: the Wellesley festival on the last Saturday. The Perron museum closes on 30 September.
• October to May: Île d'Orléans closes in mid-October and dairy bars such as Boivin shorten their hours, but most shops stay open.

Suggested Routes

Eastern Townships, Two Days From Montreal

Drive to Missiska in Bedford, then on to Saint-Benoît-du-Lac for the abbey shop and vespers. Stay in Magog or North Hatley, and spend the next morning at La Station in Compton, with a grilled cheese for lunch.

Quebec City and Charlevoix

Cross to Île d'Orléans for the Paillasson and a platter on the terrace, then follow the river to Baie-Saint-Paul for the tasting at Migneron and curds from the Laiterie Charlevoix shop. Fromagerie St-Fidèle is in La Malbaie, further along the coast.

Oxford County, One Day From Toronto

Start at the Ingersoll Cheese Museum, book a tour at Gunn's Hill near Woodstock, then stop at the Bright factory shop. On the last Saturday of the month, add the Mountainoak tour. The trail page has the full route.

Getting Around

You need a car. The farm dairies are on rural roads, and few have bus service. Montreal's markets are on the metro (Jean-Talon and Lionel-Groulx stations), and Toronto's St. Lawrence Market is downtown. For Salt Spring Island take a BC Ferries crossing, and for Vancouver Island farms drive up the island from Nanaimo.

Smaller Stops

These makers and shops take visitors but are small enough to cover in a line. Hours change with the season, so check before you drive out.