The Orléans apple from Île d’Orléans is making its debut on store shelves in the Quebec City region. Sweet, juicy and incredibly crisp, the Orléans apple has it all. This new variety, developed on Île d’Orléans and dubbed the “perfect” apple, is finally hitting the market after 24 years of dedicated effort.
From blossom to seed, with a rigorous analysis of texture, sweetness, acidity and fermentation potential, the Orléans apple boasts excellent shelf life, and its flavour only improves over time.
Apple grower François Turcotte and retired agronomist and hybridizer Serge Mantha developed this new variety at the Turcotte Orchards on Île d’Orléans.
I traveled to the island to uncover all the secrets of the Orléans apple.
Below is my report in French for Le Téléjournal Québec, broadcast on Radio-Canada in the fall of 2024.