THERE’S a reason the maple leaf is a proud symbol of Canada.
And this couldn’t have been more apparent as I tucked into my second helping of maple-drizzled sugar pie, while a log-burner crackled and fiery red leaves fell from the trees outside.
I was cosied up in a traditional sugar shack, buried in the depths of a maple forest, at the very southern tip of Canada’s French-speaking province of Quebec.
This rustic place, the Sucrerie de la Montagne, has been practising traditional methods for producing maple syrup for 45 years and it serves the sticky stuff with everything.
Beer? Absolutely. Coffee? Why not. Baked beans? Well, that’s a match made in heaven, owner of the shack Pierre Faucher tells us.
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Piled on the long wooden table in front of us is Pierre’s homemade, traditional sugar shack meal, or what looks like a twisted version of a classic Full English to me.
Thick slices of ham, pork sausages, baked beans and fluffy eggs next to mashed potato, homemade meat pie, jars of pickled beetroot and, of course, a HUGE bottle of maple syrup.
These sugar shacks are an institution in Quebec, but they aren’t the only place celebrating Canada’s beloved maple leaf.
And if it’s maple leaves you’re after, autumn is undoubtedly the best time to visit.
Ask any local and they’ll paint a picture of woodlands splashed with golden yellows and burnt oranges or sunsets over tranquil lakes that are so still they create a perfect reflection of its surroundings.
To observe the autumn colour in all its glory, Sentier des cimes in Laurentides has a tree-top walkway (£18.64pp, treetop-walks.com/laurentides), woven through a ruby red forest, that climbs to 130ft above the ground.
Or head to the ski resorts and hitch a gondola to the mountain peaks which offer a birds-eye view of colourful trees.
Better still, grab your walking shoes and hike to the top instead.
The resort at Mont Orford in the Eastern Townships has trails for varying abilities or Mont Tremblant, north of Montreal has a 1.4km luge track lacing through the trees.
We opted for the four-kilometre trail to Orford’s 850m peak, rewarding ourselves with a chilled cider at the top — a drink you won’t be hard pushed to find in these parts.
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Cideries have been cropping up across southern Quebec in recent years and the brew has become a firm favourite there.
Forget everything you think you know about cider, though, as these breweries are crafting something very different to the tinned stuff you find in the supermarket here in the UK.
Domaine Lafrance, a 45-minute drive from the city of Montreal, is known for its “ice cider” where the weather conditions need to be just right.
During the winter, the apples are left to naturally freeze in the orchard, then pressed to produce a fermented juice that’s almost syrupy in texture and deliciously sweet.
The dry champagne-esque cider at Michel Jodoin, was more to my taste, though.
On the opposite side of the St Lawrence river, this cidery was founded in 1901 with just 100 apple trees and has since become renowned in the region.
Visit at the weekend and you can listen to live music and tuck into hearty portions of mac and cheese next to the orchard.
If you prefer wine, the Hôtel Rive Gauche, a 25-minute drive from here, has one of the best wine restaurants in the world, with a cellar home to 17,000 bottles.
You won’t necessarily need to shell out a fortune though and you can sample some of the bottles alongside a reasonably-priced tasting menu (four courses for about £53pp).
Cheesy chips and gravy
We tucked into local dishes of delicate scallop with a tomato consomme and Louis D’Or, a famous nutty cheese distinct to this region of Canada.
When it comes to good food, though, nothing is more traditional and adored in this region than poutine — essentially cheesy chips and gravy, but served with local cheese curds instead.
Where can you find it? As this is its birthplace, pretty much anywhere — and you won’t need to spend more than a fiver for a healthy serving.
After gobbling my way through cheese curds and climbing rocky mountains, Spa Bolton, near Lake Memphremagog, was just the place to rest my weary legs.
This thermotherapy spa backs onto a waterfall and river, and the peaceful sound of flowing water lulled me into a sleepy afternoon slumber on my riverside hammock.
When you’ve had a decent stint in one of the bubbling hot tubs, saunas or eucalyptus steam room, the wellness staff here recommend dunking into the icy plunge pools, or better still, dipping straight into the river which is naturally chilled.
And that really is the beauty of this region — everything is interwoven with nature and its lush surroundings.
That’s especially true at Estérel Resort.
This plush hotel occupies a prime spot on Lac Dupuis and it has certainly made the most of its location.
There are outdoor spa pools surrounded by roaring fire pits, a small beachy area where you can dip into the lake and a pier with a barrel sauna right on the water.
Book a lake-view room that comes with an indoor fireplace and large balcony — the perfect spot to sip your morning coffee watching the mist skim the surface of the lake, just before the sun pierces through.
I ended my Quebec tour with a view that surpassed even this one — a hot-air balloon ride over the patchwork fields, watching Montreal’s skyscrapers rise into focus on the horizon.
It’s a guaranteed way to make sure you leave on a high.
