Île d'Orléans is located in the St. Lawrence River about 20 km to the east of Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. It is 32 km long and 8 km wide. It was originally called Minigo by the Huron. The French explorer Jacques Cartier first set foot on the island in 1535 near what is now the village of Saint-François. He called it Île de Bacchus because of the abundance of wild grapes growing on the island. The name was later changed to Île d'Orléans in honour of the King of France. The island was one of the first parts of the province to be settled by the French, and a large percentage of French Canadians can trace their ancestry to the island. The Saint Lawrence River (French fleuve Saint-Laurent) is a large west-to-east flowing river in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. ... Motto: Don de Dieu feray valoir (Gift of God shall make prosper) Area: 547. ... This article describes the Canadian province. ... This article is about the First Nations people, the Wyandot, also known as the Huron. ... Jacques Cartier (Saint-Malo, France, December 31, 1491 - January 19, 1557) was a French explorer who is popularly thought of one of the major discoverers of Canada, or more specifically, the interior region that would be part of the first area that could become that nation. ... Events January 18 - Lima, Peru founded by Francisco Pizarro June 24 - The Anabaptist state of Münster is conquered and disbanded. ... Bacchus by Caravaggio The god Dionysus is occasionally confused with one of several historical figures named Dionysius, a theophoric name that simply means [servant] of Dionysus. ... Kings ruled in France from the Middle Ages to 1848. ... French Canadian is a term that has several different connotations. ...

The Île d'Orléans is 75 km in circumference. It was granted the status of National Historic District in 1970. Since 1940 access to the island has been by the Pont d'Île bridge. The crossing connects to the Chemin Royal (Royal Road) which encircles the island. At the village of Sainte-Pétronille toward the western end of the island there is a viewpoint from which one can see the impressive Chute Montmorency (Montmorency Falls) as well as a panorama of the St. Lawrence River and Quebec City. The Manoir Mauvide-Genest was constructed in 1734 for Jean Mauvide, a surgeon for the King of France. The manoir was occupied by General Wolfe when the island was occupied by the British forces in 1759 shortly before the Battle of the Plains of Abraham. Canada has a program for designation and preservation of National Historic Sites. ... 1970 was a common year starting on Thursday. ... 1940 was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Montmorency Falls in the summer. ... Events January 8 - Premiere of George Frideric Handels opera Ariodante at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. ... Categories: 1727 births | 1759 deaths | British Army generals | Canadian historical figures | Quebec | French and Indian War people | Canadian people stubs ... 1759 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The Battle of the Plains of Abraham, fought September 13, 1759, was a decisive battle of the French and Indian War, the North American theatre of the Seven Years War. ...

Today the island is a mix of suburban communities and farms, and is a popular destination for daytrippers and bicyclists. The island is still a very rural place famous locally for its produce, especially its strawberries, apples and potatoes. There are also sugar maple stands producing maple syrup and other products. Maple syrup is a sweetener made from the sap of maple trees. ...

The island comprises the towns of Sainte-Famille, Saint-François, Saint-Jean-d'Orléans, Saint-Laurent-de-l'Île-d'Orléans, Sainte-Pétronille, and Saint-Pierre-de-l'Île-d'Orléans

External link

• Île d'Orléans community information and website (http://www.iledorleans.com/ang/k/k_index.html)