Les Vergers Lafrance
Quebec

Three generations of apple growers and a natural gift for extracting the very best from the land…

Les Vergers Lafrance is the story of three generations of apple growers whose hard work and passion has resulted in a prestigious estate where know-how passed on from fathers to sons is a precious gift.

Éric Lafrance and his wife, Julie Hubert, took over Les Vergers Lafrance in the 1990s, along with the rich heritage Éric’s father, Yvon Lafrance, and grandfather, George-Étienne Lafrance, helped cultivate.

Éric and Julie quickly infused the family business with renewed energy by seeking new and promising markets for their apples to shine in. Éric discovered an affinity for cider-making, and spent the next years experimenting with finding the right mix of apples that, after pressing, vatting and fermentation, would produce premium cider.

Éric and family now market 15 artisanal ciders, all made using state-of-the-art equipment recommended by the finest winegrowers in France and Italy. Éric is known for using an astonishing variety of apples to create his ciders, but also for producing a rich array of cider types, i.e. still, sparking, flavoured and ice ciders. After retailing strictly at the estate’s Country Store at first, some branches of the SAQ liquor commission eventually began carrying the ciders.

The ciders, especially the Domaine Lafrance ice cider, have become so popular, they are now found in every SAQ branch across Québec. Today, Domaine Lafrance ciders are international award-winning products, exported as far as France, China and Japan.

The mix of patience, rigour, passion and determination has made Domaine Lafrance a worldwide leader in the cider industry.