Marché BEAU in Beaconsfield part of West Island and off-island’s growing network of seasonal farmers’ markets

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In 2019 Les Amis du Village Beaurepaire launched their first season of Marché BEAU, a weekly farmers’ market featuring local growers and food-related purveyors. In two short years it has grown considerably, and this year Fieldfare Ave. at the corner ofBeaconsfield Blvd. will now be closed on Fridays from 3 to 6 p.m. to welcome families, foodies and friends.

“There is something special about a street closure,” said Dominque Godin, member of Les Amis du Village Beaurepaire and a Beaconsfield city councillor.

“Last year people told us that this was their activity of the week,” said Godin. “And this year we have hired a student market coordinator named Emilia Abergel who told us in her job interview that every Friday her family would go and get yummy food for dinner…that was their outing.”

The list of nearly a dozen weekly vendors includes Les jardins Carya, a West Island farm in Senneville, and Mediserre who specialize in local mushrooms, and there will be microgreens and edible floral-related offerings from Champ Floral.

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Bernie’s Greens will be harvesting a variety of greens, beets and bok choy and bringing them in from his farm in Rigaud, and Furley’s, the off-island craft butchery and bakery will come in from Hudson each week as well.

In addition to the weekly vendors, there is a rotating group that includes Fromagerie Montefino, Hudson Soap Co., and Tarterie Artisanale
Création Madeleine among others.

Marché BEAU continues Fridays until Sept. 17.

In addition to Marché BEAU there is a bumper crop of other farmers’ markets in the West Island and off-island region this summer.

The Valois Village Market in Pointe-Claire happens every Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the parking lot at 38 Donegani Ave. Tierra Viva Gardens, a community-scale farm located in Mirabel, brings in a wide variety of seasonal vegetables, fruit and fresh eggs; Les Jardins Gwenan, a small West-Island urban farm, harvests microgreens weekly; and local Majestic Bean Coffee is there as well.

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In Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, there is the ever-popular Marché Ste-Anne Saturdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. by the water at 23 Perrault St., and Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Mac Market is open at Macdonald College where all the produce for sale is grown on-site at the Horticultural Centre.

Off-island there is Le marché des Saveurs de l’Île Perrot on Wednesdays 3 to 7 p.m. in Parc des Générations at 150 boulevard Perrot on Île Perrot.

Farther afield there is the St-Lazare market every second Saturday of the month 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the parking lot of the town hall, 1960 Chemin Ste-Angélique. Featuring both agricultural producers and local craftsmen the next one is on June 12th.

As summer progresses, starting on July 7 and continuing every other Wednesday from 4 to 6:30 p.m., there will be a market in the Bob-Birnie Arena parking lot, 58 Maywood Ave., in Pointe-Claire. This market will be hosted by the Table de Quartier Sud de l’Ouest-de-l’Île (TQSOI) in collaboration with Bread Basket Lac St-Louis and is funded by the Direction régionale de santé publique.

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In mid-summer, the public market in the Pierrefonds-Roxboro borough will open on July 11, Sundays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Château-Pierrefonds park, located at 15928 Gouin Blvd.

In the east end of the borough, there will also be two social markets that sell fresh food at affordable prices to help improve food security in local vulnerable populations.

On Thursdays 4 to 7 p.m., July 8 to Oct. 14, the À-Ma-Baie social market will be outside the À-Ma-Baie chalet, 9625 Gouin Blvd.

Another one will be held at Cloverdale Park on Basswood Street, Wednesdays July 14, Aug. 11, Sept. 8 and Oct. 6, from 4 to 7 p.m.