Hemmingford is a township and village in Les Jardins-de-Napierville Regional County Municipality in Québec's Montérégie region. The municipalities have populations of 1,900 and 755, respectively, in 2016. Its primary attraction is an African safari park zoo near the US border.

Understand

The village of Hemmingford is surrounded by the Township of Hemmingford. The centre of the village is at the intersection of Route 219 and Route 202.

The township of Hemmingford is located due south of Montreal in the Jardins-de-Napierville in the Montérégie region, in the south-east corner of the former Huntingdon County. Known for their apple farms, Hemmingford is home to Petch Apple Orchards, one of the largest in Quebec.

The township's southern border is the Canada–United States border with Clinton County, in New York State.

History

Founded in 1799 by United Empire Loyalists, Hemmingford was colonised by the Irish, English and Scottish, and named for Hemingford village in Huntingdon County, England.

In 1852, the Montreal-New York Railway Company opened a line from Caughnawaga to Hemmingford, a 29-mile route. This line was the second railway to cross the Canada-US border, and contributed effectively to the development of the territory.

Since 2017, thousands of people have fled the United States into Canada across the border at Hemmingford and other places. These people are nationals of third countries who were afraid of being deported by the United States. Once in Canada, these migrants turn themselves in to police and claim refugee status.

Get in

Les Jardins-de-Napierville is an easy day trip by car from Montréal. Autoroute 15 runs 60 km south from Montréal to Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, where it crosses the international border to I-87 in Champlain. I-87 continues south through Plattsburgh and Albany (New York) to New York City.

Hemmingford is west of the freeway; Lacolle is east.

Get around

Take the car. While a few portions of the safari park are pedestrian-friendly, others require an enclosed vehicle as protection against wild animals.

Do

A vehicle stopping at a zebra crossing

• Zoo Parc Safari, 850 Route 202 at Roxham Road, Hemmingford (A-15 exit 6 westbound), ☏ +1 450-247-2727, fax: +1 450-247-3563. Late spring to early autumn. African safari and kids amusement park. Waterpark, store, restaurants, picnic areas and pony rides. $20/person. 
• Hemmingford Golf and Country Club, 313 Route 219, Hemmingford, ☏ +1 450-247-2445, fax: +1 450-247-3151. Two 18-hole courses, one public and one private/members-only. $30-40 (18 holes), cart $10-20/person. 
• Parc Regional St-Bernard, 219, rang Saint-André, Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, ☏ +1 450-246-2598. Snowshoeing, skating, cross-country sky, hiking, orienteering, mini golf. 

Buy

The town supports many commercial apple growers; cideries and wineries include Du Minot, Domaine du Salamandre, and PomiVerde.

• Verger Hemmingford (formerly Domaine Neige, and La face cachée de la pomme), 617 Route 202 East, ☏ +1 450-247-2899, fax: +1 450-247-2690. Reopening to the public in Autumn 2019. The largest producer of ice cider in Canada. (updated Dec 2018)
• Vignoble le Chat Botte, 633 Route 202, ☏ +1 450-247-2839. Apr May and late Oct-late Dec: Sa Su 12:00-16:00; June to mid-Oct: W-Su 11:00-17:00; out of season: open by appointment. One of Quebec's few wineries. Open for tastings. (updated Dec 2018)
• Les vergers ecologiques Philion, 389 Route 202, ☏ +1 450-247-3133. Open in Autumn for picking, and by appointment at other times. They have a wide variety of apple and pear varieties that you can pick yourself, and a variety of apple, honey and maple products including ciders and ice ciders. (updated Dec 2018)
• Sharon Mark Art, 582 Avenue Fortin, ☏ +1 450-247-2947. Daily 10:00-17:00. Naive landscape art in acrylic. (updated Dec 2018)

Eat

• Café Hemmingford, 475 rue Frontière, Hemmingford, ☏ +1 450-247-0009. 
• Cantine Du Coin, 511 rue Frontière, Hemmingford, ☏ +1 450-247-2608. 

Drink

• Wit's End, 488 rue Frontière, Hemmingford, ☏ +1 450-247-3597. Pub. 

Sleep

Hotel and motel

• Motel Louis G, 613A QC Route 219, ☏ +1 450-247-0422. 
• Hotel St. Bernard, 115 Chemin Guay, Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, ☏ +1 450-246-4000, toll-free: +1-877-246-4007. Hotel and camp ground. 
• Motel Pavillon J.P., 227, chemin Roxham, St-Bernard-de-Lacolle, ☏ +1 450-247-2346. 

B&B

• Frontière B & B, 443 Frontière, ☏ +1 450-247-2825. 

Camping

• Camping Canne de bois, 306 Route 219, ☏ +1 450-247-2031, toll-free: +1-800-770-7977. 

Connect

• Bibliothèque d'Hemmingford, 552, ave. Goyette, ☏ +1 450-247-0010. Tu-W 15:00-17:00, Th 18:30-20:30, Sa 09:00-12:00. Local branch of Montérégie regional library network, Wi-Fi, conversational French and Spanish lessons, art/craft workshops, children's books readings. Free. 

Go next

Routes through Hemmingford

Montréal ← Brossard ←

N  S

→ → Becomes → Champlain → Albany