GETTING AWAY
Chalet is isolated, but has all the comforts of home
Most urbanites dream, at one time or another, to get away from it all. Well, for Pierre Jérôme and his family, it’s not wishful thinking any more. All they need to do is hop on their boat — or snowmobile in winter — and, 15 minutes later, they are far away from the hustle and bustle of civilization, noise, traffic, people. Why a boat or snowmobile? Because their chalet is not accessible by road. It is not on an island, but tucked away in a secluded bay on Lac Tremblant in the Laurentians, north of Montreal.
This peculiar location has a few unmistakable drawbacks. Three months of the year — December, January, April — it is impossible to reach the chalet because the ice is too thin. There is one limited option during those months, however, you can strap on a backpack and trek your way through the forest that surrounds the chalet, but you better have a good GPS. Careful planning is necessary with each visit. Forgetting bread, eggs or milk may mean a frugal breakfast the next morning.
But according to Jérôme this is just a small price to pay for total peace and quiet. And being isolated, without being connected to the electrical grid or water distribution network, doesn’t mean rustic living. This luxurious chalet is equipped with all the comfort one would come to expect in this day and age.
Propane gas and solar electric panels provide power, while water is pumped in directly from the lake and filtered through a treatment system.
There are also amenities offered by neighbouring businesses — the installation of the dock in the spring and its removal in the fall, as well as a barge and pontoon service to deliver construction materials and other supplies. It is through this service that the chalet was built in 2002 by a local company specializing in this type of construction. So, when Jérôme purchased it in 2008, all it needed was some refurbishment.
Outside, the deck running on two sides of the cabin was rebuilt with cedar and a screened gazebo was added. Inside, the kitchen and bathrooms were renovated. The wood for the exterior and interior of the cabin is pine, the logs fitted by the tongue-and-groove method, which is used in high-end construction to hide the unavoidable shrinkage of the wood. The A-frame facade is mostly glass, offering a spectacular view of the lake and forest as well as letting in plenty of light and passive heat.
The ground floor (46 X 30 feet) includes the living room, kitchen and dining area, including a cozy corner for reading with its own wood stove. The other stove, facing the sofa, is raised for a better view of the fire and is backed by a 20-foot stone wall going all the way up to the ceiling. Here, and throughout the chalet, the furniture and ornamentation could be described as country chic, rustic yet elegant.
Jérôme’s spouse, who presided over the interior decoration, made sure it was above all comfortable and easy to care for. To reduce the chores of housework while at the chalet, the family employs a caretaker who makes sure everything is spic and span and that the pantry is well stocked when they arrive.
The renovation work in the kitchen included repainting the cupboards cobalt blue, a colour not often used in kitchens but that works quite well to delineate the space. A granite countertop
was added to the L-shaped island, matching the other countertops and the backsplash. The cooking range and the refrigerator are powered by propane gas, just like the washer and dryer.
The master bedroom can also be found on the ground floor and is separated from the living room by a sliding door. On the interior wall of the room, high above the living room, three long window openings provide extra light. The room is small, and wood is omnipresent from floor to ceiling. The furniture, accessories and light fixtures were chosen with care to enhance instead of clash with the country feeling. The padded headboard of the queen-size bed is made of leather, so is one of the cushions and the decorative strip in the bedspread.
In this home, guests can enjoy total privacy as their bedroom is
on the mezzanine, which offers a stunning view of the whole living room. The 340-square-foot second floor includes an alcove that can be turned into sleeping quarters if needed. In the guest bathroom, travertine tiles (natural stone with beautiful patterns and earth tones) were used for the shower and the elevated platform. The toilet was installed on an elevated platform to accommodate the plumbing. The waste flows to an Ecoflo biofilter, a state-of-the-art septic tank. The technology meets all the requirements of Environment Canada and is recommended in such a sensitive ecosystem and is inspected every year.
For the Jérôme family, nature is to be preserved but also enjoyed, and they make the most of it. With five acres of land to their name and direct access to the lake, they engage in many aquatic sports, from canoeing and kayaking, to trekking in nearby Parc du MontTremblant, which is just behind their property. These activities are followed by a relaxing time around the open campfire pit in the backyard.
However, their idyllic escapades in the Laurentian mountains will soon come to an end. Jérôme has recently relocated to Toronto for business and it is with sadness that he has put his beloved country retreat up for sale.
“You just can’t have everything,” he said.
He is quite aware that the property is most unusual due to its location and limited access. But he is confident it will find the right buyer, “someone seeking the thrill of adventure,” who will appreciate its comfort, low impact on the environment and, of course, living right up close with nature.
The house is listed for sale for $1.695 million by Engel & Volkers Tremblant, 819-429-0674, email michel.naud@evcanada.com.