The owner’s tour | Between the teaspoon and the 40 foot beam

Owners open the doors of their exceptional residence to us, offered on the resale market.

Christine Desjardins
special cooperation

Gastronomy is defined by the quality of the ingredients and the creativity of the chef. In this property in the Eastern Townships, the ingredients, which are essentially wood, stone and iron, come from the region. Creativity is that of the owner, whose job is to make others eat well. Wait, where are we, exactly? In the Real Estate or Gourmet section?

We are in the right place! It is here, in the peaceful and picturesque locality of Austin, a few wing strokes from the abbey of Saint-Benoît-du-Lac, that François Martel undertook to make his country nest. 25 years old.

It started with a crush on this large virgin land bordered by Lake Memphremagog. The food entrepreneur, who already had several projects on the go, initially went there to camp by the water, with the idea of ​​building himself one day. In 1999, a tornado knocked down a good bunch of trees on the ground, a little higher on the ground. It gave a boost to the clearing and “opened up the view of the lake,” recalls Mr. Martel. It is therefore up there, in this place which offers a breathtaking view of the lake, the mountains and the sunsets, that he decided to build himself.

From adze to crane

This property that we see today, made of noble materials and remarkable for its conviviality and the simplicity of its luxury, is the result of years of work. Both that of Mr. Martel, but also of the many trades and craftsmen who marched on the site. It even includes that of workers who lived in the 19th century.^e century. In fact, at the very beginning of the project, Mr. Martel bought a barn built around 1837. Each part of the building was numbered before being dismantled, transported and reassembled on his land. We imagine the work.

“We have no merit, tempers Mr. Martel, we did it with a crane. They used to ride it with horses and pulley systems. The man is still amazed at the quality of construction for the means of the time: 40-foot beams “adze-faced”, the system of mortises that held everything together, without nails. “We reassembled it as it was,” he explains.

Once in its new location, the barn was of course completely converted. Mr. Martel, his spouse and their two young children lived there from 2002 to 2008, while the construction of the other part of the house continued. In addition to managing the site, the owner admits to having spent many weekends handling the hammer and the saw himself.

Timeless

In this case, the owner’s idea was a continuation of the barn. “I wanted to keep the same concept. I wanted a country house, not a town house in the countryside, he explains. I made a silo, I worked with regional cabinetmakers, the lights were forged by a blacksmith from Rougemont, the floors are slate, the hearth is made of silica stones from Quebec…”

The living areas on the ground floor of the new part consist mainly of a professional kitchen, a dining room and a living room, in the middle of which stands the imposing four-sided fireplace. Memorable moments, there have been many here. There was even a benefit dinner that brought together 100 people, recalls Mr. Martel with amusement. “We took the furniture outside, we put 10 tables of 10 in the place. I said to the cooks: “Don’t bring anything, not even a bowl, I have everything!” »

life outside

Outside, asphalt and lawn without a strand sticking out are not on the menu. The ground is maintained without being manicured. In addition to the spaces left natural, the owner has favored gravel paths, fruit trees, berry plants and the vegetable garden. “I’m a picker,” summarizes the man from Saguenay. There is no swimming pool either. “We don’t want it! “, he launches, categorical. Swimming is down there in the lake. With 330 ft of shoreline, which includes a natural beach, there is room to splash around.

Space, there is just a little too much now that the children have left the nest. The one who is now dedicated to the Culinary Reserve, a ready-to-eat company he founded a few years ago, also wants to slow down a bit. Ride more, travel more often. “We don’t do the same things at 60 as at 40”, he summarizes.