The owner’s tour | A spaceship in Saint-Ferréol!

If Pierre-Yves Charest bought this house two years ago, it was because of its exceptional location, surrounded by nature, in Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges.

Eric Clement
Press

A property dating from 2001, of nearly 600,000 sq.^⁠2, in the middle of conifers and with a panoramic view of the Mont-Sainte-Anne ski resort. “In winter, the house is magnificent with its large white coat lying on the ground,” says Catherine Lebel-Lehoux, spouse of Pierre-Yves Charest. The exterior walls, the low walls and the roof are in snow! It is majestic. ”

The curvaceous design defined by the American firm Drezner Architecture (and applied by the Quebec architect Gilles Laflamme) gives it an unusual character.

“It’s a house with a complex structure, particular ceilings and very original windows,” says Ms. Lebel-Lehoux. When we are inside, we do not realize this complexity, because it is fun and pleasant. ”

The couple have four young children. The house, used for holidays, was perfect for practicing outdoor sports with them. Access to cross-country ski or bike trails is just at the end of the field. “The house has allowed us to enjoy family time and play outside during all seasons,” adds the latter.

Need a little love

For two years, the couple has restored this house which needed a little love. “We completely sanded the wood floors, which gave the house some warmth,” explains Ms. Lebel-Lehoux. We repainted the entire property, inside and out, particularly the plaster. The heating was changed to a large automated forced air system with four furnaces and two heat pumps. Because it was not easy to maintain a pleasant warmth or coolness in a house like this, because of its size and the many windows. “

Thanks to the quality, custom-designed “triple-glass” windows and bay windows, the interior is very bright. You have the impression of being immersed in nature. Moreover, the green color, originally chosen by the architect for the furniture, was a reference to the surrounding environment, to the foliage. The sun is shining so much inside that the owners really needed a suitable air conditioning system.

The ceramic floors are heated with glycol, especially in the bathrooms. In the center of the living room, sits a huge, very contemporary wood-burning fireplace. The property, supplied with water by an artesian well, does not have a garage. The septic tank was emptied in 2020.

The copper roof is original. There was water infiltration in 2020 due to a broken solder joint. But that has been settled. “We had an estimate made to find out how much it would cost if that roof had to be redone and it’s a deal of $ 450,000! But like the Château Frontenac, a roof like that lasts 100 years. It’s made solid. But heat can sometimes cause pieces of copper to shatter. We got a sealant used by copper roofing craftsmen and Pierre-Yves redid the joints where it had worked. That solved the problem. ”

The house also experienced an infestation of mice. “We solved the problem there too, but hey, we are in a forest, so, due to its location, a 20-year-old property, its materials are working and the field mice do not need a lot of space to enter! », Says M^me Lebel-Lehoux.

The price of quality

Having opted to build a house elsewhere in the Quebec City region, owner Pierre-Yves Charest has decided to sell it for $ 3 million, even though the roll value is $ 925,500. “We think the house is worth that, considering the work we’ve done on it,” says his wife. This house had been left without improvements for ten years, without too much maintenance. Houses like that, with very sophisticated systems, require maintenance. In addition, it has been completely refurnished [le mobilier est contenu dans le prix de vente]. The land is huge. It’s very private, away from the neighbors. It is therefore rather rare as a kind of property quality. ”

The house is perfect for a family, but it can just as well be suitable for couples of friends who buy it together to share it. “Anyone who enjoys entertaining or having a good time in nature will be happy in this house,” says Catherine Lebel-Lehoux, who adds that she “may” regret it. “For the kids, it was a hooded house,” she laughs. It was really special to go to the chalet. It’s big, they could run everywhere. We often saw deer and foxes outside. When we have a house like that, one day in our lives, it marks us. ”

In a previous version of this article, it was mentioned that Pierre-Yves Charest and Catherine Lebel-Lehoux had purchased the property. In fact, only Pierre-Yves Charest is the owner of the premises.