The owner’s tour | Blend into nature at La Conception

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

Build a contemporary chalet in a La Conception wood, while letting the surrounding nature live its life freely. Settle in nicely without disturbing too much, and go skiing at Tremblant. It is somewhat in this spirit that the La Luge chalet was created a dozen years ago.

Lake Lauzon, which laps at the end of the field, was only incidental at first. “The lakeside was not a must for us,” admits Nathalie, owner with her partner Bernard. The basic project was really for the winter. We go skiing as a family. We wanted to be close to Tremblant, but we didn’t want to leave Montreal and find ourselves in a suburb. We wanted to be in nature and in privacy. While looking for land, we came across this one. We said, “OK, this is going to be a little more than just for the winter.” »

Vision and construction

The couple, who have two children, had already had two country houses before: a small log cabin, and then a large house which, in practice, turned out to be too big. Their new vacation spot, the owners wanted to adapt it to their needs and model it to their taste. They were thinking of something contemporary, compact, with a beautiful spa area to relax in, and minimal maintenance. Having dreamed of an architect-designed house for a long time, they called on the YH2 firm. After meetings and discussions, we offered them three plans, including one called La Luge, and which had the same shape. It was the one they liked the most, especially since Nathalie had gone sledding during a trip to Austria, and she loved it.

The project came to fruition within a year. The construction of this single-storey house, which extends outside with wooden terraces, was carried out by the team proposed by the architectural firm. The owners have invested a lot themselves, particularly in the choice and research of materials. The result delighted them. “We consider that they [YH2] really understood our needs,” says Nathalie, who notes the quality of the construction, as well as the maximized use of space. “Some people call it the Westfalia house,” she said.

Luge was the subject of several publications at the time, in Quebec and abroad, notably in specialized magazines. His avant-garde style gave a very 21st century vision^e century of “my cabin in Canada”.

Nature and geometry

La Conception is located about fifteen kilometers from Mont-Tremblant. The property in question is located below Chemin des Marronniers, and is accessed via a sloping private entrance. Here it is, La Luge. Its well-defined geometry contrasts with the unbridled vegetation that surrounds it, while blending in harmoniously.

Don’t look for an immaculate lawn or any humanly polished landscaping. Here, the flora takes its place, offering a constantly renewed spectacle and serving as shelter for birds and small animals. Minimizing the ecological footprint has always been at the heart of the project, according to the owner, Nathalie.

In the same spirit, a simple wooden path leads us to the main door. We enter, and we have the impression of still being a little outside, due to the generous windows. Natural wood from Quebec is omnipresent in the building, where Scandinavian and Japanese spirits coexist happily. The space has been carefully thought out, with several integrated pieces of furniture. The living spaces are of course open-plan, and the suspended fireplace brings its touch of modernism, while promising warm comfort. The master bedroom adjoins a large bathroom and a sauna, rooms also glazed from floor to ceiling.

At the other end of the house, in a space raised about two feet, is the other bedroom, the one occupied by the children. With two double bunk beds, it is separated from the living room by sliding doors. It can be transformed into a guest bedroom, games room or other, as needed.

Succumb to the charm of the lake

While the lake wasn’t that important at first, it quickly became so to the family. “We became lovers of the lake,” admits Nathalie. The quality of the water, the sunshine on the dock all day long and the fact that there are practically no motorized boats (the strength of the engines is also subject to restrictions) are very pleasing to the owners. . During the pandemic, the family took up permanent residence at the chalet. It was the first time she spent more than three weeks there in a row, and she took full advantage of it, between teleworking sessions. The passion for alpine skiing has even faded, in favor of cross-country skiing and hockey on the ice of the lake. “We had such a good time at the chalet! », remembers Nathalie with a touch of nostalgia.

The owners believed they had built the residence that they would enjoy for the rest of their lives. But the latter decided otherwise, calling on them to take on a new challenge. But La Luge will definitely make someone else happy!