Be Careful What You Wish For

From the beginning, our greatest dream for this new home was to build on the banks of the Saint-Laurent River. We love water scapes and enjoy the fauna. The search proved daunting and challenged us for several reasons. Not only for specific criteria such as budget, accessibility and service points, but the view and access to the river were a must. Pierre had divided our research into areas along the river on the north shore and L'Ile d'Orléans. Using search engines like Kijiji and Du Proprio, we found several possibilities along the river and we visited a few.
Disappointments followed in rapid succession. We quickly realized that we had to be just as cunning as the sellers in the classified ads to grasp the difference between stunning views and having to lean a certain way while all the planets aligned with you to have a peak at the river. Access was also an ambiguous element as it was sometimes limited to seasonal access or going through a farmer's field. We avoided at all cost land near electrical pylons, highways and industrial areas.

It was while visiting Saint-Irenée, in Charlevoix for an overnight stay at La Mer à Boire, a cosy B&B hosted by Danielle Lemay, that we leisurely explored the surrounding estate lots of Les Domaines du Ruisseau-Jureux. While enjoying Maurice's famous crêpes, we asked Danielle about the lots and the possibility of building a home. Perhaps it was Maurice's crêpes, or Danielle's candour or the breathtaking view of the Saint-Laurent from their dining room, but we decided to seriously look into the possibility of purchasing an estate lot and to contact Claude Gilbert, the developer.
On a crisp winter morning, when the sky and the river are a stunning blue, we met Claude to visit a property on the same road as Danielle's residence. Following Claude over hills and crags was no easy feat. The land we had chosen was perched on a stony outcrop with dramatic drops providing breath taking scenery. Although that visit was inconclusive, we decided to return later that winter to visit more lots.

On our second visit, we were determined to look at all the lots that interested us on the developer's plans. A topographic GPS in hand and all the courage two greenhorns could muster on wobbly snow shoes, we set out to explore. At one point, we had a quick lunch in the forest and realized that living on a stony outcrop was not an option for our lifestyle. Although the view was stunning, there was little room to garden, let alone accomodate our children and grand kids. We wanted a more active lifestyle and more space. That is when we decided to leave the higher ground and start walking towards the estate lots along the river bank.
Following the developer's signs, we headed for a property that seemed too good to be true. Trodding through the heavy snow, we explored the lot as best as we could and then went down to the river across the railway line that connects the Montmorency Falls and the Fairmont Manoir Richelieu by Le Massif ski resort train. It seemed as though the river was waiting for us. Hand in hand, we watched the frozen landscape, amazed that we had found what we had been looking for all along.  All that blue and white movement groaning under the ice of the majestic river just captivated us. We had found our little piece of heaven.
In April 2014, we made the acquisition of the land and when the last snow had melted, we returned to see it for the first time. It was an emotional experience. It was as if we had discovered the New World. Pierre and I were excited as we walked the property pointing out features we had not seen during winter time. We knew our families would be happy here with lots of room to play, making memories around a rustic table with hearty food, good wine and great stories.
As all bons-vivants in Québec do to celebrate a momentous occasion, we cracked open a bottle of Champagne which was enjoyed among lupines, wild roses, raspberries, apple trees and lilacs. In silence, we watched the beluga whales swim serenely in the waters before us. Pierre smiled and I could not stop beaming. We felt truly blessed. The moral of this story: follow your heart and be careful what you wish for because you might just get it.

Alive and Well and Building Green

With great humor, a certain naivety and lots of curiosity, this blog is our narrative on the building of our ecological and energy-efficient house in the beautiful Charlevoix region in the province of Québec. We are two retired professionals who, having purchased a few acres on the Saint-Laurent River in Saint-Irénée, Charlevoix, are living the dream of a green lifestyle with all its challenges and outcomes. Indeed, this is our last house, the one where we want an autonomous lifestyle, to grow old happily, to share with our children, grandchildren, family and friends around a rustic table with good wine and good local cuisine.

There seems to be a mistaken perception that only the younger generations want to live green sustainably. As Baby Boomers, we have found that not only are we a major economic force in the green industry but also we benefit from a special niche. Living green is not new to us. Our parents were born during the Great Depression and they have taught us not to take anything for granted. We are the original flower power children and we protested with the best of them. Over the last five decades, we have witnessed climate change and its impact on our planet. It only makes sense that the growing Baby Boomer population is now on the threshold of planning an active retirement lifestyle mainly because we seek to maintain our autonomy.

We have nurtured our project and have found our voice. The learning curve was sometimes difficult yet the discourse was the same for all stakeholders. Nevertheless, we are able to relate the steps that mark our sustainable building process while sharing a few thoughts drawing on our experience and professional advice. We especially learned to ask the right questions keeping in mind our values ​​for a healthy home and an eco-friendly construction process on the environment, our budget and our personal needs. Beyond the essential, here, with some trepidation is our story.