Charlevoix Architecture: History with a Soul

The timeless simplicity of Charlevoix's ancestral farms.

Some houses are like old souls.You feel it when you see them. Each house has its own story to tell, linking its occupants body and soul to the countryside. In Charlevoix, postmodern minimalistic designs sit well among the three hundred year old houses that punctuate the blue shores of the Saint-Laurent River. New houses bring an interesting opinion to the architectural dialogue. After all, architectural heritage is the cultural messenger of a sacred time. It gives our lives meaning rooted in its history because the very essense of architecture preserves the memory of our origins. It's what makes you smile serenely when you drive by ancestral homes as though you recognize a yearning to belong to that history or at least visit it briefly to take it all in. This is not mere nostalgia. It's a beautiful complicity.
Charlevoix's architecture is no exception. For centuries, its distinctive signature communicates a bucolic emotion to the point where we actually come to seek it. Case in point, tourists flock here yearly to visit. Indeed, the land of famous literary characters conjure a deep pride for our French Canadian culture. Former photographic plates show this elegant sea side resort lined with large villas that hosted American presidents, international literati and more than one artist whose brush transposed this majestic landscape for posterity. Today I contemplate these houses as I imagine French Canadian authors Laure Conan or Gabrielle Roy would have while they were here to write 



Clarence A. Gagnon

their famous novels. Or as Clarence A. Gagnon and a whole pleiade of world class artists shared their inspiration with the stroke of a brush and colors that rival any other place on earth. There are days when I think that the light here is unique as the sprawling Laurentian Shield landscape is bathed in the purest hues of blue. It is magical. The generous simplicity of the architecture makes Charlevoix mythical. But what I cherish the most is the traditional rural architecture with its mansard roofs, corbelled barns, colors and textures is that I have the privilege to live among them.


After two years of planning, my husband Pierre, with all the patience of a Benedictine monk, just put the finishing touches on our plans to build our ecohome, a modern farmhouse revival. Its clean lines make it timeless and sit well on our land with its rocky outcrops, rustic apple trees, wild lupins and of course the shoreline. We chose this design as it fuses well into the rural sea side landscape and respects architectural standards required for the privilege of living in a highly popular holiday region.

Needless to say, all of this beauty comes with a moral responsibility. When comes time to manage the
impact of new construction, everything is scrutinized not only environmentally, but also architecturally. The site plan and architectural integration of the East Charlevoix MRC requires owners requesting a building permit to provide a technical description of siding, roofing materials, colors and embelishments. Architectural continuity goes along with current requirements of new building codes. It is a creative dialogue that ensures the architectural and environmental value of each construction project.The first sod turning will be held soon and we have been waiting two years for this day. We are not the only ones. Several observers from professional, industrial or commercial fields are interested in the environmental and energy protocols we have incorporated into its
construction. L'Heure Bleue is recognized by the Canada Green Building Council as a leader in environmentally friendly and energy efficient construction. It is the second residence in Canada and Québec registered for LEED v4  international certification. We will share our experience through this blog with our partners whether in the design, construction, product or service. You can also visit us at the CGBC website. We are featured on their Leaderboard Under
LEED v4.  As mentioned by the CGBC: Canada is a world leader in green building and it has the largest number of LEED certified projects outside the United States. This success is based on innovative Canadian professionals who are always seeking to achieve the highest levels of sustainability in design, construction and operation of buildings. The CBDC mentions L'Heure Bleue among Canada's leaders in sustainable buildings.Building a house is a challenge when targeting international environmental certification. Then again, building a home is something else because you want it to look like you have always belonged there. L'Heure Bleue de Charlevoix will take its place among the other homes along le Chemin du Ruisseau-Jureux, and like a fine wine decanting with anticipation, our little farm house will be up to par, not only on the environmental and energy plan, but for its contribution to Charlevoix rural heritage.

L'Heure Bleue: the Blue Hour of our Life

A natural heritage worth preserving

My dad used to say that everything starts with a dream. That's not bad motivational advice for a dreamy eyed seven year old who wanted to become an astronaut/brainsurgeon/rockstar. I never became one of those. I chose another profession, but as I grew up, I realized that dreams do come true if the timing is right and if you work hard enough. In a few weeks, ours will come true and we welcome this event with deep gratitude and great excitement.The pastoral tranquility along the Saint-Laurent River on the Chemin du Ruisseau-Jureux in Saint-Irénée, Charlevoix will be disturbed by the roar of heavy construction equipment.

After two years of dedicated planning to build our ecological and energy efficient residence in search of an international certification of excellence, we will know the result of all those long Canadian winter evenings pondering our dream house when we would refigure calculations to simulate energy consumption patterns. How's that for romance. Later, we would seek expert advice wading through various schools of thought on what is truly a green energy efficient house. Every green argument seemed a moot point.This is where we truly discovered the differences between architects, engineers and builders. Everyone preached differently based on their profesionnal experience. Truthfully, it all boiled down to professsional ego, but that again is moot. But foremost, beyond this planning is the immense moral and ethical responsibility of where we will set up stake. Pardon the pun, but this is the only level playing field that we encountered in this green building odyssey. Where you live matters most.

A last look before construction starts

As we contemplate the sea to sky glimpse into the universe where we will live, the cheery wind swept meadows bordered by blue mountains contribute to this sense of belonging that calls us to protect them. This heritage goes beyond what is historically significant. So as I look around our little piece of heaven by the river, it is only natural, that it will tell our story as we leave our mark ever so gently. It is with this awareness that we put on paper a residence that must meet up to all these expectations.


The residents of Les Domaines du Ruisseau-Jureux share a collective vision that architecture must blend in and not interfere with nature. This discretion not only means a smaller carbon foot print but also protects the beauty of the area.To build your residence here is to become part of a collective work of art as each house finds its niche on the vast canvas between sea and sky. Guidelines from both the municipality and the developer serve as architectural standards. On paper, you would think that all the houses look the same to comply with these strict guidelines and yet, like the artist who owns a particular brushstroke, the owners of these homes are putting their personal touches from the traditional to the modern with the same noble building materials.

 

Wind swept fields of flowers greet us every morning

Sundays, at Les Domaines, as we sit looking out on the wide blue expanse of the Saint-Laurent, we notice cars slowing down to peek at our houses and to take a glimpse of the water. As the cars creep slowly down our winding road, this is the closest they can come to the shore in our area. They come to see the river and the fields of flowers nestled between rustic apple trees, wild roses and lupins as well as glorious lilac along our perch fences. The wild flowers have their own signature during the season to add a colorful movement to the green joyous expanse complementing  the blue of the water. Often one sees a car lingering to read the signs bearing the names of our homes that read like a long poem from one house to the other to evoke the bucolic theme of a carefully crafted haiku.

Our house is called L'Heure Bleue which means the Blue Hour. Actually, it keenly translates our personal philosophy, a quiet wisdom that makes us smile. The blue hour is the most coveted time of the day for photographers. It occurs twice a day, at the exact moment when the night kisses the first light of day and again, during the evening, when the last breath of the day announces the starry night. It is said that the blue hour of the morning is the first instant of the day when the birds begin to sing, the trees stretch their branches, the scent of flowers and fruit is at its best. The evening blue hour expresses the recognition of having lived a day that was truly blessed by nature.

The blue hour: a time when nature pauses to reflect

This is what we want for this house, our last as Pierre and I often say when we are asked to describe it. L'Heure Bleue is our plan for an active retirement for just the two of us with our family and friends. As the wind that comes from the Saint-Laurent lulls the wildflowers around our house, we will be transported daily to embrace a deep gratitude and well-deserved peace.

The Timeless Art of Seduction

Pandora

It is a sweet seduction which becomes obsession when it is at its best. Everything is in the gaze and the desire. The very idea of creating an intimate setting is instinctively soothing. It almost seems contradictory to the notion of what is trending now with ready made designer interiors in a bag, but one thing for sure is that when comes the time to take that leap of faith and start rearranging our dwelling’s interiors, we want to repel the ordinary. We seek individuality almost as bravely as to expose ourselves to the judgement of others without wanting to admit it. Let's face it, a lot of personal identity is defined by the interiors we live in everyday. The art of cocooning relegates preconceived designs to the people who are stuck in their mental comfort zones or the unimaginative to make place for unpredictable eclecticism. Add green eco consciousness and it is not surprising to hear a collective sigh.  One can almost hear the small voice coming from that consumer wilderness crying out: what now?

 We are a society of consumers surrounded by objects. We want something that adds value by its acquisition. A whole class of seasoned consumers flog through flea markets, thrift shops, auctions and internet sales such as Kijiji, Craig's List, Etsy, EBay and even Facebook. Then there is the green army, these environmentalists who seek recovered or abandoned treasures that are not yet rendered in the antique shops for fine collectors or Eco centres. It is the art of intercepting that rare find until others realize its fair value.

Expect the unexpected

From the sacred to the profane

The profane blend with the sacred seduction of the found object has become our hobby. Our motivation is simple. To enhance the modern clean lines of our house, we chose to add unexpected architectural elements and decorative accessories for texture and whimsy. One of our inspirations is to have old interior doors. It is a beautiful dialogue between eras and it is green. Giving a second life to an object that does not come packaged by a foreign manufacturer is a rewarding adventure. One could actually say it is a form of voyeurism. The coveted object comes wrapped in a unique story that tells its provenance. Taking the time to find these artifacts, we discover the lives that were entwined with these objects as well as imagine all the stories that go with the associated era. This perspective adds to the richness of our finds and is limited only by nostalgic imagination beyond research. Dressers, mirrors, doors and even windows have their own entity because there is a story attached to each object. They say if walls could talk, yet it is it these everyday objects that speak volumes as they share a profound testimony to the lives that once manipulated them. I sensed this when I was picking out doors and found one where a teenager had put stickers behind her bedroom door telling her story. I warn you, this is addictive.

ARTÉ

In our quest to find an architectural or decorative artifact, my husband and I started to covet what others had surrendered to municipal Eco centres, or entire warehouses filled with ancient treasures from the demolition of old convents or monasteries. In order to succeed in sourcing out these finds, we became weekend warriors with purchasing and logistic strategies. GPS and coffee in hand early on weekends, we were looking for specific items we had identified on our lists. The learning curve was steep. Don’t kid yourself. It is both cerebral and physical. Then, there's the attitude. Everything has a value related to its functionality and its era hence the famous catchall label of vintage. How many times did we chat with a seller who used this epithet liberally? Caveat emptor! When it comes to vintage, one speaks of an era and the original object. For the neo-retro, it is imitation designed to evoke the era. Vintage has its nostalgic value added to the desire to buy quality at a low cost. I don’t personally go for kitsch, but common sense along with the desire to be green gives me the eclecticism I strive for without being locked in by preconceived designer or architectural settings. If it’s eclectic you are looking for, have we got the place for you.

Saint Basil

It’s not every day that you are greeted by a bonifide saint, but at ARTE, Saint Basil waits for you at the entrance as though giving you his blessings. While looking for architectural elements, we found ARTE, the Artisan du Renouveau et de la Transformation Écologique, a warehouse store in the heart of Griffintown, a historic suburb along the Lachine Canal, in Montréal. While browsing their website, we discovered a wealth of objets trouvés from kitsch to antiques. Going to ARTE is like opening Pandora's Box with all its enchantment. Then, it is the warm hospitality of Jean-Marc Moreau, ARTE’s manager who literally gives you free range to explore the mazes of the Murray Street warehouse. Indeed, all the strategies that we had made to locate specific objects vanished quickly. Pierre and I were walking in silence akin to the tangible emotional experience one has when entering a cathedral or a temple. It's mind-blowing. Then suddenly, we are convened by a voice coming from somewhere in the labyrinth. Stéphane Tremblay

Stéphane Tremblay

is the genius behind ARTE. He is the founder and the one who was able to enhance recovery of items what would have ended up in the municipal landfill. What is more remarkable is that ARTE is sustainable. Not only has it created jobs, but it enhances the creative approach to recovery. ARTE is recognized by designers, interior design magazines, television and theatre directors, and film sets scouting for rare objects that are for rent. For ordinary mortals, it is Pandora's Box.  If you have the eye, and you have done your research, you uncover artwork, artifacts and furniture, even tools coveted by experienced collectors.  Then comes the art of negotiating. Practice makes perfect.

Jean-Marc Moreau

We went three times at ARTE and every time, Stéphane and Jean-Marc greeted us with the same brio. If you are uncertain about an acquisition, Stéphane is a born designer who offers suggestions to inspire. What would be the ultimate criterion to consecrate ARTE with Stéphane and Jean-Marc as a must for your interiors? It is when one spends a good portion of the day scouting around the huge warehouse until night time sets in and having to rent a truck to haul your treasures home. The bonus is the new friendship with two unique individuals for their involvement in the community and the ecofriendly sustainable approach they generate.

Leaving with our booty

Usually, when we drive back home from Montréal on our way back to Gatineau, I find highway 417 long and boring as I keep glancing at the Navcom screen in the car to see how many kilometers are left before we get home, but this evening was different. As I was following my spouse who was driving the rental truck with our booty, I sang with the radio all along watching the stars piercing the dark skies overlooking the never ending rural landscape. It is amazing how sometimes life gives us a glimpse of how even the smallest of things can become rich with meaning. Basically, it is to go green and by giving a second life to an object that has a story to tell. What is even more fascinating is the emotional appeal of buying something from the past. The story continues to be told following the path given by our daily lives. When you think of it, design is not the image of the object but how it works. If this object is useful still after all the lives that were once connected to it, then this only adds to its value. Well done is better than well said. Sometimes a little seduction takes you by surprise and brings the right amount of inspiration  making dreams a reality with roots from the past. I guess it not only makes sense, it makes the ordinary almost timeless.