Most urbanites, at one time or another, long to get away from it all. For Pierre Jérôme and his family, it isn’t just wishful thinking on their part but an easy reality. All they need to do is drive to the Lake Tremblant marina and hop on their boat in warm weather — or their snowmobile in winter — and, 15 minutes later, they are far away from the hustle and bustle of noise, traffic and civilization.
Why a boat or snowmobile? Because their cabin is not accessible by car. Nor is it on an island. It’s just tucked away along a secluded bay of Lake Tremblant deep in Canada’s Laurentian Mountains.
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Though picturesque, their location does have a few drawbacks. Three months of the year – typically December, January and April — when the ice is too thin to cross by snowmobile but hasn’t melted enough for the boat, it’s impossible to reach the cabin. You could always strap on a backpack and trek your way through the forest that surrounds the house, but you better have a good GPS. Careful planning is necessary with each visit. Forgetting bread, eggs or milk may mean a frugal breakfast the next morning. But for Pierre, this is a small price to pay for the peace and quiet the cabin affords.
Being isolated, without being connected to the electrical grid or other public utilities, doesn’t mean sacrificing lifestyle. This luxurious 1,720-square-foot cabin is equipped with all the creature comforts one would come to expect in this day and age.
Propane gas and solar electric panels installed on the roof provide power, while water is pumped in directly from the lake and filtered through a treatment system. Water waste flows to an Ecoflo bio-filter, a state-of-the-art septic tank. The technology meets all the requirements of the national government agency, Environment Canada, and is highly recommended for such a sensitive ecosystem.
There are also amenities offered by neighboring businesses, such as a barge and pontoon service to deliver construction materials and other supplies. It’s through this service that the chalet was built in 2002. So, when Pierre purchased it in 2008, all it needed was some refurbishment.
Outside, the deck running on two sides of the cabin was rebuilt with cedar, and a screened gazebo was added. Inside, the kitchen and bathrooms were renovated. The pine cabin’s logs are cut with a tongue-and-groove system, which creates a tight fit, especially as the logs dry and settle. The A-frame’s facade is mostly glass, offering spectacular views of the forest and lake, as well as letting in plenty of light and passive solar energy.
The main level’s great room encompasses the living, kitchen and dining areas, including a cozy reading corner with its own wood stove. A second stove, facing the sofa, is raised for a better view of the fire and is backed by a stone wall soaring all the way to the peak of the 20-foot ceiling.
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The cabin’s kitchen got a major overhaul, including repainting the cupboards a rich cobalt blue — a color not often found in log cabin kitchens but that works quite well to delineate the space. A granite countertop was added to the L-shaped island, matching the perimeter countertops and the backsplash. The cooking range and the refrigerator are powered by propane gas, just like the washer and dryer in the laundry room.
The master bedroom is also located on the ground floor and is separated from the living room by a sliding door. The room is small, and wood is omnipresent from floor to ceiling. The furniture, accessories and light fixtures were chosen with care to enhance the bucolic feeling of the room. The padded queen-size headboard is made of leather, as is one of the cushions and the decorative strip in the coverlet.
In this cabin, guests enjoy total privacy, as their bedroom is on the mezzanine, which also offers a stunning view of both the living area and the outdoors. The 340-square-foot upper level includes an alcove that can be turned into sleeping quarters, if need be. In the guest bathroom, travertine tiles were used for the shower and the elevated platform. The toilet was installed on an elevated platform in order to accommodate the plumbing and thus making it more easily accessible.
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For the Jérôme family, nature is to be preserved but also enjoyed and they make the most of it. With five acres of land and direct access to the lake, they enjoy a wide range of water sports, from canoeing to kayaking, and love to hike in nearby Parc du Mont-Tremblant, located just behind their property.
At the end of a long day of activity, relaxing time around the open campfire in the back yard is the perfect way to relax and appreciate the natural beauty of their location and their cherished log cabin.
Home Details
Square Footage: 1,720
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2 full
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