Zainab Al-Mehdar
Thorne June 3, 2022
Tucked away in the Municipality of Thorne (Ladysmith) two sisters are bringing a luxurious chalet experience to the region with their unique A-frame cabins, Chalets Prinella.
Born and raised in northern Quebec, Nancy Lemay works for the federal government as a geographer, and her sister Catherine Lemay is an intellectual property lawyer. Both have lived in the . . .
Outaouais region for over 25 years and have always enjoyed being out in nature.
Growing up with a father who was an entrepreneur, Catherine and Nancy were always attracted to undertaking construction or renovation projects and the idea to build this oasis away from the city has always been a dream of theirs.
In October 2022 Nancy came across the perfect property but they had four hours to make an offer or risk losing the place.
“I always dreamt of having a project like this to offer something that’s not being offered all that much on the market right now. We wanted something off the beaten path. Where is really quiet, not in busy touristy areas and also the A-frame, the architecture is very different from what people are building at the moment. So that was also part of the dream,” said Nancy.
They chose the Pontiac because of its wild rivers and well-preserved lakes. It also reminded them a lot of the town they grew up in which made the place feel like home to them.
“There’s more being offered now for the tourism industry, you know like the wineries and Chutes Coulonge Park, and so we feel there’s a sort of energy in the area and certainly want to be a part of that,” said Nancy.
They also felt fortunate as the property they purchased gives them lake access, lots of trees and is only an hour from Aylmer, which is where each of their lives with their own family. Being bilingual themselves, they appreciated that the area offered services in both languages.
“We feel so at home here because we connect right with the people,” said Catherine.
When it came time to design and build it they drew on past experiences of renting cottages and took what they liked and avoided what they didn’t. They wanted to offer people an experience they wanted for themselves and their families.
Initially, they bought 23 acres and then an adjacent lot came up for sale and the owners sold it to them. In April 2021 they started the construction of the two A-frame chalets. Catherine and Nancy did everything from the architectural plan to all the design aspects, and for them, that was the part they enjoyed most, they said.
The remote cabins are nestled on a 75-acre lot with lake access a few meters away, offering ample space to nature, and private lake access with canoes and paddle boats in the summer. In the winter, people can skate or cross-country ski on the lake or walk, hike or snowshoe in the forest.
The A-frame is designed with large windows allowing natural lighting to enter the space. The chalet accommodates four adults with all amenities included during their stay–a wood stove, a fully stocked kitchen, linens, heated floors, indoor hammocks, exterior fire pits, and a cedar hot tub. The price ranges from $275 to $375 per night.
“It’s a luxurious forest hotel. People only have to show up basically with their clothes,” said Catherine.
They officially opened for business on February 1 and immediately had bookings. One of the challenges was getting hydro up and running at their second chalets, and with that in mind, they are looking for solar off-the-grid options for the two new mini A-frames that are underway. With 340 square feet, the space will accommodate about two to three people.
One of the major challenges was starting construction during the pandemic and facing the increase in prices and the shortages of materials, they pointed out. But that experience brought them closer together, they both said. “There was never a moment where we gave up,” said Catherine.
Because they thought of every detail, for much of the work they chose to do the labour themselves because they set a high standard for what they wished the place to be. It also meant they were spending much more time together, but luckily their kids and husbands also got along, they said.
One of the most fulfilling aspects is seeing people’s faces when they first walk into the cottage and hearing the feedback. “We’re very attentive to detail, so in the cottage, there’s not one thing that we didn’t think of. That’s what people say, the attention to detail,” said Catherine.
One of the more luxurious items they included was the cedar hot top that Nancy had to push for but after seeing it Catherine said she was glad she listened. They highlighted how the cedar rather than a plastic hot tub adds to the experience of being in nature and connected to the earth. “It’s like a private oasis that we want to offer,” they said.
Since they have been in the Pontiac, they have connected with local providers such as Coopérative Aventure Hélianthe, Bristol Bee Honey Co. for her honey, Simple Intentions Candle Co. for her candles, and maple syrup from Pine Lodge. All the body care products in the bathrooms are also from a local vendor, this was important to them as they want to showcase what the region has to offer they said.
On June 2, Chalets Prunella received funding from the Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED). Sophie Chatel, MP for Pontiac, presented the financial support from the Government of Canada to the company here in the Pontiac. The objective of this support from CED is to help it overcome the economic impacts of COVID-19.
“The Canadian government is very aware of the importance and wants to be there, we have created the tourist relief funds, which will allow this contribution today. And it’s a very important fund, especially in the region of the Pontiac, It will be an asset and lever to really grow this sector of our economy,” said Chatel.
Chatel highlighted that she is seeing a lot of growth within the economy but not enough resources to sustain it, but nonetheless, she views it as a good problem to have because it shows that the economy is picking up again.
The announcement of this financial contribution from CED was made on behalf of Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Sports and Minister responsible for CED.
Karen Kelly, the Mayor of Lady Smith was also present and made a few comments about just how well a business like this would do to the area and she hopes it brings people in.
“I just wanted to say thank you to Sophie, and also to congratulate you on a unique establishment. I’m very impressed with what I’ve seen and it’s really, really nice. And you look as though you’re going ahead, which I think is fantastic. The municipality is behind you,” Kelly said.
“If we wouldn’t have had this funding probably the two cottages that we’re building this month wouldn’t have happened, so certainly it’s helped us really absorb the unplanned or unforeseen increase in our budget to build these cottages because of the lack of available trades and lack of material and just the increase in the price of materials as well,” said Nancy.
“The funding couldn’t have come at a better time for us really, it has really helped,” said Catherine.
Nancy Villeneuve, the regional director at CED highlighted that one of the best things about this initiative is that it is geared towards what the region’s needs. “The program is designed to fit the needs of the region, that’s, the beauty of that initiative,” she explained.
Through this program, entrepreneurs have two options, to get a hundred thousand that is non-reiembersable or more than that but it would have to be reimbursed, said Villeneuve.
In the coming months, the sisters hope to collaborate with local companies to create trails for people to have access to hiking, skiing, or snowshoeing, while still maintaining and preserving nature. Also, offer the space for mini weddings, build packages with local providers, that include activities or offer breakfast while keeping it all local. The sisters also hope that when they get to four or six cottages they would do it full time, as it is a lot of work, they said.
They offer bookings directly on their website https://www.chaletsprunella.com/ and through Airbnb and Monsieur Chatles. The chalets are located at 130 Miller Thorne Road (Ladysmith) (Quebec) J0X 2A0.
