Multigenerational Getaway

MULTIGENERATIONAL GETAWAY

This Laurentian estate is a perfect retreat for several generations of a family

BY KAREN SEIDMAN

PHOTOGRAPHY: JEAN-FRANÇOIS GRÉGOIRE

LIVING THE DREAM. That’s what this sprawling house in the Laurentians is all about. Winter, spring, summer or fall, this magnificent home in Ivry-sur-le-Lac, on the rocky shores of Lake Manitou, was built to make the most of the gorgeous nature surrounding it. Soaring windows and multiple terraces and patios bring the outdoors inside. On 24-hour-a-day display are the beautiful mountains, with their thick clusters of mature trees, and the rippling current of the picturesque lake – all of which can be seen and enjoyed from almost every room in the house.

The five-bedroom house – sitting on almost two acres of lakefront property – also has a two-bedroom guesthouse with its own kitchen, so there is ample space; it’s a multigenerational estate.

There are gorgeous cozy nooks and larger gathering places throughout the house, including a large stone fireplace with sofas for family lounging, a step-down cozy seating pit built around a fireplace for more intimate occasions and a reading nook in a turret accessed through the master bedroom that offers almost 360-degree views of the stunning scenery. “It is the sexiest reading spot I’ve ever seen,” says Félix Jasmin, the broker with Engel & Völkers, who is selling the house. “This is a house that has really been a happy place for the family that built it. It is superb quality for sure but what makes it really special is that it was designed to be enjoyed by a family, by children and grandchildren all together in a place that promotes togetherness and offers a great opportunity to do so many wonderful activities together, in all seasons.”

Summers are all about the lake. The dock is there to moor a boat or jump into the water, which is great for swimming, boating and viewing. Hence the many outdoor seating areas, including quiet spots for reflection in an Adirondack chair overlooking the water. For cool country evenings, there’s a large fire pit for roasting marshmallows.

Winters are all about the snow. Mounds of it blanketing the countryside and providing opportunities for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing right on the property,

as well as downhill skiing at nearby Mont Tremblant. The house is at its coziest at that time of year, as everyone hunkers down near a fireplace for après-ski hot chocolate.

Jasmin says autumn is perhaps the prettiest season, with the colours of the changing leaves on full display in the mountainside community. With the home’s many picture windows, those vivid coppers and reds seem to engulf the house and offer a breathtaking, close-up view of the fall foliage.

In any season, the house offers unique distractions for the whole family. The games room features pool and table tennis, while a fully functioning stage – complete with spotlights and curtains – is the place to put on shows. For more mature tastes, there is a wine cellar and a kitchen with a huge island for multi-generational cooking projects.

With lots of wood to keep the ambience warm, but lots of oversized windows for brightness, Jasmin says, the home’s design “is a very happy marriage between light and wood.

“Truly, this is a house for a discriminating buyer who wants a home where they can really enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren, where they can enjoy the beauty of nature and where they can create special memories,” he says. •

Engel & Völkers www.felixjasmin.evcanada.com felix.jasmin@engelvoelkers.com 514-507-7888 ~ 514-886-6620 Listing price: $2.598 million

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