Somewhere along the Eastern Townships wine route exists a very special house. About 100km south of Montreal in the small village of Frelighsburgh, the three storey house is perched on a cliff and overlooks private waterfalls, the changing scenery of the seasons and the Mont Pinacle that reigns on the horizon.
Local painter and property owner Jacques Lajeunesse and his wife Johanne Ratté dedicated half of the top floor of their house built in 1997 to a painting workshop. Crack a window and suddenly the relaxing sounds of cascading waters will take you to your creative spot!
“It’s a room that inspires creation” explains Jacques Lajeunesse. According to him, it was a bit of a challenge to build, since he wanted the room to provide optimal painting conditions, especially with respect to light.
“Usually, when you build a studio, the best light comes from the north ’cause it’s the most constant light,” he said. “But if I had done that, I wouldn’t be able to see the falls!”
During the summer, the private waterfalls create 3 different natural pools that converge to the final huge basin that is between 5 to 12 feet deep. After a good rain, it can get sporty and you can swim against the current.
Sunsets are also incredible.
Now that autumn is here, it is a whole different scenery and colour play that nature paints outside of Mr. Lajeunesse’s windows. The 15 acres property surrounding the house also include a small island, a sandy beach and a misty forest.
It is truly a painter’s paradise.
This property is currently on the market for CAD 1.5M$ and listed by Jeff Lee of Engel & Völkers in Montreal.
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