Travelers discovering Estérel Resort for the first time are always amazed to see this uniquely designed building rising like a cruise ship, forever anchored in the heart of the Laurentian forest.
Nearly a century ago, this establishment was part of one of the most ambitious resort projects in North America—the Domaine Estérel, the dream of a certain Belgian baron. Though little known, this story played a key role in ushering Québec into modern architecture, and it deserves to be told.
The Vision of Baron Louis Empain
At the dawn of the 20th century, Belgium was one of the most developed nations in the world, with its influence reaching across the globe. Among the Belgian nobility, Baron Louis Empain (1908–1976) stood out as a wealthy philanthropist, entrepreneur, and the son of Édouard Empain, a business partner and close friend of King Leopold II of Belgium.
His Canadian adventure began in 1935, during a research trip aimed at revitalizing Belgian economic activity in Québec. Known for his independent and enterprising spirit, Baron Empain had a deep passion for art, travel, sports, and the great outdoors.
While exploring near Sainte-Adèle, Baron Empain stumbled upon what he saw as the ultimate playground—vast green expanses dotted with wooded hills, their valleys carved into stunning, unnamed lakes: Lac Masson, Lac du Nord, and Lac Dupuis.
It was love at first sight, and he dreamed big. In 1935, he acquired 3,000 acres of land and named it “Domaine Estérel,” in tribute to a region along the Provençal coast that meets the Mediterranean Sea, east of the Var region in France.
In an old dialect, Estérel is said to mean “beautiful starry sky” or “steep gorge/rock”. Baron Empain was already envisioning what would later be recognized as Québec’s first four-season resort.
The Art Deco of Antoine de Courtens
By 1936, within the first year, the vast estate quickly expanded to 7,000 acres, and the first buildings were set to rise. To bring his vision to life, Baron Empain called upon an old friend, the renowned architect Antoine de Courtens, to design what would become one of the first expressions of modern architecture in Canada. Together, they favored “chic European modernity” over the “historic romanticism” typically seen in Québec’s architecture, such as the Manoir Richelieu or Hôtel Tadoussac.
De Courtens, a naturally gifted architect, drew inspiration from the Belgian Pavilion at the 1937 Paris Expo. He embraced the Art Deco international style, characterized by large, white concrete buildings with rounded, open, and inviting forms. This was a cutting-edge architectural movement in Brussels during the 1920s and 1930s, creating a striking contrast with the surrounding Laurentian forest.
In less than two years, about twenty buildings were constructed around Pointe Bleue on Lac Masson. Among them was North America’s first shopping center, which housed a Holt Renfrew, an automobile repair shop, a gas station, a cinema, a restaurant, a tobacco shop, a ski boutique, and stables.
One of the estate’s most significant landmarks was undoubtedly the Hôtel de la Pointe Bleue, which became Baron Empain’s residence and gained widespread recognition. Its Blue Room, inaugurated by none other than Benny Goodman, quickly became the most fashionable gathering spot in the Greater Montreal area.
The third building to rise at Domaine Estérel was the sporting club, located slightly on the outskirts of the estate—on the very site of today’s Estérel Resort. Its ship-like architecture featured a living room area, a bar, a restaurant, a gymnasium, a solarium, a badminton court, and numerous cabins used as changing rooms.
Outside, visitors could enjoy a beach and a massive diving platform, nicknamed the giraffe. Water sports, which were immensely popular at the time, were a major attraction. In the summer of 1938, the club even hosted the Québec and Canadian swimming and diving championships.
Many other events took place at the sporting club, including interprovincial motorboat races and weekly sailing regattas. In 1939, a brand-new sport made its debut at the sporting club: water skiing. That same year, the Monte Carlo champion himself stayed at Domaine Estérel for several weeks.
The end of a dream and the beginning of another
Canada’s entry into World War II abruptly ended Baron Empain’s dream and marked the beginning of major upheavals at Domaine Estérel.
At the time, foreign activities on Canadian soil were viewed with suspicion, leading the army to seize the entire estate and repurpose it as a military base, complete with barracks, a mess hall, and other military facilities, until 1944.
Shortly after the war, a disillusioned Baron Empain decided to sell the entire estate, along with all his assets in Canada. The shopping center was refreshed and reopened to the public, while the Hôtel de la Pointe Bleue was converted into a convalescent home.
The Fridolin Simard Era
A new key player in the future of the estate emerged in the late 1950s. Fridolin Simard, piloting his amphibious seaplane—the Grumman Magnum Widgeon, as illustrated below—was en route to Montreal when a storm forced him to land on Lac Masson…
Born in Saint-Urbain, Charlevoix, Fridolin Simard was a seasoned entrepreneur who, along with his brother, founded the Simard et Frère construction company. In 1939, he also became mayor of Amos, making history as the youngest mayor in Canada at the age of 29. He later served as president of the Union des municipalités du Québec, making him well-versed in urban planning, architecture, and municipal affairs.
Though Simard’s arrival in the region with his seaplane was purely by chance, everything that followed was a series of bold decisions. Recognizing an opportunity, he and his brother envisioned taking up Baron Empain’s legacy and developing a vast residential project on the estate.
By the late 1950s, the estate was purchased and divided, leading to the creation of two new municipalities: Estérel and Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson. Claude La Haye, considered the father of urban planning in Québec, was brought in to develop a layout plan that would ensure harmonious residential development while preserving the region’s stunning natural landscapes.
Building on the foundations of Baron Empain’s former sporting club, Fridolin Simard, who became the founding mayor of Estérel, constructed the Hôtel Estérel in 1962 with the help of architects Jean-Marie Roy and Roger D’Astous. These architects also contributed to the development of a large residential subdivision along the shores of Lac du Nord and Lac Dupuis.
Hôtel Estérel quickly became a premier resort destination in Québec, featuring 124 rooms housed in a reinforced concrete building—an innovative choice for the time. It marked the golden age of Estérel, attracting visitors year-round seeking to escape the city and enjoy a wide range of outdoor activities.
Until Today
More than sixty years later, Hôtel Estérel—now known as Estérel Resort—continues to operate, with its legacy carried on by the third generation of the late Fridolin Simard’s family.
The former hotel is now part of a multifunctional complex with 200 suites, featuring two hotels, three distinct dining experiences, one of the most renowned wine cellars in the country, a Nordic spa, an Amerispa wellness center, and a highly regarded conference center.
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