Farouche Tremblant: Nordic Farm and Cabins by Atelier L’Abri

Set against Mont-Tremblant National Park, and nestled within the Devil’s River valley, the Farouche agrotourism site offers a unique concept for the Laurentians region of Quebec. Combining a Nordic farm, a café-bar, four-season micro-cabins, and an outdoor basecamp, the project makes the most of the natural and untamed qualities of the approximately 100-acre territory.

A barn on the north side of Chemin du Lac-Supérieur serves as the farm’s headquarters. The scenic path that leads to a small organic vegetable farm includes tunnel glasshouses, flower fields, and fallow land. Hiking trails begin behind the agricultural building and allow Farouche visitors to explore the mountains of Devil’s Valley.

The café is located on the river’s edge, to the south of the road, and is central to the activities available on the property. The entrance to this welcoming structure is through a small market, which sells seasonal products from the Farouche vegetable farm as well as cheeses, beers, and wines from local producers. The dining room and kitchen provide passing visitors and cabin guests with the opportunity to sample farm-produced meals. The café lounge faces the river, and its large west-facing windows provide spectacular views of Mont-Tremblant and sunsets behind the Laurentian mountaintops. The fire in the wood stove invites patrons to gather and watch the ever-changing silhouette of nature.

A mezzanine space nestled in the cathedral roof provides a quiet, set back living room. The materiality of the building is simple; the charcoal-colored steel roofs and natural hemlock siding are reminiscent of vernacular farm buildings.

The micro-cabins camp is located south of the café. Arranged organically and connected by a winding path, the four small A-frame shelters each contain a king bed, a sofa, and a gas stove within their compact design. Minimalist in essence, with cedar shingles, the buildings recede in the landscape and allow guests to fully immerse in the wild beauty of the Devil’s River.

Photographer Raphael Thibodeau documented the Farouche project over a twenty-four-hour period in order to capture the evolution of the site, from sunrise over the river to the nocturnal observation of the cabins illuminated by moonlight.