Domaine du Perchoir - History

Origin

The house was built at the beginning of the 20th century. Initially, it was a common four-square type countryside home just like many other farm houses in the area. If you look closely, you can still make out the shape of the original house beneath the many extensions that were later built around it.

The foundation is made of concrete poured directly on the underlying rock. Concrete was probably somewhat of a new thing back then, and the builders had a peculiar way of laying it. They made the concrete follow the slope of the terrain, and they laid massive triangle-shaped logs of cedar above it to level the whole thing. The entire structure of the house, including the newer extensions is built of east cedar that was likely harvested on site.

La maison Evangéline

Article from the book Saint-Odile-sur-Rimouski, une histoire de coopération, comité de la monographie du 50ième (1990)

Translated by Greg Thorez

Within the heart of a very young girl grows the vocation of taking care of less-fortunate people. Already at the age of 9, Laura Lévesque regularly leaves her parents' house to visit the elderlies in the surrounding area. In spite of her parents' reprimands, she does it again and again. As she used to say : "I just can't help it."

In 1940, she marries Adéodat Vignola. He respects Laura's project: looking after abandoned children, orphans, the elderly, etc. During the very first year of their marriage, they adopt their first child. In 1952, they buy a house on what used to be called 3ème Rang ouest in Sainte-Odile-sur-Rimouski. Throughout the years, they transform it and build extensions to suit their growing needs.

While pursuing their dream and raising their eleven children, they operate a dairy farm until 1972. Four years later, the family created a smaller farm in order to keep themselves and the residents occupied.

For more than 40 years the Evangéline house has been the home to about 500 children (orphans or from divorced parents), about a hundred elderly, many with some kind of handicap, former alcooholics and the homeless. All those found not only a home, but also a family.

The name Évangéline comes from one of those residents. Ms. Vignola once took care of a 11-year-old little girl who was suffering from typhoid fever. Évangéline was her name. Ms. Vignola was very fond of this little girl, so much so that she decided to name the house as a tribute to her.

On october, 29th 1987, Mr. Vignola passed away suddenly in the presence of his residents. Ms. Vignola wonders for a while whether she will continue. She soon realizes that she cannot live without her residents as she considers them all like her own children. She therefore decides to continue what has been her life's work.

One of Ms. Vignola's dreams was to pay tribute to the Virgin Mary by erecting a statue. One day, she receives a huge parcel. And there it was : the statue she'd been dreaming of. To this day, the identity of the misterious donor remains unknown.

Ms. Vignola dedicated her life to this project. The best testimony of her and Mr. Vignola's work comes from the residents themselves, who called them Mommy and Daddy.

To run such a household would not have been possible without a lot of attention, love, respect and tenderness. Those are the essential qualities that made this project successful.

End of article

The Domaine du Perchoir

After Ms. Vignola's death, the Evangéline house and its holdings were put up for sale. The house itself is huge with many rooms of small dimensions that used to be the residents' rooms. There are several other buildings on the land: a big garage, a cottage, a windmill, a henhouse and a big barn that unfortunately was taken down due to its bad condition.

Marise Bélanger and Gilles Pelletier bought the property with the goal of turning it into a Bed&Breakfast. They spent over a year renovating it; removing walls to make bigger rooms, etc. They invited local artists to decorate the B&B's rooms and corridors. This melody of creativity brings the home its unique charm and the Domaine du Perchoir is born. The name comes from the placement of the house (on high terrain), as well as the many (inhabited) bird houses on the property, sometimes called Perchoirs in French. These birdhouses were built by some of the residents back in the Vignolas era.

Today

In 2008 we bought the place. We have been taking care of it with love and respecting its history. We are currently renovating the 3rd floor. This used to be a separate apartment. We expect this to become the most beautiful suite in the B&B, the perchoir of the Perchoir, with a breathtaking 360 degree view !