Le Massif de Charlevoix Tourism and Recreation Development - $56M WORKSITE
LAUNCH IN BAIE-SAINT-PAUL

BAIE-SAINT-PAUL, QC, Oct. 18 /CNW Telbec/ - Today Groupe Le Massif officially launched the construction of the most important worksite to date in the Massif de Charlevoix tourism and recreation project, at The Farm in Baie-Saint-Paul. A total of $56M will be invested towards the development of a 150-room hotel complex that fans out into five pavilions, and includes a multifunctional venue, a spa, a train station, a public square and a terroir farmers' market.

The President and CEO of Groupe Le Massif, Daniel Gauthier, launched the construction that should permit the hotel to officially open by December 2011. On this occasion, he was accompanied by Baie-Saint-Paul Mayor Jean Fortin, and by Jacques Gourde, House of Commons representative of the Lotbinière-Chutes-de-la-Chaudière riding, who was standing in for the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for the Economic Development Agency of Canada.

Quality in simplicity 
"In keeping with our overall project development plan, we designed this environment on the human scale. We did our utmost to preserve the authentic character and spirit of the site, which is part of the Charlevoix's architectural heritage," Daniel Gauthier.

The development plan was created by a consortium of firms, of which Lemay Michaud Architecture Design, St-Gelais Montminy et Associés Architectes, Hudon Julien Associés and François Courville Architecte paysagiste. It highlights the site's natural elements - the fields, the river, the mountains, the Franciscans' Lane, the town - to maximize the full range of experiences to be explored here. The concept includes five pavilions each with a different configuration, and some components - the materials and colours - draw their inspiration from the original buildings that once comprised Ambroise-Fafard Farm.

A place conducive to meeting and sharing
The Farm environment worksite opens today with the construction of the complex's first pavilion, and will extend over the next fifteen months. "The project was not only devised from a tourist perspective; it was developed to allow local citizens to take advantage of infrastructures that will serve as a lever for future development. In this spirit, the complex was also designed with the community in mind. We hope it will embrace its spaces and feel at home among those who will come from everywhere to visit us," added Daniel Gauthier.

"We are very proud to see a major element in Daniel Gauthier's vast project get underway today. This is a historical day that confirms Baie-Saint-Paul's role as a world-class destination for tourism, recreation and culture," stated Mayor Jean Fortin.

Le Massif de Charlevoix
Le Massif de Charlevoix is a tourism and recreation project representing a $230M investment. Beyond Le Massif Ski Area, the territory spans from Baie-Saint-Paul to Petite-Rivière-Saint-François in the Charlevoix, and includes a touring train and rail shuttle, as well as a diversified lodging offer, of which a 150-room hotel and a multifunctional venue. The site is destined to become a genuine experiential laboratory focused on tourism.

For further information:

Sources & Information
Isabelle Vallée, Public Relations - Groupe Le Massif
418-932-4023 / [email protected]