Mellow in
Montebello
Montebello, where they had the
Three Amigos Summit in 2007, is just as good in summer as in winter.
Snowshoeing on the grounds of the Fairmount there is a joy in a
winter wonderland. The warmer season is the time to check out the Manoir
Papineau, home of Louis-Joseph Papineau, leader of the Patriots and
the French-Canadian equivalent of William Lyon Mackenzie, who led the the
Upper Canada Rebellion.
The Manoir is painted a light blue and
dates back to 1850. Used as a summer residence, it was part of
a “seigneurerie”, since even after the Conquest of 1759 the British did
not abolish the seigneurial landowner system and its Canadian nobility
instituted by the Ancien Régime in French colonial times. The Papineau
clan was political from the start: Louis-Joseph’s father Joseph was a
deputy in Parliament.
The style of architecture is neo-classical
and the interiors are exquisite if compact. Sofas in the reception area
are Louis XV Regency style. Chandeliers and gilded mirrors abound. No
photographs are allowed within, as light deteriorates the materials of the
furniture and interiors. In the parlour, the wallpaper has been painted
with real gold. On the grounds is a 300-year-old oak tree, which must be
supported by two vertical beams lest it come crashing down.
The
coat of arms featured in the manor contains symbols of the Patriots: the
beaver and the maple leaf, both of which were appropriated by the Canadian
government over time. On the balcony, there is also an axe: I learn this
is a revolutionary symbol dating back to ancient Greece. It symbolizes
judges slicing through debates.
Bits of gossip: Papineau’s daughter
was only 3 foot 6 because of a congenital illness – which didn’t prevent
her from marrying Henri Bourassa, founder of Le Devoir, one of the most
important papers in Québec even today. Papineau himself favoured a unique
hairstyle resembling that of Tintin (the Belgian comic-strip reporter);
maybe the cartoonist got the idea from looking at historical
pictures.
After a very pleasant tour of the Manoir Papineau, and
a relaxing bicycle tour around Château Montebello trails on the
riverfront, there are many restaurants to choose from. One is the
Resto-Bar Le Zouk. It's a lovely log-cabin structure on the main
street with a large patio, spacious and well-designed modern washrooms as
well as a good view of the adjacent golf course, with the river
farther out. Some innovative music with a New Age flavour and a touch
of world-beat sound pipes softly through the speakers, reminiscent of
Buddha Bar CDs.
Photos
And the beauty of winter landscapes, snowshoeing at the
Chateau
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