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La maison-cirque des Laurentides / The Laurentian Big Top

  • June 11, 2021
  • Mountain Life Media
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mots :: Maxime Bilodeau // photos :: Benoit Desjardins.

La demeure de Marie-Josée Lévesque est à l’image de cette artiste, athlète et femme d’affaires : ébouriffante. La conceptrice artistique de Cirque Fantastic, qui se spécialise dans l’organisation de spectacles événementiels, habite en fait dans une « maison-cirque ».

Au centre de celle-ci, on retrouve une immense salle où pratiquer le trapèze et la roue allemande, les deux spécialités de l’acrobate de carrière. Comme la cuisine est aménagée dans cette pièce, on peut aussi s’y préparer un café en reluquant les peintures accrochées aux murs, des Joanne Corneau. « Cette pièce est le cœur de la maison. Elle fait à la fois office de milieu de vie, de salle de réception et de laboratoire », raconte-t-elle.

The Laurentian Big Top study Benoit Desjardins

La bicoque trône depuis 1998 sur les rives du lac Sainte-Marie, à Saint-Adolphe-d’Howard. C’est le conjoint de Marie-Josée, l’ingénieur André Dupras, qui l’a imaginée de A à Z. Le président de la firme Dupras-Ledoux savait dans quoi il s’embarquait, lui qui a notamment travaillé sur la conception de l’amphithéâtre du Cirque du Soleil, à l’Hôtel Bellagio de Las Vegas. À l’intérieur, on reconnaît la touche singulière de cet esprit avant-gardiste ; les nombreux espaces ouverts de cette maison-loft sont inondés par la lumière naturelle.

The Laurentian Big Top interior stairs Benoit Desjardins

L’endroit a évolué au gré de ses occupants, incluant leurs quatre enfants, des hyperactifs notoires. « La salle de divertissement a laissé place à un espace de rangement pour nos vélos, nos skis alpins et tout notre matériel de plein air. De la même manière, un gym urbain a remplacé les jeux et balançoires d’extérieur qui s’y trouvaient », explique Marie-Josée. Une terrasse aménagée sous un pavillon, une invraisemblable discothèque et un paisible solarium figurent aussi parmi les ajouts qui se sont greffés au fil du temps.

The Laurentian Big Top aerials Ben Desjardins

Il faut dire que les Lévesque-Dupras aiment recevoir ; plus de cent personnes se sont déjà amassées chez eux pour un party du Nouvel An ! « Quand les gens pénètrent chez nous, c’est comme s’ils mettaient un pied au paradis ; certains ne portent plus à terre », fait remarquer la propriétaire des lieux. Elle ne croit pas si bien dire.

The Laurentian Big Top deck and grounds Benoit Desjardins

Marie-Josée Lévesque’s one-of-a-kind home is a direct reflection of who she is: an artist, an athlete and a businesswoman. As the artistic director for Cirque Fantastic, Lévesque organizes all of her company’s entertainment events and performances, and she just so happens to live in her very own “circus tent.”

The Laurentian Big Top exterior glass and steps Benoit Desjardins

The main room of her home has been converted into a training area for trapeze and German wheel, the acrobat’s two specialities. And since the kitchen is actually attached to this same room, you can easily make a cup of coffee while admiring the Joanne Corneau paintings hanging on the walls. “This is the core of our home. We do everything here—from living and entertaining to experimenting,” says Lévesque.

The Laurentian Big Top study Benoit Desjardins

This patchwork home has been nestled along the shores of Lake Sainte-Marie in Saint-Adolphe-d’Howard since 1998. Marie-Josée’s husband designed this unique home from the ground up. As the head of the Dupras-Ledoux consulting firm, he was no stranger to creating unconventional spaces, having designed the Cirque du Soleil amphitheatre at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. You really get a sense of his ingeniously avant-garde spirit as soon as you step through the door. The open layout and vaulted ceilings allow natural light to flood the entire space.

The Laurentian Big Top interior stairs Benoit Desjardins

The home has evolved over the years to suit their changing needs, including those of their four rambunctious children. “The family room has become a storage space for our bikes, downhill skis and outdoor equipment. The same thing happened outside; we replaced the swings and playsets with an outdoor gym,” explains Lévesque. A large covered deck, a nightclub and a peaceful solarium have also been added over the years.

The Laurentian Big Top aerials Ben Desjardins

The Lévesque-Dupras family loves to entertain. So much so, that they even hosted a New Year’s Eve party with over one hundred guests. “When guests visit our home, it’s as if they’ve stepped through the gates of heaven—some have even been known to float above the floor,” adds Lévesque. And that’s not really stretching the truth.

The Laurentian Big Top deck and grounds Benoit Desjardins

From Vie en Montagne, summer ’20.

Le Québec vu d’en haut / Quebec From New Heights

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