Editor’s Note: This story was originally published on September 3, 2015. Some details may have changed. See to the official listing page for accuracy.

Somewhere amongst the picturesque landscape of the Laurentian Mountains stands a very special house. I’ve always said that driving up north to Saint-Sauveur, Tremblant or in this case, L’Estérel, makes for the perfect time to disconnect and escape the hustle and bustle city. Today I sit in the passenger seat of Saguy Elbaz’s car, a Montreal Sotheby’s International Realty broker who I’ve been following since we launched the site.

You’ll see, these owners are so nice. They told me there is some homemade ice tea and cornbread waiting for us. The best ice tea you’ve ever tasted, I swear!

Mr. Elbaz, aka @RealEstatePapi on instagram is a very busy man.

From the moment we stepped into his car to our arrival 60 minutes later, he probably answered 20 phone calls, discussing various deals with collaborating brokers and was getting updates from his team back at the office. Saguy has more or less 80 active listings and a lot of energy.

I’m only 27 but I look up to brokers like Joseph Montanaro and Liza Kauffman. I mean, these agents are local legends in our business.

Our destination is a French Colonial style home imagined, designed and commissioned by a gentle American couple and inspired by their travels. They named the manor; La Maison Béguine.

The pronounced balance and symmetry that characterizes French Island Colonial homes is apparent in every inch of this manor. The architecturally detailed fire places, rich exotic flooring, large crown mouldings, arched entries and the grand central floor plan with East and West wings are reminiscent of their travels to Martinique.

Several West Indian features along element from New Orleans, Ile St Louis and Paris have been tastefully incorporated into the home’s overall design. One must appreciate the amount of attention to detail that was put into all aspects of this home. From the tropical indoor Creole inspired gardens to the intricate French lattice work in the powder rooms. Even the doors on the main floor are all custom made and 10 feet tall!

When I’m done exploring the West wing, I find Saguy and one of the owners casually chatting over a glass of homemade iced tea inside what I believe is the most interesting part of this house: The Winter Garden. Carefully designed to provide a warm West Indy’s climate feel even throughout the harsh Quebec winters. One can enjoy the indoor garden’s dining area while admiring the beautiful landscape that is the Laurentian Mountains.

The house is in proximity to the Esterel Golf Course and provides access to Lac Masson, Lac Dupuis and Lac du Nord. This property also has the potential to be a waterfront property, since the land in front of the home is also available for purchase.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank both our hosts and Saguy Elbaz for the lovely visit and the enchanting storytelling of what inspired La Maison Béguine. For more information, please contact the broker here.