L'Atre, Eighteenth Century Farm Home, IIe d'OrlÄans.
By the second quarter of the eighteenth century, the settlers in the older settled areas were quite well off. This house reflects their modest prosperity and fine aesthetic sense. The walls are of stone, two feet thick; the roof originally would have been of thatch, later replaced by overlapping boards, or cedar shingles. The steep roof and the sloping gable ends derive from northern France, which has a heavy rainfall, hence the thatch roofs customary there required a steep pitch. The chimney in the centre of the house is typical. It retained the heat within the house and had a double fireplace, one side for the kitchen where meals were prepared and eaten; on the other side was the parlor or bedrooms.
Upstairs was storage space for grain, and other bedrooms. There was usually a cellar. Owing to the problem of heating in winter, rooms could not be overly large. By the eighteenth century glass was being used in windows rather than parchment or oiled paper. What is most distinctive about these houses is their excellent proportions and graceful lines. This house has been converted into a restaurant where traditional Quebec cuisine is served among period furniture. Visitors can still watch the sun set over Mont Ste-Anne and the St. Lawrence River, undisturbed by the glow of electric lights. It is the oldest house on IIe d'OrlÄans.
