Designed by architect Alain Carle, this chalet is imbued with rustic charm. Its architecture leans more towards a country style than a modernist one, grounded in the earth rather than reaching for the sky. The exterior volumes are abstract and intriguing. Two volumes with irregular angles are anchored to retaining walls that hold back the sloping ground. The black pine walls add to the peculiar nature of this form, which cuts through the landscape without imposing upon it. It is perfectly integrated into the location.

The internal layout of Les Rorquals continues this relationship with the topography, resembling an interior landscape: hills, slate plateaus, and black erratic blocks. The interior spaces are organized in half-levels, starting from the street-level access. The welcome floor extends to form one of the kitchen counters. Further along, broad steps lead into the living and dining areas, also serving as informal seating, all facing the landscape that opens up before you: the Charlevoix region and the majestic St. Lawrence River.