Sitting at the picnic table fixed on our little floating terrace, I read, letting myself be lulled by the sound and movement of the waves. The sea breeze enters our wooden hut, made of straw and covered with a roof of “palm leaves”, then escapes through the door, in front of which is a long slatted quay. It’s like being in Bora-Bora, but it is at Domaine Pourki and on the Richelieu River that I will sleep this weekend.
There is the tiki bar, the hammocks hanging from the trees, the kayaks, canoes, rabaskas and paddle boards that we can borrow at our leisure. The swimming pool, the 10 chalets popular with families, the 5 bubbles where people sleep in glamping, archery and the sand volleyball court. But it is at sunset that the illusion is almost perfect: when the last rays slip behind the Richelieu River and the vanilla-colored sky becomes the backdrop for the 5 huts on stilts of Domaine Pourki.
So yes, I imagine myself sipping my gin and tonic on a mini beach in French Polynesia. This is the inspiration behind the creation of this estate located in Sainte-Anne-de-Sabrevois, just under an hour’s drive from Montreal.
“In another life, I made a lot of sailing trips around the world,” explains Jean-Guy Brochu, the owner of the estate whose name “Pourki” refers to his clown name when he goes to the resort. ‘Shriners Hospital for Children. The idea for the estate came to me from what I saw in French Polynesia. Four additional huts are to come. ”
Another great novelty is the company Ecosurf Canada, this neighboring partner which since last April has been located a stone’s throw from the estate, at the end of the Ryan quay. Where my partner and I go to try the experience of electric surfing on the river which has decided to complicate the task. But hey, we will do with all the waves, my faith!
It is François Lebaron, one of the co-founders, who explains the basics of this new technology to us. The electric board directly imported from Spain, made of carbon and plastic, works with lithium batteries and is easy to use.
With the bracelet and speed clip securely attached to my left wrist, the board rope tied to my right leg, I manage to get to my knees, speed up my board and stand up a few seconds before that the waves do not make me fall in the Richelieu.
If I am far from coming close to the 35 km / h that it is possible to reach on the water, I can still feel the adrenaline rushing as my feet and my body rise up on the board. And the exercise is still so enjoyable that I can’t wait to come back and let the electric board hover over the river when the weather is warmer.
In the meantime, I return to enjoy the cool nights, the bonfire and the calm of my hut on the water in Polynesia… Quebec!
To find out more about the Pourki estate: www.pourki.com and on Ecosurf Canada’s electric surf: www.ecosurfcanada.com
