Chemin du lac Teeples cottage
(village of East Aldfield, municipality of La Pêche, Outaouais region, Quebec, Canada, Earth)
Welcome! Here’s what to expect as a guest at our lac Teeples country house.
First, note that there are NO RENTALS of the cottage. It is not insured for rentals. Only personal guests stay at the cottage.
The House:
The house is a four-season country residence, heated with electricity and a wood stove. It has all the amenities of any city home, with a modern kitchen and bathroom. There are three small bedrooms, one set aside for the owner. The kitchen has a glass-top stove, microwave, refrigerator and dishwasher plus a full set of dishes and cooking utensils. We have several extra towels for swimming, which can be dried in the clothes dryer in the bathroom or hung on the clothesline.
Water coming from the taps is pumped directly from the lake. We use it for everything except drinking: Drinking water is supplied in plastic containers (fillable at a roadside spring in Wakefield). Accidentally drinking lake water is unlikely to be a problem.
There is a double garage beside the house, with a door opener control fob kept near the entry to the house. The canoe and other toys are kept in the garage. The garage door opener is part of the “internet of things” and can be remotely activated.
Waste water is sent to a septic system: Avoid harsh chemicals, try to minimize hair and grease/fat entering the drains and never use bleach. Acceptable laundry, dish, dishwasher and hand soaps are supplied. In the shower we wash with environmentally friendly “campsuds”, which is remarkably nice.
The Lake:
The house faces a small lake (called, unsurprisingly, lac Teeples), with 60m of waterfront of which a small section is sandy. A large floating dock is the centre of attention and is the usual means of entering the lake. The water is tested each year for “fecal matter” and is consistently “excellent”. In fact, if the fecal counts increased by a factor of 10 it would still be officially “excellent”. The lake is therefore perfect for swimming.
The lake is too small for motor boats to be allowed, although electric trolling motors are allowed. A canoe (with two adult paddles and two kid’s paddles of different sizes), an inflatable boat (with oars, nearly impossible to steer), and perhaps a stand-up paddle board are kept in the garage. We have two regular-sized adult lifejackets: children should bring ones that fit them. There are also “noodles” and other water toys.
The lake is stocked with speckled trout, and fishing equipment is kept in the garage (rod & reel, net, knife, floats, hooks). Fish are seen at the end of the dock, and have been caught here. Don’t forget to buy a fishing license (available at the grocery store 2km away on Cléo-Fournier). Lac Teeples is in Quebec Zone 10, and in this zone the rule is that one may only keep trout longer than 45cm (18 inches) – smaller ones should be put back if they have not been badly injured.
Other activities:
La Pêche is situated just north of Gatineau Park, with very similar terrain to that of the park. The house backs onto provincial crown land (ministry of agriculture) which consists of forest with a few small paths cut into it for hunting or hydro power line access. So far we have not seen other humans in these woods, but we have seen deer and wild turkeys. There does not appear to be active hunting in this immediate area (not a concern before Labour Day).
A 2km hiking loop (figure-8 actually) has been mapped out through these woods (“infinity hike”, directions provided in hut). A 4km walk to lac Lola and back has also been mapped out, other routes are being explored, and you can find your own way. Hiking can be done nearly all times of the year (snowshoes in winter), but note that the trails are flooded in most of April and May.
A large fire pit is near the waterfront. There seems to be a never-ending supply of scrap wood to burn. A smaller steel fire pit is kept in the garage and allows smaller fires closer to the house (don’t go too close). The dried, split, larger wood in the woodpile is intended for use in the house’s wood stove. Don’t light a fire in the firepit if there is a fire ban (follow the link, then enter East Aldfield for the location). If there is a ban on open fires use the steel fire pit with its cover.
Seasons:
The best time for water sports is from mid-June through mid-September when the lake temperature is pleasant. Brave souls have been in the lake in May and October. July and August are the best for summer recreation. Here is the weather forecast.
June is the peak month for insects, but they are not a major problem for those accustomed to the Canadian outdoors. We have not experienced black fly season at the cottage yet, perhaps because it is relatively short lived (roughly one week near the end of May each year).
September and early October are very pleasant, quiet, with beautiful fall colours. Hiking is wonderful in September. Early autumn is the favourite season of some neighbors who live here year-round. October and November foreshadow the winter, with stormy weather and snow flurries.
Once the snow starts accumulating in mid December the scene changes to a winter wonderland. A blanket of snow imposes a hush over the scene. The autumn winds that furiously chopped the lake have ended, the lake has frozen, and all is quiet.
The spring melt brings ice to the road (be very careful through the month of April), but eventually removes the ice on the lake (approximately May 1). There may be snow near the house well into the month of May. Eventually in May the birds (Blue Jays, Cardinals) return and the trees bud.
Regional Amenities and Activities:
For small items we rely on the local grocery store at the corner of chemin Cléo-Fournier and chemin du lac Teeples, 2km from the cottage. This grocery store doubles as a liquor store – not just wine and beer, but hard liquor too! On Rte 366 in the village of Sainte-Cécile de Masham there is a few snack bars, a larger grocery store and a gas station. Better facilities, including a range of restaurants, are in the town of Wakefield, near the exit from highway 5 (~30 minutes drive from the cottage).
30km to the south (approx. a 40-minute drive) is Lac La Pêche, the largest lake in Gatineau Park. This lake has a launch for non-motorized boats (the canoe, for example). Lifeguards are on duty from 10 am to 6 pm, from mid-June to Labour day (June 14 to September 2 in 2019). The Eardley escarpment in Gatineau Park (climbing, hiking) can be reached by cutting across the park on the Eardley-Masham road.
How to get there:
Most visitors will find that their route takes them north on Quebec highway 5. Take exit #28 off highway 5 near Wakefield. The exit ramp leads to a roundabout where you will take the fourth exit towards Rte 366. You will cross under highway 5, then continue straight to 366 (AKA Rte Principale E). From exit 28 on highway 5 it takes approximately 25 minutes to reach lac Teeples.
Follow Rte 366 for 16.5 km, through the village of Sainte-Cécile de Masham. The speed limit will start off at 90 km/hr, then gradually decrease to 50 for a long section in the village. Once you’re through the village and back at 90km/hr, watch for a camp ground sign on your left. Turn right 1.5 km after this sign, at an overhead flashing light, onto Chemin Cléo-Fournier.
Stay on Cléo-Fournier for approximately 11km. When the speed limit decreases to 50 (from 80km/hr) you’re getting close. Once you have seen the last of Lac Lola (beside the road on your left) you will enter East Aldfield. Turn right at the corner store onto Chemin du lac Teeples.
Follow this road (paved, then gravel) for 2km until you see the community sign. Turn right at the fork. There is a driveway loop off chemin Teeples leading to the house, plus parking below the cottage on the other side of the road, nearer the lake.
Connectivity:
There is no land line telephone in the cottage and no cellular coverage, but there is wireless internet. The password is posted inside the cottage. Telephone calls are made by VOIP (e.g. Facetime or magicJack). Remember that text messages will not get through if they are routed via the cellular network. Apple users can text each other because Messenger will use the internet. There is a modest limit on internet speed, and a monthly maximum on data usage: Please don’t download unnecessarily or stream videos extensively.
Cellular coverage ends at the intersection of Cléo-Fournier and Rte 366. You can pick up your cellular phone messages by parking on the side of the road near here. If you are navigating via cellphone application you will need to have the route loaded before you go north of this intersection because you will not receive data beyond this point.
Winter visits:
This area of Quebec gets a high volume of snow, with heights of accumulated snow reaching just under 2m. If the path is not shovelled, you’ll get lots of exercise reaching the door if you don’t have snowshoes (hint: arrive before dark). The thermostats in the main living area are part of the “internet of things” and can be turned on before you leave the city so it is relatively warm when you arrive. There are two or three sets of snowshoes in the house that you can borrow. The 2km hiking trail is quite enjoyable in winter if you are able to walk on the snow.
The driveway is cleared manually, or not, so if no one has been there for a few weeks prior to your arrival you are advised to park in the cleared area at the junction near the Teeples community sign and walk in from here (less than 100m). A sled is available at the cottage for winter transportation of goods.