One day I bought a church...

Looking for a more creative idea to work in the real estate industry, I am interested in the transformation of churches, because in my opinion, these buildings have a distinct architecture and are always well located. It was in March 2021 that I visited the Sainte-Marie de l'Isle Maligne church for the first time. Having always seen this 1938 building in the landscape of Alma, my hometown, in my entrepreneurial mind an idea was born.

The challenge appeals to me and the complex steps will follow for more than a year before the purchase is finalized. We install counters to serve soft serve cream in the middle of the church and on June 11, 2022, 5 days after the deconsecration of the church, our first division "Le Saint-Crème Bar laitier" is baptized.

At the age of 23, I managed to put together a financial package of $2.3 million to transform the old church into a restaurant and a 10-room hotel. The project is major and involves several challenges, but in September 2023 the hotel component is finally open and confirmed.

I put my heart and soul into this project and hundreds of hours of untold work. I hope you enjoy it. The old church is now resurrected.

Vincent Lavoie, Founding Owner