Our story · a meeting
⁓Encounter with a territory
In the early 2000s, Paula travelled through several regions of Quebec in search of a place to one day establish her dream of a tourist lodging business that invites people to encounter Nature.
First, a personal encounter with an exceptional territory, the Mégantic region with its lakes and mountains quickly established itself as the ideal place that would become the foundation ofHébergement aux Cinq Sens.
Paula put down roots in Piopolis in 2003 and the company took shape in 2009 after a few years of hard work with her partner at the time, Ludovic, to set up five yurts in a 10-acre forest.
It was only later that Paula discovered that she was located on the ancestral hunting and fishing territory of her Wendat ancestors, the Onyionhwentsïio'*. Aux Cinq Sens, therefore, takes place on this territory rich in history and meaning!
* The Mégantic region is located on the ancestral territory of the W8banaki, the Ndakina. Also, a few kilometers away as the crow flies is the oldest known archaeological site in Quebec, dating back 12,000 years.
Encounter with a shared vision
In 2016, a deeper sense of purpose emerged, leading to immersive experiences for clients grounded in ancestral Indigenous values. This sparked a quest to emphasize respect for Mother Earth, a connection to the land, and knowledge related to Nature.
The year 2017 demonstrated this commitment, and everything fell into place. The encounter with Benoit, a biologist and facilitator, breathed new life into the project. A shared vision of Nature as a teacher, a source of transformation, and a reconnection with the essence of Indigenous Peoples unites Paula and Benoit. Since then, they have worked together to communicate and nurture this relationship with Nature.
⁓Encounter with coherence
Starting in 2018, Aux Cinq Sens expanded in line with its vision, doubling its size and adding three tiny houses, a refuge, an eco-chalet, and a camping area with two hammock tents and tent sites in the heart of the forest. Its commitment to sustainability and eco-responsibility was further enhanced by the creation of rainwater harvesting systems, a passive solar greenhouse, a permaculture garden, a resilience pond, natural landscaping, forest management, and an energy diversification plan with over 25 solar panels distributed across the site.
Numerous activities have also been created, including the Encounter with the Spirit of the Forest and the Evening Under the Stars: The Sky Told, which have become flagship activities of the site. Added to this is the dimension of nature retreats, stays that perfectly align with the essence of the site.
With this expansion, an increasingly international clientele is frequenting the establishment, drawn by a distinctive offering that respects nature and instills the ancestral values of Indigenous Peoples. For Paula and Benoit, these values are sources of solutions for the future of our world, both in terms of respecting nature and living together in harmony.
The tourism industry recognizes Paula and Benoit's achievements with a first major award in sustainable and responsible tourism in 2021 from Indigenous Tourism Quebec, followed by:
→ 2024 Excellence Award in Sustainable Tourism from the Quebec Tourism Industry Alliance.
→ 2024 Grand Prize for Excellence in Sustainable Tourism from the Estrie Foundation for the Environment.
→ 2025 Exemplary Citation at the Quebec Tourism Conference for a video dedicated to Hébergement aux Cinq Sens on regenerative tourism, a new direction for the future.
→ 2026 Preservation and Development Award from the Wendat Nation.
