06/04/2026
Maybe try a stay-cation this summer!
Old Church Cottages
Cet été, redécouvrez votre région !
A river like the Restigouche does not need any help being beautiful. It just needs people thoughtful enough not to get in the way.
I always laugh a little because so many homes around the Restigouche area have these beautiful porches facing the road, while one of the most incredible rivers in the world is sitting right behind them, patiently waiting for the rest of us to realize what it already knows: it is beautiful.
Old Church Cottages feels like someone finally turned the chair around.
Danny and Jo-Anne Lagacé have created something that truly respects this area.
Their work gives people a chance to see what we, as locals, sometimes take for granted: the beauty of the Restigouche River.
This is an internationally renowned river, known for salmon fishing experiences often reserved for the richest of the rich through private lodges and exclusive retreats.
What they have built is something different.
It feels elevated, but still accessible.
Beautiful, but still grounded.
Welcoming, without forgetting the place it belongs to.
Danny Lagacé is a retired veteran, and although he would probably be too humble to boast about it, I will. He is a thoughtful designer, a creative problem-solver, and one half of the life and business partnership behind Old Church Cottages, a place that gives people a stylish and meaningful way to experience Northern New Brunswick.
Funny enough, Danny first reached out to me about a year ago, when I was just getting started with Up Tide.
At the time, I told him, “Sorry my man, I’m only focusing on entrepreneurs in the food industry.”
A year later, he commented on one of my posts, and I decided maybe it was finally time to check the place out.
What was supposed to be a one-hour visit turned into an entire afternoon.
By the end of it, I knew there was no better place to feature as Up Tide begins widening its lens.
Old Church Cottages has three domes and one renovated church, and I know what some of you may be thinking:
“Oh great, another plastic dome spot. Yay.”
But this place is different.
They did their homework. They studied the market, listened to what people liked and disliked, and then designed the domes with intention.
They are private. They use wood instead of plastic siding. They face the river. They have heated floors, sealed bathrooms, and extended roofs that let you look up and actually take in the night sky in a way many traditional domes do not.
That same care shows up in the renovated church, which has been transformed into a beautiful location for events, gatherings, and unforgettable stays.
But what really captivated me was not just the buildings.
It was the way Danny’s mind works.
Where some people see a broken pew, Danny sees chairs.
Where some people see an unsalvageable cedar bark canoe, Danny sees a light fixture.
Where some people see an old church, Danny sees a gathering place with history, character, and new life still left in it.
Every part of the design has a story.
And like any good storyteller, once Danny starts sharing those stories, you cannot help but listen.
There is local history tucked into nearly every corner of what they have built, and Danny is more than happy to share those little pieces of knowledge if you are willing to slow down and listen.
That is what makes Old Church Cottages special.
It is not just a stay.
It is not just a nice view.
It is not just a cool place to take photos.
It is an experience built by people who clearly care.
So thank you, Danny, for the old-fashioned chin wag, the tour, and the reminder that sometimes the best stories are sitting right in front of us, waiting for someone to notice.
What you two have built has inspired me to look at what Up Tide can become, so more stories like this can be told.
