Wood sculpture is a traditional Quebec “savoir-faire” that has, over the years, been used to decorate the many Churches into the palaces of North America. The construction of these magnificent tributes to our heritage required that the artisan's skills and knowhow be handed down from one generation to the next. The Côte-de-Beaupré has been the birthplace of many of these great artists: Leblond de la Tour, Baillargé, Jobin, and Paré, just to name a few.
Françoise Lavoie and Scott Kingsland purchased Atelier Paré over thirty years ago. These two citizens, who were not born here, these «strangers» as some would refer to them, wasted no time in getting involved in all aspects of the community. So much so, that they are now recognized wherever they go.
In 1941, at the age of 23, Alphonse Paré decided to build a workshop in his hometown where he could practice his chosen profession. It is worth noting that Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré was a very popular pilgrimage site at this time. Millions of visitors would travel year after year by boat, train, or by road with the hope that their desire for a miracle would be realized.
Since the beginning of the New-France era, Saint Anne had the reputation of being able to make miracles happen. In order to satisfy the needs and demands of the many pilgrims and tourists, many businesses and shops were rushing to offer their services close to the Basilica. By opening his workshop in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Alphonse was hoping that , he too, could profit from the presence of all of these visitors coming from all corners of Quebec, Canada, the United States, and around the World.
