Plans for a net-zero geothermal bathing lagoon and chalet village near Québec City, Canada are blazing a trail in sustainability.

GeoLagoon, a privately funded company, is on a mission to create a relaxing nature-centric eco-village which it claims will be powered entirely by natural resources in Charlevoix, a region northwest of the province’s capital.

The beating heart of the destination would be a man-made 120,000sq ft lagoon which would be one of the largest of its kind in the world.

Underneath the lagoon, a vast patent-pending thermal reservoir will be heated to 70˚C by a combination of geothermal, solar and biomass energy.

This is designed to not only keep the lagoon at a toasty 38˚C throughout the year but to also heat the accommodation.

It’s proposed that the site will feature 300 prefab chalets clad in solar and thermal panels, which will power the water heaters in the reservoir.

GeoLagoon is owned by Louis Massicotte. The Canadian entrepreneur is the former president of the leisure complex Village Vacances Valcartier and also has a background in technology and marketing. He created the concept having been impressed by Iceland’s iconic Blue Lagoon bathing destination.

He told Spa Business: “Our aspiration is to create an international benchmark for renewable energy models, the goal is to become carbon-positive and produce more energy than we consume.”

Funding the vision

Massicotte estimates that the GeoLagoon will cost a minimum of CAD$325m (US$244.8m, €235.4m, £207m) and potentially up to CAD$500m (US$376.5m, €362.3m, £318.6m) to realise.

To finance the construction, GeoLagoon is selling the chalets to investors who can then rent them out in the short-term to tourists or people who want to live in them. Prices for the chalets start at CAD$819,000 (US$615,400, €592,600, £519,400).

GeoLagoon won’t provide rental management services for the properties but it will designate a firm for home-owners to use. The lagoon itself will be owned and operated by a third-party corporation, which will also handle ticket sales for day visitors, creating another revenue stream.

Weaving in wellnessMassicotte says that up to 2,000 people will be able to enjoy the lagoon’s warm waters at any one time. “Guests will be able to bathe and enjoy epic mountain views during the day and soak by star and moonlight in the evenings,” he says.

The team is also looking to collaborate with a third-party operator to open a world-class spa at the property. No spa consultant has been appointed yet as Massicotte feels this will be up to the operator.

He predicts the spa will cover around 500sq m and include 25 treatment rooms in addition to a floating massage service in the lagoon.

Location, location, location

Work hasn't started on the Charlevoix site yet as a permit has yet to be granted.

Massicotte is hopeful the company's focus on nature will help sway the authorities. His aim is to begin construction in March 2023 and to complete the project by December 2024.

To read more about GeoLagoon and Massicote’s plans for three further urban retreats and a franchise model, head to the latest issue of Spa Business.