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Canopée is a small stilt cabin at BESIDE LAO in Racine, Québec, raised on posts so the living space sits up among the trees instead of on the forest floor. Inside, a wood fireplace, a compact kitchenette, a loft, and big forest-facing windows make the most of a very small footprint. It’s a smart study in how elevating a tiny build changes both the views and the way the space feels.
Stilts That Lift the Cabin Into the Canopy
Lifting a cabin on stilts changes how you experience the forest. The living space sits at eye level with the branches, air moves freely around and beneath the structure, and the views open across the trees instead of into the underbrush. Raising the cabin also keeps the building off the ground and lets the site stay close to its natural state. The Canopée cabins are scattered across the property, so each one feels private, and the design holds up in all seasons, from leafy summer to snowy winter.
Windows That Bring the Branches Inside
With the cabin perched at tree level, the windows do the work that a yard would do on the ground. Large panes frame the forest like a living picture, so the interior feels bigger than its footprint and the walls never feel close. It’s a useful lesson for any small build: spend your glazing where the view is best, and let the landscape act as extra room.
A Compact Interior Built Around Fire and Light
Inside, everything is arranged to keep the floor open. A sofa sits at the forest window, a loft is reached by a ladder, and a metal stair rises to a hatch, so sleeping and living are stacked rather than spread out. An indoor fireplace and a propane heater handle warmth, while solar-powered lighting with two USB outlets keeps the cabin self-sufficient without a complicated electrical setup. Stacking functions vertically and keeping systems simple is what lets a cabin this small stay comfortable.
A Kitchenette That Keeps It Simple
The kitchenette covers the essentials with a two-burner propane stove, a sink, open shelving, and basic dishes. There’s no refrigerator, which saves space and power and suits a solar-run cabin. Cutting the biggest energy draw is a classic off-grid trade-off, and here it frees room for the things that matter most in the layout.
The Loft and Its Hatch Stair
The loft is reached through a hatch with a metal stair, which keeps the access compact compared with a full staircase. Pairing the loft with a queen bed and a double sofa bed below gives the cabin sleeping space for up to four without adding square footage. A small window near the stair also keeps the upper level bright.
Design Details
- Structure: stilt-raised tiny cabin, set among the trees
- Location: BESIDE LAO, Racine, Eastern Townships, Québec
- Builder/designer: BESIDE LAO (formerly Laö Cabines)
- Sleeping: 1 queen bed and 1 double sofa bed, up to 4 guests
- Heat: indoor fireplace and propane heater
- Power: solar-powered lighting with 2 USB outlets
- Kitchen: two-burner propane stove, sink, dishes, French press; no refrigerator
- Bathroom: indoor composting toilet; showers in the shared bathhouse
- Outdoors: deck, fire pit, outdoor dining area
- Access: on foot only, 450–770 m from parking
What Makes This Build Special
- Raising a cabin on stilts puts the views at canopy level and leaves the ground below largely undisturbed.
- Big windows turn the surrounding forest into usable visual space in a very small footprint.
- Stacking sleeping and living (loft above, sofa bed and kitchenette below) keeps the floor open.
- Solar lighting, a fireplace, and a composting toilet show how little infrastructure a comfortable cabin really needs.
- Skipping the fridge is a simple way to shrink the power system on a solar-run build.
Stay Details
Canopée is available to rent at BESIDE LAO. Check-in is 3–11 pm and check-out is 11 am. The site is reached on foot only, and a shared bathhouse in the main pavilion has free showers, heated floors, a hair dryer, outlets, and Wi-Fi. Firewood is provided for indoor heating from Thanksgiving through Patriots’ Day. Nearby, guests can hike, use the thermal area with spas and a sauna, snowshoe, sled, or paddle on the lake, which is a 10- to 20-minute walk away. Dogs are allowed only in the Canopée Sauvage cabin, for a fee. The cabins sit about 30 minutes from Magog and an hour and 45 minutes from Montreal.
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Learn More
BESIDE LAO (formerly Laö Cabines)
Cabin page: Canopée · laocabines.ca
Contact: info@beside.earth · 514 876-6161
Instagram: @beside_lao · @beside_habitat
Photos: BESIDE LAO.
Highlights
- Stilt tiny cabin in the Eastern Townships forest
- Sleeps up to four
- Indoor fireplace and solar lighting
- Walk-in, car-free site
- Bathhouse, spas, sauna, and lake access
Explore More
- Free Spirit Spheres Luna: A 10.5-Foot Sphere in the Trees
- Stargazing Cabin in Springdale, Arkansas
- Calpine Lookout: Sleep in a 1934 Fire Lookout Tower
- Unyoked’s Off-Grid Cabins in Dalby Forest
- Cabins
Would you hike in to sleep up in the trees?
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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through one of our links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Alex
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