About us
The passionate people presented here show the warmth, good humour, and enthusiasm of our team. They are the backbone of this small organisation. Duvetnor owes its success primarily to their committed participation.
Jean Bédard
Founder and CEOJean is a biologist by training and first became interested in the ecology of seabirds during his graduate and postdoctoral studies which led him around the world. His research has been published in numerous international scientific journals. In 1979, he founded the Société Duvetnor with a few biologist friends. By developing various activities, Jean wanted to share his passion so that visitors gained a greater understanding and respect for nature, and a desire to adopt a more eco-friendly lifestyle. His training as a professor makes him an excellent communicator. A hard worker, he is an inspiration and role model for those who want to make a difference in wildlife conservation and public awareness.
Christian Boulet
Ship captainChristian, a biologist by training, took up the position of captain in 1998. As owner of the Chantauvent sailboat, he has sailed many many hours on the St. Lawrence River as well as in South America, where he spends his winter months with his dog Morgan. Bohemian by nature, he also enjoys the solitude of his cabin in the heart of the forest by Lake Malobèse. Calm and joyful, Christian inspires confidence and navigates the sometimes rough waters with ease. He is easily recognizable by his legendary braid.
Olivier St-Pierre
Foreman and ship captainOlivier took up his position in 1999 after studying wildlife conservation. Very versatile and curious, he quickly became indispensable. He has a wealth of knowledge and is involved in many of the Society’s activities, including infrastructure construction, design of electrical systems, water filtration, eiderdown harvesting, and navigation of our boats. Island life has many challenges that he gladly takes on to improve the experience of our visitors. When he is not behind the wheel of a boat, you can find him on his motorcycle or heading out to the family cabin!
Sylvie Marchand
ControllerSylvie worked in regional tourism before joining Duvetnor in 2001. She is one of our most loyal employees. With her abundant goodwill, she is a maternal figure for all the staff. Although her role is mainly associated with numbers and managing the supply of materials and food that is delivered to the islands, she takes great pleasure in taking reservations and chatting with customers. A great lover of animals, she divides her time between the office and her stable, where she spends many hours feeding and caring for her horses.
Mélanie Doré
Communications and marketingMélanie studied public communications and joined our team in 2002. If you are familiar with her name, it is because you probably chatted with her on the phone or by email, or because she welcomed you when you arrived at our office. Her customer knowledge is surprising. She is very pleased and proud to help you make the most of your visit. She is behind all of our promotional and recruitment campaigns that you see on social media. She is not the best sailor, but she can be found on her paddleboard on the River during beautiful summer days.
Francis Dufresne
Ship captainFrancis has been working with us since 2007. With more than 30 years of experience on commercial fishing boats and excursion boats in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Francis no longer counts the roundtrips made between his native Gaspésie at Rivière-du-Loup to come and work with us during the summer. Known for his unusual sense of duty, he is a major asset to our team. His charming accent, his typically Gaspesian expressions and his sense of humour make him a particularly endearing person.
Michèle Pelletier
Cleaning and production manager of eiderdownMichèle has been with Duvetnor since 2003. You will not run into her on the islands since she is hidden in our eiderdown cleaning warehouse facilities, located near Rivière-du-Loup. After studying microbiology, Michèle joined our team and manages the down cleaning process for marketing. It is a unique, solitary, and specialized work that requires a lot of attention to detail; few people in Quebec have such a unique role.
David Levesque
MechanicDavid joined the permanent technical team at Île-aux-Lièvres in 2009 before his training course that focused on the maintenance and mechanics of our boats. With a background in visual arts and art history, he is now thriving with his new responsibilities. In addition to the engines that have revealed their secrets to him, David devotes himself to the restoration of his home and his passion for making craft beer.
Marc-Philippe Christophe
Assistant foremanMarc-Philippe joined the technical team in 2011 after studying geography/environment. A colourful and expressive character, he will charm you with his infectious laughter! Owner of Le septième ciel sailboat and a new dad, Marc enjoys playing the guitar in his spare time. He can sometimes be heard singing around sunset by the employees’ house to entertain his colleagues. A great lover of nature, he quickly fell under the spell of the Bas-Saint-Laurent, where he started his family.
Marie-Reine Thériault
Cleaning of eiderdown assistantMarie-Reine joined our team at the down warehouse facilities in 2016. She worked for a long time in horticulture in several greenhouses in the region before making a complete career change and arrived at Duvetnor. Do not be fooled by her small size because she can move mountains by herself! She loves to work so much that she doesn’t seem to notice the passing hours. Her strength, perseverance, and her mischievous side make her a highly regarded member of the team.
Sylvain Dorey
Ship captainOriginally from France, Sylvain joined our staff in 2017. His studies in integrated wildlife management led him to Quebec’s North Shore before discovering the Bas-Saint-Laurent. His career, since his hiring, has been constantly evolving. Always willing and enthusiastic about sailing, Sylvain naturally became a senior guide and quickly expressed his desire to be behind the wheel of a boat as captain. Sylvain divides his time between interpretation and navigation. Owner of the small Jonas sailboat, he takes advantage of every moment to enjoy sailing.
Rémy Laflamme
Assistant foremanRémy is currently working with the Île aux Lièvres technical team, but was first hired in 2018 to harvest eider down as part of an internship for his studies in wildlife protection and exploitation. His return to school was the beginning of a new life for him, since he has been working in the culinary field for a long time. His passion for avian wildlife made him fall in love with the Island and convinced him to make it his second home. You will probably meet him at the bend of a path with his camera chasing the birds. He will be happy to tell you about his feathered companions!
Marika Milani
Auberge du Lièvre managerMarika joined Duvetnor in the summer of 2020 during the pandemic. After completing her bachelor’s degree in dance, she embarked on a career in events, from a street restaurant in France to festivals in Quebec. Since her arrival on the island, she has continued to discover new names of birds and plants, which she sometimes renames in her own way. Marika has a real passion for food and likes to share it with her customers. She is also very creative, whether it is to invent cocktails for happy hour or to solve the last-minute problems brought by the island life. Her boundless energy, her thirst for knowledge and her contagious good mood makes her a person that everyone loves.
Arianne Jacques
Intendant Île-aux-LièvresArianne graduated in environmental sciences. She joined our team in the summer of 2020 in the middle of the pandemic. As soon as she arrived, she was immediately adopted! With bright eyes, always in a good mood, Arianne spared no effort to pamper the guests. She is trustworthy and full of common sense. In addition to her endearing personality, she has the health of the planet and humans at heart. She has a green thumb and a great passion for plants. She spends as much time as possible in nature.
Phillip Schube-Coquereau
Chef - Auberge du LièvrePhillip joined the Duvetnor team in 2021. He holds a master’s degree in literary studies at UQAR and many years of experience in several kitchens in Quebec City and Rimouski. Although he spent most of the summer cooking, he lengthens his time on the Island by joining the technical team at the beginning and end of the season, allowing him to connect with this unique environment. The very special connection that he has with his surroundings is felt and tasted in the original dishes that he concocts for his customers. Since the pandemic, he has discovered a talent for sourdough bread, a talent that is highly appreciated by his colleagues and clients! A true lover of nature, of the pleasures of the table and of words, he found his place on Île aux Lièvres. His many skills and inexhaustible energy make him an unparalleled islander.
Étienne Lajoie-Asselin
Reception and Café Île aux LièvresÉtienne joined the Île aux Lièvres team in 2021. Originally from Rivière-du-Loup, he is currently studying architecture at Laval University. Endowed with remarkable memory and energy, he is all smiles with the clientele. Étienne is always ready to lend a helping hand to his colleagues, with a radiant good mood. He also has a surprising talent in drawing and likes to ‘sing in cursive letters’ to make the team laugh around the fire. You may see its long curly hair blowing through one of the trails, at the times when the hares are coming out of hiding.
Jean-Gabriel Morin
Reception and Café Île aux LièvresJean-Gabriel joined Duvetnor in 2021. He is a management student at HEC de Montréal and decided to leave his native island of Montreal to settle on Île aux Lièvres during the summer. Very curious, he likes to learn more about a variety of topics, from birds to plants, energy management and pastry. On the same note, he discovered a passion for photography of the Island’s birds and sunsets. He is versatile, friendly and a real joker, which makes him a valuable help for his colleagues and clients. We cannot ignore the delicious muffins and other desserts that make everyone happy!
Alain Gascon
HouskeeperAlain joined our team in 2021 after working as an event coordinator for numerous years. Following his college diploma in specialized education, he participated in the coordination of an exchange program for young farmers in Africa. Alain wears his heart on his sleeve and is always ready to help his colleagues. Very thorough and versatile, he is appreciated by all and to whom people gravitate naturally. You may come across him at the belvedere of La Corniche, humming an air accompanied by its harmonica or at the bend of a path as it observes birds.
Rock-Olivier Bernard
HouskeeperRock-Olivier joined Duvetnor in 2021. Originally from Montreal, he is currently studying natural technique at CEGEP de Saint-Félicien. More calm in nature he, however, quickly made a place for himself within the team. Being a nature enthusiast, he particularly enjoys observing the unique bird fauna of the Island. He is a good listener, is always smiling, is very curious and does not miss an opportunity to make one of his famous puns.
Laurie Coquereau-Lambert
Cook – Auberge du LièvreLaurie studied music at CEGEP and then in the Royal Canadian Navy before joining the ranks of the Duvetnor Society in 2021, initially as a waitress. Originally from Rimouski, she came to know the island through her father, Chef Phillip. With her overflowing energy and her thirst for learning, she quickly carved out a place for herself with him in the kitchens. A true firework, she invigorates the team as soon as she enters a room. Her determination and freshness make Laurie an important part of the team. She particularly likes the boat crossing to the island and marvels at its wildlife.
Charline Jacques
Cook – Auberge du LièvreCharline joined the Island’s culinary brigade in 2021. She is currently a student at UQAM’s Baccalaureate in Film. A quiet force, she stands out for her quality work and the calmness she brings to the team. An epicurean of nature, she learned how to deepen her knowledge and culinary techniques as the tides passed, even becoming the expert of risotto. She brings with her an attention to detail, making beautiful and good meals for her customers. Even if she works behind the scenes, you can often find her in the sun on one of the Island’s beaches during her breaks.
Mathilde Gauvin
Reception and waitress – Auberge du LièvreMathilde joined the team towards the end of the 2021 season. Even with her late arrival, she quickly became part of the Île aux Lièvres community. She studied music at CEGEP before working in restauration. However, music still occupies a special place in her heart and remains one of her greatest passions. Mathilde is a very friendly and assiduous person, qualities that are very appreciated in the team. She is always ready for an adventure or to help her colleagues.