The history of the Manoir d’Auteuil begins long before the construction of the house. The land between the streets of d’Auteuil, Ste-Anne and Ste-Ursule was originally the property of the Jesuit Fathers in 1785, after which it was transferred to the Ursulines of Quebec who decided, in 1815, to sell this land to M. Jean-Antoine Panet. He built a house and a shed which included a stable and a chicken coop. It was his son who inherited half of the land on his death, who sold, in 1883, to Sheriff William Smith Sewell, 42 feet of frontage on rue d’Auteuil on which the hotel still stands today.
William Sewell’s story begins in 1775 when his grandfather Jonathan Sewall (1729-1796), the last Crown Attorney General of Massachusetts, fled the American Revolution after his wife, Esther Quincy, obtained the dispersal of a crowd of patriots who came to destroy their house by giving them the contents of their wine cellar. Their departure brings them back to Bristol in England, where he decides to revert to the original spelling of their name Sewell. Their son Jonathan Sewell Jr, studied law and returned to the North American continent, settling in Quebec City in 1786. He became an important and influential citizen, lawyer, judge, musician, politician, and author. He also served as Chief Justice of Lower Canada. William Smith Sewell is one of his 13 children, and he grew up in the Sewell house near the St-Louis gate which still exists today.
The sheriff then commissioned the architect Frederick Hacker to build a 3-storey “London style” stone house for his family. He hired mason Pierre Bélanger to erect the walls and the arched stone entrance and carpenter Michel Patry to erect the rest of the structure. The cost of construction at that time was 565 English pounds. A fire in 1853 destroyed most of the house, leaving only the walls and the door that still exist today. The sheriff had the house rebuilt with the help of Jean Vézina, master carpenter, modifying the structure of the roof to make it a gable roof, adding a stable in the backyard as well as toilets. He kept the house until 1871.
In 1912, George-Élie Amyot bought the house. He was the founder of Dominion Corset, Quebec Paper Box and Canada Corset Steel. He was also President of the National Bank. He hired the architects Tanguay and Lebon to restore the portico and in 1913, he offered the house to his daughter Alice (1886-1947) and her husband Dr. Albert Paquet (1878-1963), chief surgeon of the hospitals of l’Enfant Jésus and Saint Francois d’Assise.
In 1933, they undertook major renovations, adding their taste for art deco to the initial structure. They hired renowned Beaux-Arts du Canada architect Jean-Omer Marchand (a graduate of the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris) to carry out the work. The architect is recognized for his participation in the reconstruction of the Canadian Parliament Building in Ottawa. Its art deco wrought iron doors and banisters, marble bathrooms and intricate woodwork still define the style of the Manoir d’Auteuil today. When the house was converted into a hotel in 1953, guests were enchanted by the luxurious and elegant rooms. The famous French singer Édith Piaf was an early admirer of the opulent art deco-influenced style of the Manoir d’Auteuil. She stayed in the blue-tiled bathroom suite during her visits to Quebec City, part of which has been transformed into a signature room that still bears her name.
A succession of owners, including the University of Laval, followed one another until 1953. It was the hotelier Armand Blouin who carried out the transformation of the hotel which would be called the Manoir d’Auteuil. Yvonne Dubé took possession of the premises in 1973 and transferred the hotel to her sons Jean and Louis Larochelle in 1981. New owners in 1982, Jeannine and Guy Hamel, modernized the building while retaining the art-deco look; at this time the boutique hotel had 16 rooms. In 2002, the current owners, Linda and Daniel, came from the United States to learn French, fell in love with the Manoir and decided to embark in the world of hospitality. In 2012, they expanded the Manoir d’Auteuil into the neighboring building and added rooms and common areas to this historic property in the following years to become the property we know today. The art deco woodwork and ornate bathrooms that have won the admiration of Dr. Paquet’s and Alice’s guests continue to delight architecture-loving patrons. The Manoir d’Auteuil welcomes travelers with cordiality and personalized attention worthy of the finest hotels in Quebec while experiencing the historic art deco luxury of this Old Quebec landmark. Of the many hotels in Quebec City, the Manoir d’Auteuil offers visitors a unique blend of style, elegance, and service in an historic property located in the heart of Vieux Quebec. We look forward to welcoming you!
