/ Léa Valérie
La Taverne de Noël &
Le Santa Club
BEHIND THE SCENE
CRÉDITS PHOTOS : TWO FOOD PHOTOGRAPHERS & FRANÇOIS ROY (LA PRESSE)
La Taverne de Noël (2024 Edition)
In 2024, we created the first edition of La Taverne de Noël on Saint-Laurent Boulevard in Montréal. The mandate: to design a themed restaurant with a warm and nostalgic holiday atmosphere. Inspired by the Christmas light tours of my childhood and the iconic decorations from the 1960s to the 1990s, I imagined a storefront display like a class photo of Santa Clauses. From the moment of installation, the public’s enthusiasm confirmed the emotional impact of this festive imagery.
In collaboration with Le Petit Dep, La Taverne de Noël combines immersive décor, a seasonal menu, and a boutique space to create a complete and unforgettable holiday experience.
La Taverne de Noël (2025 Edition)
For this new edition, I wanted to take last year’s nostalgic and kitschy aesthetic even further by bringing together a variety of iconic blow mold characters. The design of a Christmas tree–shaped structure serves as a nod to visitors who loved the previous storefront. A mock-up created with the help of artificial intelligence guided the development of the décor.
The 2025 edition promises an experience that’s even warmer, more joyful, and more radiant, a heartfelt tribute to the traditions that bring people together.
CRÉDITS PHOTOS : TWO FOOD PHOTOGRAPHERS & BLOGUE LE SNACK BAR
Le Santa Club
The mandate was to transform this space into a festive holiday experience. Already furnished with vintage props and eclectic finds, the room’s warm terracotta ceiling immediately inspired a retro, disco-style bar atmosphere.
I reworked the layout to create a space that could feel both like an intimate speakeasy and a holiday dance floor. The Christmas trees and decorations, presented in shades of gold, copper, and bronze, enhanced the cozy, shimmering ambiance.
To complete the experience, the bar entrance was designed as a hidden door concealed behind an antique 1880 wardrobe discovered in an antique shop in Deschambault. Lined with fur and tweed coats, it instantly transports guests back in time, to the nostalgic warmth of family Christmas parties from childhood.
Since the venue needed to be marketed in a presale phase, I used artificial intelligence to create concept visuals. These images effectively conveyed the intended atmosphere, and the final result proved remarkably true to the original vision.
SUITE 301
(BEFORE INTERVENTIONS)
CRÉDITS PHOTOS : TWO FOOD PHOTOGRAPHERS & LOUIS-PHILIPPE MESSIER (JDM)
Le Petit Dep in Petit Champlain
(Québec, 2025)
In keeping with the festive spirit developed with Le Petit Dep, we wanted to bring the magic of La Taverne de Noël to the unique setting of Québec City’s Petit Champlain district. Here, the blend of retro nostalgia and tourist charm unfolds while preserving the refined elegance of the location.
I led the artistic design in collaboration with a team of Québec-based decorators, including Tania B. Lacasse and Atelier A7, who executed the on-site installation. Using a Photoshop mock-up of the storefront as a guide, we created a miniature, refined version of La Taverne de Noël, carefully adapted to the scale and ambiance of Petit Champlain.
PHOTOSHOP MOCK-UP
CREATIVE TEAM
Conception et direction artistique : Léa Valérie Létourneau
Décoratrice / Chargée des achats : Karine Sabourin
Décoratrice / Chargée de projet (Québec): Tania B. Lacasse
Assistantes décoratrices : Michèle Laroche, Aurélie Stanic & Camille Pilon
Assistante décoratrice (Québec) : Alice Poirier
Techniciens aux décors Patrice Delvaux, Nicolas Privé, Laurent Comeau
Menuisier (sapin extérieur) : Remi Theriault
Peintre Scénique (sapin extérieur et patine armoire) Dany Lussier
Menuisier (armoire) : Patrice Delvaux
Menuisiers (installation Québec) : Atelier A7 (Sébastien Bolduc & Nicholas Jenkins)
Stagiaire : Jonathan Madrid Monge
Aide au décor de l'équipe Le Petit Dep : Jasmine, Claude, Marion, Germain, Mia et Zoé