Cottage built on a toboggan chute

In the Laurentian Mountains, north of Montreal, quaint towns and little lakes lace between rolling, rocky hills. The sloping terrain is stunning, with many spots to ski and take in sweeping vistas. However, building can be difficult with a dearth of flat spots.

Elise Papillon and Quoc-Huy Ton-That, both emergency room doctors in Montreal, know the Laurentians’ tricky beauty well. They bought a vacant property in the region more than 10 years ago, in the community of Wentworth Nord. “The lot was right next to our friends’ family cottage,” Ms. Papillon says. “When we first visited them there, it was love at first sight for the lake, the view, and the calmness of the surrounding nature.”