After earning his degree in business administration, Patrice Brodeur spent the first 20 years of his career working in the fields of retail, management, and customer service. As for resort life, it wasn’t initially part of his plan, but Patrice had always considered entrepreneurship. Equipped with substantial professional experience and boundless drive, he just needed an idea. Buying a campground didn’t immediately cross his mind, but over time he realized he would love to run a seasonal business and that the lifestyle suited him perfectly (his friends and family all agreed!).
What followed was a two-year search. Patrice didn’t limit himself to any particular region; instead, he was looking for the right opportunity to buy: “I learned so much— I traveled all over Quebec looking for my campground.” Finally, in June 2019, after a long series of visits, a call from a broker he was working with brought the long-awaited news: not only was a campground for sale in Princeville, but they were ready to welcome Patrice immediately.
It was Camping Plage des Sables, a 200-site campground originally a family business passed down through three generations before Patrice’s arrival. Although the steps to find a campground for sale were time-consuming, the actual buyout happened quite naturally. “The former owner, David Labrie, was really ready to sell, and I had already been preapproved for financing and was far along in my process,” Patrice recalls, looking back on how smoothly the deal was made.
More than just a seller, Patrice describes David as a wonderful mentor. Always available but never interfering with day-to-day operations, David let the new owner manage the business entirely from the very start, contributing greatly to the success of the transition. Many allies supported Patrice throughout this journey. Alongside a strong network of professionals he met while scouting opportunities, the buyer also benefitted from support by partners such as the SADC Arthabaska-Érable.
Since arriving at Camping Plage des Sables, Patrice has been well-surrounded. Many staff members return each summer, they’re flexible, and Patrice knows he can always count on them for guidance. This is key to making it through the busy season at the campground. Comparing his daily routine to a whirlwind, the owner works tirelessly from spring onward to ensure everything is in place by the time vacationers arrive: “There are so many challenges that crop up and no two days are alike. We manage what we can and take action.” But once the summer season winds down, it’s already time to think about the next one—planning, purchasing, imports... enough to keep him busy until the following summer!
Over time, the campground has been a stage for Patrice’s innovative ideas. First was the site’s computerization, introducing online services and an Internet-based reservation system. Then came the opening of a restaurant—a brand-new snack bar near the lake—that met a key demand from clientele. This year, a custom inflatable water obstacle course has been added to the activities offered, much to the delight of campers.
It takes a lot of creativity and perseverance to run such an enterprise, and that’s the main takeaway from Patrice’s story: “The advice people give you along the way is worth listening to—some of it you use, some you ignore, but don’t lose your drive. My own principle is never to give up and to keep believing, because even if some doors close, there are always others that open.”
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