Memorial Gardens: between nature and contemplation
By Aurélie Vasseur, Content Writer
For several years now, Urgel Bourgie / Athos has been reinventing its cemeteries, proposing an innovative concept that honors the spirit of contemplation in the greatest serenity..
The 3 Urgel Bourgie / Athos cemeteries are veritable oases of peace. These places, where nature sits at the heart of the city, are available in Montreal, Laval and Saint-Hubert.
Why reinvent the cemetery concept?
• Contemplation
In universal thought, cemeteries are first and foremost places of burial. Urgel Bourgie / Athos wanted to break with these codes to transform them into living spaces, dedicated to visitors, families and friends of the deceased.
The aim is to use natural elements to offer a real experience for the bereaved to help soothe their emotions.
• Ecology
Such places offer many alternatives to burial, such as scattering ashes near a tree. They also provide a perennial green setting for the urban environment that surrounds them.
• Tradition and Innovation
Bringing together tradition and innovation is Urgel Bourgie / Athos' main mission. You can choose to be buried according to age-old principles, or opt for an urn site on the banks of a stream. Each family can find an option that suits them in a place of sharing and serenity.
What can you find in memorial gardens?
The paths have been redesigned to offer pretty, winding strolls through green spaces adorned with flowers and century-old trees, where you can meet geese and even deer.
In each memorial garden, bucolic spaces have been delicately designed to enhance the visit:
- Lake
- Stream
- Rose terrace
- Water mirror (2025 project)
To be able to mourn in a soothing, restful place should be a matter of course.
What types of burial are available?
• Burial of the coffin – ground slabs are preferred to leave room for a natural landscape, although monuments are accepted in certain parts of cemeteries.
• Burial of the urn – in an outdoor niche, under a tree, by the stream of remembrance or under a rock, natural elements become monuments in harmony with their surroundings.
• Scattering of ashes – at the foot of a tree or in water (2025 project)
• Religious burials – a Way of the Cross surrounded by trees and flowers, a Muslim or Buddhist cemetery, each religion is respected according to its own customs.
Memorial gardens offer an unusual and diverse range of services designed to meet the needs and beliefs of all generations. Contact one of our advisors at 514-735-2025 to find out more or to plan your final resting place.