1 Place D'armes 36, Kingston

I have been showing the townhouse condominiums in the fairytale setting that is Frontenac Village (a three-minute stroll to the Pig, five to Novel Idea) for going on twenty years, and I know this much: Number 36, with seven light-filled levels stacked delicately as a Michelin-starred mille-feuille, is the finest I've seen. Nothing even comes close. When the sellers - celebrated Canadian authors decamping for sunnier climes - first mentioned selling, a few years back, we were talking about a valuation north of a million. It backs right onto the quiet end of the pool, perhaps start there, with its private treed terrace. My favourite space is the sitting room/library at that patio level, with its Mexican tile floors and a wood-burning fireplace. I imagine Atwood over for drinks. A more formal, rather grand living room with panoramic views over the pool is one flight up, and a dining room that, improbably, seems to float in mid-air. The kitchen has stone counters and stainless appliances, sure, but also a pretty solarium with custom wood-slat blinds that lend a tropical air. The primary bedroom is ripped out of the next Bond film, and the bathroom above it should have someone handing out warm towels. Two more bedrooms, and another bathroom, have their own floor. There are two parking spots right at the basement door (the laundry is down there too) and a splendid office (guest bedroom?) with large skylights at the summit. The 2018 renovations totalled $400,000, and involved solid cherry-wood flooring and glass half-walls, myriad upgrades (there's a list). Sprayed ceilings replaced with flat (what a difference!), studded with pot lights. On the terrace, a high-end heat pump, fresh decking, and an apple tree; inside enough storage for all of your secrets. The condo exercise room, party room, library, and sauna, are all lightly-used spaces. But forget those. There's that silent gate to the pool, remember, for your early morning lengths, before the water has even moved.