Welcome to the Encyclopedia of French Cultural Heritage in North America! As you browse the site, you will learn about the heritage of French-speaking North America, as well as about its history and diversity. Get to know the people who preserve and cherish it, discover the places where it finds expression and become familiar with the trends that have shaped and influenced its evolution throughout history.

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General de Gaulle on the Balcony of Montreal’s City Hall, Jully 24th, 1967, Montreal.

By Portes, Jacques

Charles de Gaulle and “Vivre le Quebec Libre!”

On July 24th, 1967, French President Charles de Gaulle ended his speech on the balcony of Montreal's city hall with the salute "Vivre le Québec libre! [May Quebec live long and free!]" This extraordinary statement echoed around the world and has helped put Quebec on the map, particularly for the French. This event was not the natural outcome of long standing relations between the French Republic and the Province of Quebec. In fact, it constituted a total break away from everything that had happened up to that point, particularly since the reestablishment of trade relations in 1885.  For the fi...

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The English version of the Encyclopedia of French Cultural Heritage in North America is online since December 15th, 2009. It features an ever growing number of articles, documents and resources on the heritage of French-speaking North America.

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Encylcopedia of French Cultural
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