ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FRENCH CULTURAL HERITAGE IN NORTH AMERICA

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The Point: a Franco-American Heritage Site in Salem, Massachusetts

Traditional French Songs in Ontario

Fort William, Crossroad of a Fur Trading Empire

The Guigues Elementary School in Ottawa

Centre franco-ontarien de folklore (CFOF)

Centre de recherche en civilisation canadienne-française (CRCCF)

Articles

A Bit of French North America Takes Root at Versailles

The Versailles Palace Park receives nearly 10 million visitors each year and, since 1979, has been registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In 1999, a devastating storm hit Versailles, and in its aftermath many French, Canadian and Quebec citizens rose to the occasion and demonstrated their attachment to this heritage site by planting their emblematic trees there. The restoration of this "place of shared memory" provided an opportunity to initiate research in order to take a fresh look at the history of the location. The results of the research revealed the complexity of the site's heritage appropriation history. Due to these latest developments, the relations the governments of Canada and Quebec maintained with the French government took on fresh new meaning. In addition, the regular tree re-planting activities organized after the storm demonstrated the increased scope and importance of the findings as they related to the various cultural identities involved.
A Quick History of French-Speakers in Louisiana (1682–1900)

Louisiana, a land of cultural mixing, was officially proclaimed a French territory and named in honour of King Louis XIV by explorer Cavelier de Lasalle in 1682. The territory subsequently changed hands several times—ceded to Spain in the Treaty of Paris in 1763, recovered by France in 1800, then, three years later, sold by Napoleon to the United States—but these shifts of allegiance did not lead to the disappearance of French in the area. They did, however, produce a specific cultural mélange due to successive migrations of Acadians, Creoles, American Indians, Spaniards and Europeans of diverse origins. Up until the early 20th century, francophone language and culture remained predominant. In this article, videographer Helgi Piccinin explores the characteristic mix of cultural influence and colours that continues to survive in francophone Louisiana.
Acadian Aboiteaux [Dike and Suice Gate System]

The word aboiteau [dike and sluice system] has become a central part of the identity of the Acadian people, the maritime technology being so closely linked with the rise and evolution of this group of people during the 17thand 18th centuries. Even after the Deportation of the Acadian people in the 1750s, this farming practice was preserved in some of the Acadian regions.The aboiteau-style dike and sluice has now become a symbolic part of the cultural heritage of the Acadian community, which still perpetuates the memory of the maritime technology's historic importance. Throughout the colonial period, Acadians were the only people in North America to cultivate below sea level farmlands to such a large extent. These exceptionally fertile lands were the key to the community's prosperity up until the even of the Deportation in 1755. Moreover, these large-scale earthworks were community projects. This sets them apart from similar projects undertaken elsewhere in the world. The communal tasks necessary to building and maintaining the large network of dikes have helped forge the Acadian identity into what it is today.
Baie-Ste-Marie (Nova Scotia) Eudists

In 1890, the Eudists [Congregation of Jesus and Mary] arrived from France to set up an educational institution for Nova Scotian Acadians of Baie Sainte-Marie [St. Mary's Bay]. They also took charge of two parishes in the region. Over the decades that followed (mainly until the 1970s), members of the Congregation would fill the roles of educator, religious community builder, administrator, writer, and even nationalist. Their presence at Point-de-l'Église [Church Point] is an example of a cross-cultural encounter between the French and Acadian communities that left its mark on the region on architectural, cultural, and religious levels. The gradual transition from being a congregation consisting mostly of French priests to one staffed almost entirely with Canadian clergy created a balance between these two cultural factions within the institution. Over the years, the Eudist contribution to the Nova Scotian French-speaking community's heritage has been expressed in a wide variety of ways.
Cruises on the Saint Lawrence River

The Saint Lawrence River cruise industry has a long and rich history going back to the beginning of the nineteenth century. Intense competition among groups of Quebec businessmen gave rise to a passenger transportation empire, culminating in the formation of the Canada Steamship Lines in 1913. This company operated the famous "white boats" cruise circuit, which was active from the 1840s until the 1960s, and the luxury hotels built for its wealthy clientele. At the turn of the twentieth century, these cruises and hotels, and the resort areas in which they were located, were known throughout North America. Today, this industry is turning to the clientele of international cruises, making the Saint Lawrence River ports essential ports of call.
Expo 67 in Montreal, a Landmark Event

Between April 27 and October 29, 1967, over 50 million visitors passed through the gates of Expo 67 to attend what would prove to be one of the largest world's fairs in history. Even today, evidence that Expo 67 was a major event can be found both in the cityscape of Montreal and in the collective memory of contemporary Quebec. This crowning event in Canada's centennial celebrations brought together 62 participating nations, international organizations, large Canadian companies and other groups, under the theme "Man and His World". It opened Quebec to the world. It also led to the development of expertise that is now one of the distinguishing features of Montreal and of the Province of Quebec, which have come to be recognized for their ability to organize festivals and avant-garde museum exhibitions. A cultural circuit and various commemorative events have helped keep the memory of this extraordinary event alive.
Gabrielle Roy House

On November 23, 2001, the St. Boniface home, where Gabrielle Roy was born in 1909 and where she lived until 1937, was designated a "Historical House" by the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. Gabrielle Roy, the most famous Franco-Manitoban writer, whose works have been translated into and published in more than 14 languages, belongs to an elite group of French language authors from around the globe. In 1947, she became the first Canadian writer to receive the Femina prize, awarded in France, for her novel Bonheur d'Occasion [known in English as The Tin Flute]. The official opening of the restored St. Boniface home, where she was born, took place on June 19, 2003, after the long process of preserving and restoring it. Since then, the house has served as a museum, which includes an interpretation and exposition centre that presents the life of Gabrielle Roy and her family.
Grand-Pré in Acadie

In 1956, Grand-Pré was recognized by the government of Canada and by la Société nationale de l'Assomption, which at the time officially represented the Acadian people, as the "most important ancestral home of the Acadian people, a reminder of their most painful and most heroic hours, and it must offer future generations the example of a brave people whose culture and actions will forever enrich the Canadian nation." The site is a powerful symbol of the Acadian Deportation (1755-1762) as well as a romantic reminder of the "lost French paradise" of Acadie. Since 2012, the landscape of Grand-Pré is part of the prestigious list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Henri-Gustave Joly and the Development of our Natural Heritage

Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière was a multifaceted man: an honest politician, a wise businessman, a passionate tree-grower and an influential figure in Canada's linguistic duality in the 19th century. He came from an important New France family, but was born and educated in France, and he went on to make his mark on the political scene in Quebec, British Columbia and Canada. Because of his passion for horticulture and for trees, he was a promoter of forest conservation and he created a huge romantic garden-park, which has been restored in recent years and which is still recognized today for its beauty and the rare species it contains. He is remembered as an affable and scrupulously honest man, a champion of tolerance, and a visionary in the areas of agricultural progress and forest conservation.
Jesuit Pear Trees

In 2001, the Canadian committee integrated the Jesuit pear tree into its logo for the 300th anniversary celebrations commemorating the founding of the city of Detroit by Antoine Lamothe-Cadillac. According to tradition, this majestic tree was introduced into the region by the Jesuits at the beginning of the 18th century. Although once typical of the region, the giant pear trees, whose origins go back to the New France period, have become rare and their future is uncertain. Since 2001, they have come to be recognised as the living symbol of the Detroit Region's French-speaking community, which is now concentrated on the Canadian side of the border around the city of Windsor. By creating a symbolic link between their fate and that of the Jesuit pear tree, the Detroit Francophone community has made a commitment to protecting their own heritage, as well as their historical, and cultural value, all the while reaffirming their characteristic vitality.
La Mauricie National Park of Canada

La Mauricie National Park was created in 1970 to protect and develop the rich natural heritage that characterizes the southern Laurentians. Rising from ancient bedrock, the contoured mountains are covered by vast mixed forests, dotted with nearly 150 lakes and rich in wildlife. In ages past, aboriginal peoples travelled through the region, hunting and fishing for food and, later, taking part in the fur trade. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the area was the site of intensive logging. Beginning in the 1880s, the region also became a travel destination for rich sports fishermen, with the establishment of several fish and game clubs. Today La Mauricie National Park serves as a refuge for many species of wildlife, including the Eastern wolf, the black bear, the beaver, the moose and many species of fish. Visitors can enjoy many outdoor activities in the park and discover the quiet beauty of nature.
La Rochelle and French North America

La Rochelle’s history is the history of its various ports, which manifest La Rochellers’ ability to embrace the changing dynamics of the Atlantic seaway in the 12th through the 18th centuries. La Rochelle’s early involvement in the great discoveries and its commerce with the Americas and the rest of the world—determined by the whims of colonial shipping companies and economic opportunities—established this port town as one of the major seaboard towns of the Atlantic realm. La Rochelle’s story goes way back! It is not surprising to find, in La Rochelle and the surrounding territory (greater La Rochelle today boasts a population of nearly 150,000) and in the urban landscape of the old town, the traces of the French adventure in North America—an adventure of Franco-Quebecois cooperation that continues to this day in many forms.
Marguerite Bourgeoys Museum and Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel

Marguerite Bourgeoys played a key role in education in Quebec, founding the Quebec chapter of the Congregation of Notre-Dame, a community of non-cloistered women dedicated to education that still is active around the world to this day. Sister Bourgeoys left another lasting mark on Quebec's tangible heritage: Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours, a pilgrimage chapel dating back to the mid-17th century. This shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary is the oldest historic site in Montreal to have maintained its original function as a destination for pilgrims. The site's heritage is proudly displayed at the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel/Marguerite Bourgeoys Museum complex founded in 1998.
Montreal Canadiens; a Religion

The Université de Montréal announced in January 2009 it would offer a 16-week graduate course to future clerics called "The Religion of the Montreal Canadiens," and instead of poking fun at the ivory tower of academia, the media took the question quite seriously. Two months later, when word came out that the cash-strapped American owner of the Canadiens had put the team up for sale, the news was met with even more serious soul searching, if not a widespread spiritual crisis. The speculation was that Quebec-based saviours such as Cirque du Soleil's Guy Laliberté and René Angelil would come to the rescue of the faith. In a short time, these two events suggested that the Canadiens were much more than a hockey team, but rather, an essential component of Quebec identity in the way the Catholic Church used to be. The Canadiens' very existence provides a meaning of life for millions - for the game, its heroes and their fans do indeed make up a sort of "secular religion".
Parc National de Plaisance

By creating Parc National de Plaisance on March 22, 2002, the Quebec government took steps to protect and present not only a representative sample of the Saint Lawrence Valley lowlands, but an area renowned for its wealth of plant and animal life. The park, located on the site of Louis Joseph Papineau’s seignory on the banks of the Ottawa River, is surrounded on all sides by farmland and human settlements. This veritable oasis notable for its wetlands is one of the jewels of Quebec’s natural heritage.
Plains of Abraham

Of all the places associated with French heritage in North America, the Plains of Abraham are undoubtedly among the most frequently visited and best known natural and historic sites. The battles that were fought there in 1759 and 1760 between the French and English armies have marked the collective memory as a major turning point in the history of Canada and the Western world. Over the course of the years, in accordance with ever-shifting and evolving loyalties, the site has served to convey a number of symbolic representations and has stood for many ideals. Nevertheless, the real history of the Plains of Abraham remains little known.
Royal 22e Regiment

The Royal 22e Régiment (R22R) is one the three infantry regiments of Canada's Regular Armed Forces that has its headquarters in the Citadel of Quebec City. It is a French-speaking regiment that is composed of five battalions, of which three are in the Regular Armed Forces and two are part of the Reserve Forces. The regiment took part in all major conflicts in which Canada was involved since World War I; from the peacekeeping missions of the United Nations to the campaign in Afghanistan. Today, its rich history and heritage, both tangible and intangible, is being promoted in various ways in the very heart of Quebec City.
Saint Ann’s Academy in Victoria (British Columbia)

In the heart of English-speaking Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, there is an architectural jewel constructed in a magnificent classical style evocative of the serenity of a Quebec convent. Designed by a French Canadian from Quebec, Friar Joseph Michaud, and built under the supervision of a Montreal architect, Saint Ann's Academy was, for more than a century, the West-Coast Mother House of the Sisters of Saint Ann. This establishment was committed to educating young girls, offering such high-quality instruction that young women from all over the world came to Victoria with the express purpose of studying at the institution. After the Academy had to close its doors in 1973, primarily due to financial reasons, the government bought the building and made it into a Heritage Site, which now open to the public. Even though Saint Ann's Academy was long an English-language institution, its very existence is a reminder of the former presence and influence of the French Canadians in the history of education in British Columbia.
The Acadians’ Madawaska: a Land of Farms and Forests

Forestry has played a key role in Madawaska’s economic, social and cultural development since the first half of the 19th century. Over the years, the forest has become an important symbol of the identity of this region in New Brunswick. Throughout the area, everything celebrates the successes and failures of the forestry workers: monuments, plaques, public art installations, as well as architectural sites and events. Nobody is forgotten: log drivers, loggers, logging equipment operators, tree planters, sawmill workers, cooks, and others. Many aspects of Madawaska’s cultural heritage reflect the impact of this vital sector in the economy.
The Cultural and Culinary Voyage of the “Gourgane”

The broad bean or fava bean goes by the name “gourgane” in the Charlevoix and Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean regions. This bean has a long history, and was once a common staple in the diet of the inhabitants of New France. Long associated almost exclusively with the Charlevoix region, especially since the late 19th century, it has been virtually forgotten elsewhere, except in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region. It was introduced there by settlers from Charlevoix starting in 1838 and is now grown as a commercial crop. Despite the legume’s remarkable nutritional value, it is rare in the diet of Quebecois today. It is primarily known for its use in “soupe aux gourganes” (gourgane soup), a regional dish featured in traditional cooking in the Charlevoix, Saguenay, and Lac-Saint-Jean regions.
The schooner Saint-André, a jewel of the Charlevoix Maritime Museum

The schooner Saint-André was built in 1956 at La Malbaie, in Charlevoix County, by master carpenter Philippe Lavoie, one of the last schooner builders of the Saint Lawrence. Its owner, Captain Fernand Gagnon, engaged in coastal trading on the Saint Lawrence, mainly between Montreal and Sept-Îles, until 1976. At that time wooden schooners were replaced by metal ships, which were much larger, more profitable and better adapted to winter navigation. The Saint-André, one of the last witnesses to Quebec's particular long maritime tradition, was classified as a cultural property in 1978. Recently restored, it is conserved at the Charlevoix Maritime Museum, near the shores where it was born.

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Exclos expérimental

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Anticosti National Park
Les industries implan
tées sur les ri...

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The Lachine Canal and its Industrial Corridor
Représentantes de l'e
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Centre de recherche en civilisation canadienne-française (CRCCF)
Orignal

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Parc national du Mont Tremblant

Les Soeurs Guédonec d
e Jean-Jacques ...

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The Cercle Molière: for the Love of Theatre in French
Église Notre-Dame-De-
Lourdes, située...

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Maillardville, a francophone community in British Columbia
Nicole Bourgault inte
rroge soeur Isa...

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The Augustinian Monastery of Quebec
Faon dans le parc du
Bic

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Parc national du Bic

Cerf de Virginie mâle

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Parc national du Mont Tremblant
Plantes ajoutées comm
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Encylcopedia of French Cultural
Heritage in North America