The long romance between Quebec and the beaches of Maine

The joy of the sea appears in 17^e century, especially in Brighton, in the south-east of England, the first seaside resort. In America, this custom came to the shores of Newport in Rhode Island on the 18th^e century. At 19^e century, vacationers occupied those in Maine, New York, New Jersey and Florida.

The beaches in the Atlantic Ocean are closest to the French Canadian population. From 1853, the Grand Trunk Railway linked Montreal to Portland and facilitated access to this destination, which was primarily reserved for the bourgeoisie.

The Quebec bourgeoisie often went to the shores of St. Louis. Lawrence River, with very cold water. So he prefers Old Orchard, which is becoming the busiest beach in New England. These vacationers stay in large hotels. They relax on the beach, stroll through the docks and attend dance parties.

Large hotels remained in Maine, but small cabins and motels were added to the accommodation offer when the destination became extremely popular in the 1950s. The bourgeoisie went there for several weeks. The working class, somewhat shorter, which is possible because the beaches are only five or six hours away from Quebec. “It’s very strange, the United States, for someone to be raised in an area with a certain trait, with whom English -speaking is less familiar”, observes Serge Dupuis.

” These were the holidays that became more accessible with the construction of paved roads in the 1910s and 1920s, and with the democratization of transportation after World War II. “

Moreover, vacationers send postcards to their families, thus not directly contributing to the publicity of the place.

Decades later, the bourgeoisie is changing the itinerary of beach vacations and preferring to go to the Caribbean, in particular. “Old Orchard was no longer associated with a select destination from the 1960s and 1970s,” recalls Serge Dupuis.

Also during this program, Serge Dupuis provides details on the French-Canadian presence in Maine.