Le Tour du Québec en BD
Encyclopedia
Le Tour du Québec en BD is a collection of graphic novels written by Jean-François Gaudet and drawn by Hugues Poirier, with some contributions from other artists. The novels are published by the two authors, owners of the advertising agency, Le Vent Qui Vente.
The main goal of the collection is to introduce the regions of Quebec
to tourists and to remind the local residents of their heritage. They introduce, through the regional language of their characters and the typical landscapes of the regions, the Québécois people and their way of life. Each book presents the common activities and events of a given region during the course of a year. The stories include, but are not limited to, the celebrations, festivals, carnivals, and famous personalities of Quebec. Each book also includes a glossary of terms and expressions and a few typical recipes of the regions. The authors plan on publishing a series of novels on Quebec's regions.
The key to the success of the series is the simple and humorous writing and the meticulously detailed drawings of the architecture and scenery of the areas. Inhabitants immediately recognize themselves through their language and customs. Their homes are picture perfect, even the colors are chosen with care to represent the true images of the landscapes. A few esteemed inhabitants can even, to their pleasant surprise, find themselves in the stories. But, most importantly, visitors and travelers alike, including children, are given a rare glimpse into the lives of Canada’s distinct society.
Néciphore, a fisherman from the Magdalen Islands
, introduces his home through the activities of his daily life and the main events of the Islands. Théophile, just retired from 35 years of loyal service at a factory, finally has the time to discover and rediscover the uniqueness of his home, Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean. Dagobert, calèche driver by profession, likes to chat about the history and beauty of his Belle Province, Quebec City
, when taking his clients on a tour of the city. And Philémond discovers his late father’s journal and goes off on a treasure hunt only to discover the wealth of his Charlevoix
.
All main characters of these novels have rarely traveled outside of their peaceful and comfortable homes, because simply, where they live is where they belong, and only they can innocently transmit the beauty of their paradise.
The main goal of the collection is to introduce the regions of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
to tourists and to remind the local residents of their heritage. They introduce, through the regional language of their characters and the typical landscapes of the regions, the Québécois people and their way of life. Each book presents the common activities and events of a given region during the course of a year. The stories include, but are not limited to, the celebrations, festivals, carnivals, and famous personalities of Quebec. Each book also includes a glossary of terms and expressions and a few typical recipes of the regions. The authors plan on publishing a series of novels on Quebec's regions.
The key to the success of the series is the simple and humorous writing and the meticulously detailed drawings of the architecture and scenery of the areas. Inhabitants immediately recognize themselves through their language and customs. Their homes are picture perfect, even the colors are chosen with care to represent the true images of the landscapes. A few esteemed inhabitants can even, to their pleasant surprise, find themselves in the stories. But, most importantly, visitors and travelers alike, including children, are given a rare glimpse into the lives of Canada’s distinct society.
The characters
The main character of each graphic novel are all distant cousins, similar in appearance and character, who introduce, with their family and friends, their homes through various storylines.Néciphore, a fisherman from the Magdalen Islands
Magdalen Islands
The Magdalen Islands form a small archipelago in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence with a land area of . Though closer to Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, the islands form part of the Canadian province of Quebec....
, introduces his home through the activities of his daily life and the main events of the Islands. Théophile, just retired from 35 years of loyal service at a factory, finally has the time to discover and rediscover the uniqueness of his home, Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean. Dagobert, calèche driver by profession, likes to chat about the history and beauty of his Belle Province, Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, when taking his clients on a tour of the city. And Philémond discovers his late father’s journal and goes off on a treasure hunt only to discover the wealth of his Charlevoix
Charlevoix
The Charlevoix region, located in Quebec, includes parts of the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River and the Laurentian Mountains region of the Canadian Shield...
.
All main characters of these novels have rarely traveled outside of their peaceful and comfortable homes, because simply, where they live is where they belong, and only they can innocently transmit the beauty of their paradise.
Translation
The graphic novel, The Adventures of Dagobert, The City of Québec, has been translated into English. Much of the humor and puns are Québécois-specific; therefore, some of the jokes and the spirit of the story have been lost in the translation. To compensate for this, many original Québécois expressions have been kept in the story and more information and explanations have been included in the glossary and in the regional recipes for the English-speaking readers. The authors plan on translating more books in an attempt to enter the Canadian and American markets.The collection
- 2003 – Les aventures de Néciphore, Îles-de-la-Madeleine
- 2004 – Les aventures de Théophile, Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean
- 2005 – Les aventures de Dagobert, La ville de Québec
- 2006 – The Adventures of Dagobert, The City of Québec (translated from the French)
- 2006 – Les aventures de Philémond, Charlevoix