Le Pays de la Sagouine

What is “Le Pays de la Sagouine” in Bouctouche?

Dorine is a celebrity in New Brunswick: the little woman who awaits us in Le Pays de la Sagouine has already bossed around the province's premier. "He doesn't like to dance," she laughs. "But I tricked him. And how he can dance! And he can bang spoons, too!" Somewhat bewildered, we look at the resolute woman standing before us in her housekeeping apron and headscarf, excitedly telling us that he's expected again this afternoon. And that she's already looking forward to it. But she's also nervous. How!

Dorine is one of the tour guides who accompanies visitors through the Pays de la Sagouine. But she's much more than that: The former teacher has made it her life's work to show the people of New Brunswick and visitors from all over the world that Acadia is still very much alive. And she's right! Dorine plays an Acadian laundress, like the main character in Antonine Maillet's play about La Sagouine. As such, she's even made it onto national television and couldn't believe how many people recognized her there. "The phone rang for days when I got home," she giggles. "And my husband just said, 'What have you done now?'"

Immerse yourself in the world of the Acadians – culture, language and lifestyle

Antonine Maillet's book has a lot to offer Acadian renaissance in New Brunswick contributed. The characters are taken from real life. There are storytellers, bootleggers, sailors, entertainers, squabbling neighbors, funny characters, and of course, La Sagouine, the laundress. Her life—or more precisely, the life of the Acadians—is the subject of Le Pays de la Sagouine. It is neither a museum nor a theater in the strict sense. But somehow it has something of both, for there the spirit of Acadia lives on in the music, in the kitchen parties, on the stage, in the dancing, and in the restored buildings. These show how the Acadians lived in New Brunswick until a few decades ago.

Le Pays de la Sagouine is an Acadian fishing village during the Prohibition period — An Acadian fishing village at the time of Prohibition

The lighthouse in the Pays de la Sagouine

Where is the cultural center in Canada?

Since its construction in 1992 on Île-aux-Puces, off Bouctouche, New Brunswick, Le Pays de la Sagouine has welcomed more than one and a half million visitors. An authentic Prohibition-era Acadian fishing village has been recreated on the small offshore island, bringing the characters from Maillet's book to life.

Music, theater, dance, the simple food of the Acadians, and the people who bring Maillet's stories to life give us a picture of Acadia. We feel like we're right in the heart of the lives of the people in this region of New Brunswick. "We live here in Bouctouche, in an area where people speak French-English," laughs Dorine. "Here, you don't have to think twice. If you can't think of a word in one language, you simply take one from the other. English and French are mixed together in a wild way. It's easy to switch languages several times in a single sentence without you even noticing."

The Acadians are proud of their tradition

Dorine tells us how Antonine Maillet's book boosted Acadian self-confidence when it became a bestseller. She recounts how the Acadians of New Brunswick revere the author, who has done so much for their ethnic identity.

She leads us down to the small island, “which the mayor of Bouctouche made available to us for our project.”

Today, reconstructed Acadian houses stand there, demonstrating how simple life was in an Acadian village just a few decades ago. "We were disadvantaged because we didn't have access to higher education. Only later did we receive the same opportunities as the English-speaking inhabitants of our province."

Acadians often lived off what they grew themselves: potatoes, fish caught offshore, and pigs kept in barns. They had to survive on these because they often didn't earn enough to buy other food.

In the general store of Le Pays de la Sagouine — At the General Store at Le Pays de la Sagouine

A simple Acadian room in Le Pays de la Sagouine — A simple room of the Acadians

Discover the culinary specialties of the Acadians

Dorine proudly explains the dishes served at the L'Ordre du Bon Temps restaurant: potato pancakes, a potato casserole with bacon, a fish stew, and, for dessert, a kind of raisin bun. "We had little, but we made the best of it." The same applies to alcoholic beverages. "What we couldn't afford, we distilled ourselves." At "Le Bootleggeux," the island's pub, she lets us try the homemade liquor, which was still produced in her time. Mild and warm, the liquor flows down our throats. "You see! You can make something good with very little," she says mischievously.

Famous visitors in the Pays de la Sagouine

After our lunch together, Dorine becomes increasingly restless. "He's coming in an hour," she says, shifting nervously from one foot to the other. "The Prime Minister has announced his visit today. Tomorrow is Acadian National Day! He'll be happy to visit us. And he has to dance again! And beat the time with his wooden spoons. He's pretty good at that now." Dorine laughs, and I readily believe the resolute little Acadian when she says she's even bossing around the provincial leader. Just as she did with the other characters in Pays de la Sagouine and with us.

Further information:

Pays de la Sagouine
57, rue Acadie
Bouctouche, (N.-B.)
E4S 2T7
Canada

Travel Arrangements:

Parking at the airport

Here you can reserve your parking space at the airport.

Arrival at Le Pays de la Sagouine:

Air Canada, Condor and Icelandair fly from Germany to various airports in eastern Canada.

Car Rentals:

Cheap car hire - book quickly and easily!

Hotels near Le Pays de la Sagouine:

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More things to know

Source: own on-site research. We would like to thank Tourism New Brunswick for their kind support during this trip. However, our opinions remain, as always, our own.