AROUND THE WORLD
FROM NANTES TO FRENCH LOUISIANA
Historic Acadia , which was a colony of New France , was founded in Canada in
1604 by expatriates from Western France and after many others years later, the
Acadians were once again forced to emigrate to other lands promised as was
the case in the city of Nantes which from 1775 to 1785 was the most important place of transit for these refugees before their departures for Louisiana.
It was in the hills above Nantes, and more specifically on Rue des Acadiens, right next to the Butte Sainte Anne, that I met Dominique Merel, an Acadian and president of the association, during the 240th anniversary celebrations of the Acadians' departure from Nantes to Louisiana.
BRITTANY ACADIA LOUISIANA
which since its creation in 1983 brings
together a sixty or so members who maintain the link between Acadian communities located mainly in Canada
in the United States and Western France, in addition to actions and operations designed to sustain and to promote
Acadian culture and roots.
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It is always a pleasure tinged with nostalgia to contemplate this fresco depicting the
departure of Acadian families from Nantes for Louisiana, knowing that during the years of deportations that took place
during the second half of the 18th century affected many Acadians who were then those detained in England were sent
to France and, while awaiting embarkation for Louisiana, settled in Nantes, Brittany, and Poitou. Within this context you can find traces of this significant period in Acadian history, both on Belle-Île-en-Mer and in the Vienne department
particularly in Châtellerault, as well as the commune of Archigny, and of course Nantes, particularly Chantenay, which is today a renowned Nantes district and which, for a decade until 1785, served as a place of welcome and transit for these refugees before their departure for Louisiana, a southern state of the United States that was at the time a Spanish colony following the treaty of 1762, before its recapture by France in 1800 and its cession to the newly independent United States three years later. "
Dominique Merel explains, inviting me to follow her to listen to a group of Acadian musicians performing traditional songs and dances. Attached to their history and origins, the Acadians of Louisiana
preserved their origins until the beginning of the 19th century, after which, due to cultural and linguistic factors, they called themselves Cadians and then Cajuns, while paying particular attention to preserve their traditions and cultures
in order to maintain historical links with France and the West in particular,as Daniel Blanchard, an American and
Acadian residing in Baton Rouge, the political capital of the American State Of Louisiana.
The Landing of 1785 in New Orleans
Before our departure for Saintmartinville and Lafayette, located in the bayous in the heart of Cajun country and situated in the region designated as Acadiana, which encompasses a triangle extending from the city of Lake Charles in the west,
to New Orléans to the east, which is considered the French-speaking part of Louisiana,has traces of 336 years of history
French presence dates back to when Robert Cavellier De La Salle, explorer of New France, explored the Mississippi basin to its mouth and named this vast territory Louisiana in honor of the King of France, Louis XIX."In fact, the arrival of
Acadians in Louisiana began as early as the Great Upheaval of 1755 with an immigration gradual growth during the 30 years that followed and the landing in 1785 in New Orleans of 1600 Acadians left Nantes aboard 7 ships, including the
Amitié, on which my ancestors were located"
told me Daniel BLANCHARD, while walking along the docks of Baton
Rouge harbor, where a ship can be seen in the distance river typical transport of Louisiana." My Blanchard family
stayed in Nantes for 3 years before their departure in 1785 and i was filled with humility and pride to have had the
chance to retrace their steps 8 years ago during my trip to France, and in particular to Nantes, which is very closely
linked to the history of my own family and on the the town of Saintmartinville, located further west in the state, you will
find the same mural as the one created in 1996 Rue des Acadiens in Nantes by Louisiana painter Robert Dafford, depicting the arrival of the Acadians in Louisiana. The majority of the Acadians who landed in New Orleans in 1785 from
Nantes had then mainly resided in these 2 parishes, Lafayette and Saint-Martin" (Specific Terms to the Louisiana
(named after counties inherited from French colonization) and the French language is still spoken there in the state of
Louisiana and has been revitalized in its current practice, particularly since 1968 with the creation of the CODOFIL
(Council for the Development of French in Louisiana) which develops programs in particular of French language
education, headquartered in Lafayette, as we were also delighted that the state of Louisiana was accepted as an
observer member of the International Organization Of The Francophonie in 2018 and the relationships we have with
our "Cajun" friends around the world are active and r egular because we take particular care to preserve our cultural
heritage and maintain historical links with France and the city of Nantes in particular"Before returning to Baton Rouge
we traveled through these two parishes which brings us back to the state capital, and after these two days spent in
Acadian territory where we have mingled History,culture, conviviality,genealogy and art of living, including a memorable evening enhanced by the violin and accordion of Cajun musicians,I thank Daniel Blanchard for this radiant and historical trip in Acadian land demonstrating the united ties of this great global and perennial family that is the Francophonie.
Report by: Gabriel PAGE
Photos credit : Gabriel PAGE / Daniel BLANCHARD / Getty Images
