59 Tomorrow Will Be Freezing

Demain sera frette

Baie-Saint-Paul |

Canada

French

Behind the scenes

This text was written in Quebec, in the beautiful Charlevoix region near Baie-Saint-Paul. I lived for more than ten years in this province, and this landscape has remained deeply familiar to me.

Standing by the St. Lawrence River, one quickly understands why Quebecers often describe it as both a river and a sea. Beyond Quebec City, it gradually widens into a vast estuary where the horizon seems to disappear. Tides can be felt, ice drifts in winter, and whales can sometimes be seen.

The text is also inspired by the richness of Quebec French, with its vivid expressions such as “frette,” “tire-toi une bûche” or “accroche ta tuque”.

Sitting by the river with my son, I imagined this dialogue – along with the illustration that accompanies it: a simple moment where a father shares a few thoughts and encouragements, without ever trying to impose anything.

The spirit of the text owes much to the poetic world of Félix Leclerc and his Petit bonheur song, which reminds us that the most precious things are often the simplest.

Echoes of the world

I wrote this text in the spirit of Quebec French, which has preserved certain older forms of French while also developing its own colorful expressions. In Quebec, this language is proudly defended within a largely English-speaking North America, giving it a particularly strong cultural significance.

In the title, “frette” refers to very cold weather. The expression “tire-toi une bûche” literally means “pull yourself a log,” but is used to say “come sit with us.” “Accroche ta tuque” means “hold on to your hat,” inviting someone to get ready for something intense (a tuque being a knitted winter hat commonly worn in Quebec).

Quebec French is also known for its expressive, almost musical pronunciation, which adds richness and diversity to the French language.

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