The French Connection: Maine and Canada (Lewiston, Bangor: living, shop, agriculture)

[RiverBird]

I'm studying the Maine map and realizing how close, as the crow flies, Maine is to Canada specifically Quebec City. I have a Montreal background.

1. What's the shortest way to get from any point in mid-Maine to QC? Any major roads through the mtns of Western Maine, and if so, what do you come out on on the Canadian side - more mtns?

2. Is there a large French cultural influence in Maine, esp Northern Maine? The name Presque Isle is French, are there many French folks living there?

3. Do Mainers often go over the boarder into Canada? and typically where? Is there a good social exchange between French Canadians and Mainers?

4. Do you need a passport or will some kind of ID suffice?

Thanks for any interesting comments ~

[maineguy8888]

Route 201 is pretty much the only direct way from central Maine to QC. You come out to small towns in Quebec.
There is a huge French presence in northern Maine. Many people (especially in the St. John Valley) speak French.
Folks in northern Maine go "over across" all the time. The two sides are as close as can be. The only other place I can think of that does this is the Calais area, although not as much with the strong U.S. dollar.
Passports are required now, I believe. Or soon will be.

[Verseau]

Yes, a passport is now required to enter Canada - as of 2009, I believe.

Route 201 is the major route linking Quebec to Maine - a route that many French-Canadians traveled when they immigrated to Maine's mill towns over a century ago. The landscape is noticeably different when crossing over the border on this route. While the Maine portion traverses deep woods and mountains, the Canadian side is flatter, dotted with villages, and more heavily cultivated. The soil in the St. Lawrence River Valley is more conducive to agriculture.

While many, many people in southern and central Maine trace their ancestry back to immigrants from Quebec - especially in mill towns like Biddeford, Lewiston, Waterville, etc. - the strongest links today with the French-speaking world are in far northern Maine in the St. John Valley. Certain towns along the northern border (e.g. Madawaksa, Frenchville, etc.) have more people whose first language is French than English. However, the dialect and culture of this region is distinct from that of the Québécois who immigrated to points further south. The culture of the St. John Valley is Acadian, that is, the French-speaking culture of the Canadian Maritimes (most notably in New Brunswick). The Acadians who were driven out of this area by the British following the French and Indian War and traveled to Louisiana became known as Cajuns (itself a corruption of the word Acadians), and many cultural links still exist between these two distant areas of the United States.

[RiverBird]

Originally Posted by Verseau

Yes, a passport is now required to enter Canada - as of 2009, I believe.

Route 201 is the major route linking Quebec to Maine - a route that many French-Canadians traveled when they immigrated to Maine's mill towns over a century ago. The landscape is noticeably different when crossing over the border on this route. While the Maine portion traverses deep woods and mountains, the Canadian side is flatter, dotted with villages, and more heavily cultivated. The soil in the St. Lawrence River Valley is more conducive to agriculture.

While many, many people in southern and central Maine trace their ancestry back to immigrants from Quebec - especially in mill towns like Biddeford, Lewiston, Waterville, etc. - the strongest links today with the French-speaking world are in far northern Maine in the St. John Valley. Certain towns along the northern border (e.g. Madawaksa, Frenchville, etc.) have more people whose first language is French than English. However, the dialect and culture of this region is distinct from that of the Québécois who immigrated to points further south. The culture of the St. John Valley is Acadian, that is, the French-speaking culture of the Canadian Maritimes (most notably in New Brunswick). The Acadians who were driven out of this area by the British following the French and Indian War and traveled to Louisiana became known as Cajuns (itself a corruption of the word Acadians), and many cultural links still exist between these two distant areas of the United States.

Fascinating, thanks. When I look at the Maine map i'm always stunned to see how most of it juts up and parallels Canada.

What is Route 201 like, is it a well maintained highway? How many hours' drive say from Bangor to Quebec City?

Any good history books on the Acadian culture?

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Just over two hours from Bangor to Quebec City. I used to work up there. Canadians don't care about your passport. It's getting back into the U. S. and dealing with Homeland Security where you need a passport. From Bangor just go up Route 15 to Abbott and across to Bingham on Route 16 where you meet Route 201. Watch out for the moose on Routes 16 and 201.

[maineguy8888]

Roger that can't be right. It's 230 miles from Bangor to Quebec City, with no highway driving. Mapquest gives a driving time of over 5 hours (plus time at the border).

[maineguy8888]

Sorry, make that NMLM!

[RiverBird]

Originally Posted by maineguy8888

Roger that can't be right. It's 230 miles from Bangor to Quebec City, with no highway driving. Mapquest gives a driving time of over 5 hours (plus time at the border).

Sounds more like it, thanks all.

[Verseau]

Originally Posted by bobbyd72

It is courteous and a matter of respect to speak their language. You would not speak British English to Americans, now would you?

Eh... you would if you were raised speaking British English. Nobody expects you to speak exactly the same dialect as your interlocutor. It's only polite to familiarize yourself with some of the vocabulary and expressions unique to North American French (which, in turn, can vary significantly between, say, Quebec City and the St. John Valley). But North American French speakers will still understand you 99% of the time if you speak European French.

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by bobbyd72

It is courteous and a matter of respect to speak their language. You would not speak British English to Americans, now would you?

I heard a lot of French while shopping in Calais yesterday.