Published on Nov 18, 2019
Born in Saint-Denis-de-Brompton, the author of the dystopian novel Le Potager, published in 2017, offers us a very pleasant tour of the Eastern Townships.
By Julie Roy
NB Due to the pandemic, some places could be closed. Inform yourself before leaving home.
Smell. For Marilyne, the scent of Les Vraies Richesses bakery, on King St West, right in downtown Sherbrooke, immediately transports her to the heart of Europe. “The aroma of freshly baked bread and pastries is very inviting!” she adds. As a true foodie—and movie enthusiast! —, she couldn’t pass up mentioning the evocative aroma of the Maison du Cinéma’s homemade popcorn, located just a few minutes from the bakery, on the same street!
Sight. The author adores the Johnville Bog and Forest Park in Cookshire-Eaton. “I think Bogs are magnificent! They’re wide open spaces where I love to walk and admire the landscape.” Wooden walkways were built to allow us to wander about right in the heart of nature.
Taste. For the sense of taste, Marilyne insisted—and she’s right to do so!—to talk to us about Jardins de pommes in Saint-Denis-de-Brompton, where she lives. “It’s a family-owned vegetable farm offering apples, pumpkins and squash throughout the autumn. It’s very simple and delicious!” The place offers about twenty different apple varieties. On their website they have a very useful harvesting calendar.
Touch. Every summer, the author’s arms are covered with scratches because of all the berry picking she does throughout the season. She has a couple of favourite places, such as Fraisière Nadeau, in St-François-Xavier-de-Brompton, and Ferme au Pré Bleu, in Ascot Corner. “This contact with the earth is very important for me!”
Hearing. This time, it’s more an event. “The public reading presented by the Littérature et autres niaiseries event, at La Petite Boîte Noire, offers readers the opportunity to experience great encounters with authors. I heard Joséphine Bacon read one of her texts and it was amazing,” she recounts. La Petite Boîte Noire is located in Sherbrooke, on Meadow street, just behind Wellington North. However, to find the next event dates, we recommend checking their Facebook page.
Marilyne Fortin has published two novels with Québec-Amérique, Le Potager and La Fabrica. She is presently working on her next book and one of her short stories will soon be published in Solaris, a science fiction and fantastic genre magazine.
The Townships in Five Senses
The Townships in Five Senses - Véronique Drouin
The Townships in Five Senses
The Townships in Fives Senses - Denys Leclaire
