Take your pick: adrenaline packed or slow and contemplative?
Published on Dec 13, 2018
Lyricist for, among others, Fred Pellerin (the song Il y a, on his latest album, is hers!), Mélanie Noël is also a poet and journalist for La Tribune, the Sherbrooke daily paper. Curious and creative, she has us discover her favourite places.
By Julie Roy
The Sense of Taste. The author admits having a weak spot for the vegan cuisine of Végécafé Vertuose, located in Sherbrooke. “It’s good and, it’s healthy! The owner, Émilie Desrosiers always offers a savoury daily menu plus two choices of homemade Kombucha.” You can find the restaurant near the University of Sherbrooke, where both adepts curious newcomers come together.
The Sense of Smell. The author loves Compton’s Fromagerie La Station cheeses. “The aroma coming from each of their cheeses is different, but my favourite is Alfred le Fermier. Some even say it gives out scents of caramel!” It is a lovely place with an attentive staff always ready to answer any question you might have. Nearby, we can admire the cows that produce milk for these delicious cheeses as they graze quietly in the pastures of this most beautiful corner of the Townships.
The Sense of Hearing. Noise is always present in our lives. Too much sometimes. “To escape the daily grind, there’s nothing better than to find a moment of pure silence. I’ve found such a place at the Saint-Benoît-du-Lac abbey, where I went for a quiet retreat,” explains the lyricist. We can spend a few nights here, but it’s also a really nice place for a ballad or to spend the day visiting the area.
The Sense of Sight. They’re absolutely magnificent! Seventeen murals placed throughout the Sherbrooke territory. Each represents a part of the city’s history, we can discover as we choose one or the other of the two proposed itineraries. The Muralis application allows us to see some portions of the murals become animated. “I think it’s a great way of viewing the city from a different perspective,” explains Mélanie Noël “and those with really good eyesight can spot me on one of them; I’m the smallest character listed and appearing purely by chance on a newspaper, held by a local movie producer.” For more information go to the murales-sherbrooke.com website.
The Sense of Touch. Representing this sense is not that easy! After hesitating a moment, Mélanie Noël tells us about her affection for Sherbrooke’s Mont-Bellevue. “We’re so lucky to have access to this beautiful mountain, in the heart of the city! We must take advantage of it!” She says. We can go hiking, cross-country skiing and downhill hill skiing as well. What’s the link with the sense of touch? “After a day spent there, just touch your thighs. You’ll clearly feel your muscles!”
Her upcoming events: Next February 14, at the Musée des beaux arts de Sherbrooke, Mélanie Noël, along with René Bolduc, will inaugurate the Futurs Disparus) exhibit, highlighting her words as they align themselves with contemporary pictures developed through traditional methods. To learn more about the exhibit you can visit the project website at: lesfutursdisparus.com
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