The Canadians of Old

novel by Gaspé

Also known as: “Les Anciens Canadiens”

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June 22, 2026

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Les Anciens Canadiens (The Canadians of Old) is a historical novel written by Philippe Aubert de Gaspé and published in 1863. Set during the British conquest of Canada in 1760, the novel idealizes a romanticized past and emphasizes loyalty to the land. This work significantly influenced later regionalist writers in Canada and is considered a French Canadian classic. It was part of a literary movement in Quebec that focused on patriotic, conservative, and Catholic themes, reflecting a desire to preserve French Canadian identity.12

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Philippe Aubert de Gaspé
…wrote Les Anciens Canadiens (The Canadians of Old). A French Canadian classic, it is a romantic historical novel set in Canada at the time of the British conquest (1760). Its idealization of the “good old days,” the farmer’s loyalty to the soil, and distrust of English Canada influenced the…
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…wrote Les Anciens Canadiens (The Canadians of Old). A French Canadian classic, it is a romantic historical novel set in Canada at the time of the British conquest (1760). Its idealization of the “good old days,” the farmer’s loyalty to the soil, and distrust of English Canada influenced the…
Read More