La Chasse-Galerie – Part 1
The story of La Chasse-Galerie is perhaps one of the most popular folktales you’ve never heard. It’s a story about a group of homesick men who make a deal with the devil, risking their souls to travel in a flying canoe and spend one winter’s night with their loved ones back home. Virtually unknown outside of French Canada, the bit of folklore has ties to Canadian history and culture, and is just as relevant today as it was over 300 years ago.
Overview
Every Christmas or New Year’s Eve, some say, several men in a birch bark canoe will soar through the skies over Montreal and beyond. It’s known as “la chasse-galerie,” and it’s essentially the Canadian version of the Wild Hunt. It’s a tale that has been told since at least the 17th century, and the story may have influenced, or have been influenced by, actual strange events that occurred in the mid-1600s. The story was shared around campfires of the courriers de bois, the voyageurs, and then among anyone who likes a good ghost story, and might be feeling a bit homesick.
In this episode (Part 1), I’ll tell you the historical context of the legend, relay the legend as I heard it, and discuss variations in the story.
In La Chasse-Galerie Part 2, I’ll tell you two additional stories: one of a doomed French lord that, some say, is the origin of the term “la chasse-galerie”, and another long-forgotten tale from Lake St. Clair on the Ontario/Michigan border. I’ll discuss the legend’s connection to Europe’s Wild Hunt, and its relevance today.
Notes
“Group of people – Cheering – Outside – 03” sound effect by Sirderf. Sourced from Freesound.org
Used under licensing CC BY 3.0
“Reel du courrier” by Joseph Allard (1873 – 1947). Sourced from Library and Archives of Canada. Public domain.
Sources
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https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uiug.30112037677777?urlappend=%3Bseq=511
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