Unseen footage

The Musée de la Gaspésie unveils an archival treasure never before presented to the general public: the only existing video of Madame Bolduc. The discovery of this 8 mm roll, carefully preserved by the late actress Andrée Boucher, reveals a precious testimony to the story of Madame Bolduc. Behind the camera is the actress's father, Gaston Boucher, a hotelier in Macamic. In 1940, Madame Bolduc, accompanied by Rose Ouellet, alias La Poune, stopped at his hotel on a show tour.

This remarkable discovery was the fruit of meticulous and rigorous research. Initially, while sorting through the archives, a Musée de la Gaspésie employee came across a hard copy of an interview the actress had given to Carmel Dumas for the magazine Présent à vous in the autumn of 1988. Luckily, confirmation of the document's existence was made possible by the invaluable assistance of Jean-Pierre Bélanger, Madame Boucher's spouse, who made a significant contribution to the research.

Historical treasures

Among the treasures on display is a collection of objects intimately linked to Madame Bolduc's tours: her emblematic dresses, jewelry, personal effects and correspondence with her children. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the immersive ambience of Madame Bolduc's tour memorabilia and admire her musical instruments, including the family piano, a rare piece in this collection. Still in Madame Bolduc's family, this piano is now in the hands of her great-granddaughter, Stacey Calvert, perpetuating the musical legacy of this Quebec icon.