A Memorable Meeting

Jean-François talks about his meeting with Pierre Choquette, who grew up close to an F-X boat.

Jean-François Lachance, grandson of François-Xavier Lachance, is in the rowboat shop of the Parc maritime de Saint-Laurent. He speaks to an interviewer on the right side of the camera.

[Jean-François Lachance] During his adolescence, Pierre Choquette, his father had a boat built at Grandpa’s shipyard. The boat is called Marie-Antoine. The people of Île d’Orleans remember this boat very well

Color photograph where a wooden boat painted in white, whose cabin is mahogany color, is installed on cement blocks and boards. The boat is shown in profile, with a church and a shed in the background.

[J.-F. L.] which was launched in 1960.

Color archive video showing, from left to right, the Marie-Antoine boat at a wharf, followed by a sequence where a man, then a boy, leave the boat. Two women are on the wharf.

[J.-F. L.] And Pierre Choquette, the son of Aimé Choquette, had spent a summer, part of the summer at Saint-Laurent, at Grandpa’s, at the request of his father.

Back on Jean-François Lachance in the rowboat shop.

[J.-F. L.] It was Pierre who bought his father’s boat and owned it until the 90’s.

Color photograph of the Marie-Antoine, anchored in the middle of several boats. A man activates himself at the front of the bridge, arms in the air.

[J.-F. L.] The meeting with Pierre, it was a meeting

Back on Jean-François Lachance in the rowboat shop.

[J.-F. L.] very rewarding for me because it made me realize how much Grandpa had been important to many of his clients. Pierre had prepared, before my arrival, digitized documents of the launch of the Marie-Antoine.

A series of video clips in color where the Marie-Antoine is placed on boards and recedes as men move logs under the boat. François-Xavier Lachance is working with the help of a mass, dressed in overalls, a plaid shirt and a cap. Some spectators attend the scene. F-X is addressing these people with a smile.

[J.-F. L.] To my knowledge it was the only filmed archive of a boat launch. I was very affected to see these recordings. That day, before leaving his place, he said, “Wait a minute, I have something for you” and he went down to the basement of his house

Back on Jean-François Lachance in the rowboat shop.

[J.-F. L.] then he came back with a model of the boat,

Video sequence showing the model of a yacht, moving from right to left. Close up on the cabin of the model.

[J.-F. L.] of the Marie-Antoine, which was built by Grandpa after Grandpa had retired.I was very affected by

Back on Jean-François Lachance in the rowboat shop.

[J.-F. L.] this gift from a man who had a boat built by my Grandpa.

Video clip in the rowboat shop showing Jean-François holding the model of the Marie-Antoine while looking at it, then looks up and ahead.