The legacy

La Butte à Mathieu plowed the first furrows of Val-David’s present-day cultural reputation. Since those early days, several large-scale events have coloured the creative vitality of Val-David. In 1976, while Montreal was hosting the Olympic Games, the only real cultural activity outside the metropolis was held in Val-David. For the occasion, kiosks and geodesic domes were built where artists and artisans offered activities to visitors from all over. Later, there came the much-appreciated Clef des champs, Kinya Ishikawa’s 1001 pots and the Jardins du précambrien of René Derouin. The little Laurentian valley proved to be fertile. Still others would come.

At the artistic level, Gilles Mathieu’s adventure has been fruitful. The phenomenon of the boîtes à chansons not only allowed for the emergence of many talented singer-songwriters and performers, but it is within those four walls that a Québec cultural industry has emerged that is now recognized throughout the world.