Family affair : the Scalzo Sisters
Interview with the Scalzo Sisters, the Owners of Pourvoirie Le Rochu
Close-up of the Scalzo sisters, all smiles, sitting on a four-wheel ATV and holding a string of fish.
We hear them laugh and say: “Yeah!!!”
Maria: What beautiful trout!
On-screen text: Family Stories: The Scalzos.
[Music]
Aerial shot showing a sunrise lighting up a lake surrounded by mountains and a few cottages.
On-screen text: Pourvoirie Le Rochu, Mauricie.
Close-up of the Scalzo sisters, in interview format, in front of an expanse of water, with the following on-screen text: Sonia Scalzo (left) and Maria Scalzo (right).
Sonia: I am Sonia Scalzo.
Maria: I am Maria Scalzo, and we’re real outdoor gals!
Close-up of the Scalzo sisters, all smiles and arm in arm, each holding a fishing pole and standing in front of an expanse of water.
Sonia: Deep down, I am a real nature girl, and that doesn’t just mean …
Maria: Hunting or fishing …
Sonia: …that we’re able to go fishing or whatever. It means we’re not afraid of work. We know how to use a chainsaw!
[Music]
Succession of video excerpts showing Sonia Scalzo’s arm casting her line into the lake. Another image shows Sonia and Maria Scalzo fishing, seated on the end of a dock. Image from a flyer embellished with drawings, reading “Pourvoirie Le Rochu.” Photo and written text on the screen by Michel Scalzo, the owners’ father and the former owner of the establishment.
Sonia: The story of the outfitting operation began 38 years ago when my father purchased it.
Maria: How old were you?
Another image from a flyer appears, showing Sonia Scalzo at the age of 12, proudly showing off five fish on a string.
Sonia: I was 12.
Photos of a younger Maria Scalzo shown on another flyer, and on an old black-and-white photo of the cottage that used to belong to the family, when the girls’ father was the outfitter. Close-up of the Scalzo sisters, in interview format, standing in front of a stretch of water.
Maria: I was 13, and we didn’t have electricity, hot water or a shower. We heated our water on the stove top, and we washed ourselves a little like that, and a little in the lake. When it wasn’t too cold!
Sonia: For us, it was fantastic to be back in the woods. The thing that left the biggest impression on me was my Italian grandfather, Antonio. He would come visit us at the outfitting camp. He’d always come with his little white undershirt and his little bottle of “De Kuyper.” We used to go out and pick mushrooms in the woods. I was young, so I would head out following my father and grandfather. We always used to end our day with a little campfire. And we’d talk about our day and look at the stars. And my grandfather would have some of his De Kuyper.
Image of an old advertisement for De Kuyper-brand dry gin. Shot of the Scalzo sisters sitting around a campfire at dusk.
Maria: And we still make fires today!
Sonia: Yes, for sure!
Maria: Every night when we’re here.
[Music]
Image of a topographical map of the Le Rochu outfitting operation. Close-up of the Scalzo sisters in interview format, standing in front of a stretch of water.
Sonia: Obviously things have changed since the beginning, because when my father bought the outfitter we had eight cottages. Today, we have 16. There are cottages clustered together in the hills that run on propane and solar power, and other cottages that run on electricity and are located at the main reception area.
[Music]
Aerial view of several cottages and a few boats on the lakeshore. Shot of Sonia and Maria seated at a picnic table overloaded with baskets of mushrooms of different shapes and colours, which they are in the process of cleaning. Close-up of the Scalzo sisters, in interview format, standing in front of a stretch of water.
Sonia: I’ve always had a fascination for mushrooms. I inherited it from my father and grandfather, and it totally frees up your mind. Last year, I picked mushrooms with my grandson, Édouard-Lou. It’s like a treasure hunt for him. He doesn’t call them “champignons.” He calls them “champis mignons.” It’s so cute!
A few photos are shown on the screen of Sonia Scalzo and her grandson, Édouard-Lou, picking mushrooms.
Sonia: It’s been exactly 21 years since we got electricity. I remember it well, because I was at the hospital and I had just delivered my daughter Éloïse. At the time, it was really more of a hunting camp. Our guests were men who came to hunt and fish. In terms of accommodations, we didn’t necessarily have cottages for families. Today we’ve made all those improvements so that we can host families.
A succession of old photos showing groups of hunters and anglers from years gone by. Shot of a cottage and of a wooden play structure. View of a lake with floatables bobbing on the water, followed by a young family, two young children and their father, who are fishing and advancing quietly in their boat.
Maria: And we’ve got lots of play equipment for kids, kayaks and pedal boats. People come here with their families. When it gets right down to it, our mission is to make families and anglers happy. And that’s what makes us happy too!
[Closing music]
Shot of a couple of anglers in their boat waving to the Scalzo sisters, both seated on the end of the dock. They are fishing too and waving back to the anglers.
On-screen text: Family Stories: The Scalzo.