(The Sun, Jocelyn Riendeau)
Quebec — In Quebec, the French restaurant Kerhulu has long been a dream. His restaurant stands out as one of the best in the city. And people come from far and wide to taste its pastries, notably its meringues and mochas, small coffee cakes.
The owner, Joseph Kerhulu, is never far away. He lives upstairs. In its dining room, frescoes represent views of Paris. And its menu is inspired by traditional French cuisine. Tournedos Henri IV. Lobster thermidor. Chateaubriand flower girl. Chambertin coq au vin.
Later, during the 1950s, intellectuals opposed to Maurice Duplessis met at Kerhulu. According to historian Jean-Marie Lebel, the great Édith Piaf never fails to stop there when she comes to sing in Quebec.
Let’s go back to 1929. On the Côte de la Fabrique, just next to Kerhulu, the Simons store already existed. You can’t see it in the photo. On the other hand, to the right of the Basilica, eagle-eyed readers will recognize Holt Renfrew and Librairie Garneau. Two institutions.
Casually, the image dates from the end of autumn 1929. A fateful moment. A few days earlier, the New York Stock Exchange experienced a spectacular fall. This is just the beginning. In the space of three years, the Dow Jones will lose 89% of its value.
Soon, the entire world economy plunges. Bank and business failures are increasing. Across Quebec, the unemployment rate increases from 5% to 25%. Even public transportation is affected. In the space of a year, the Quebec tramway lost half of its customers.
The Great Crisis has just begun…
Source: Quebec Historical Society
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