Out of print

Villas Of Yesterday

Tales of 19th Century Sillery

Paul-Émile Vachon

Also available in French: Le temps des villas

This volume gathers six tales that were inspired by the "rich and famous" families who resided in the magnificent villas that overlooked the St. Lawrence River during the 18th and 19th centuries. A suburb of Québec City, Sillery's exceptional location was favoured by members of the British and French-Canadian elite who had sumptuous residences built there at the time. Villas of Yesterday tells the story of a few of these families from historical documents that reveal their undertakings, setbacks and various adventures. The author provides a storybook setting where the characters' passions and motivations are brought to life. Diverse scenarios, clever narration and lively dialogues imbue these six fictional tales with a realism that modern readers will easily identify with.