{{Short description|French writer (1879–1964)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{family name hatnote|Le Franc|Franc|lang=French}} {{Infobox writer | name = Marie Le Franc | image = Portrait MLF.jpg | birth_date = {{birth date|1879|10|4|df=y}} | birth_place = Sarzeau, France | death_date = {{date of death and age|1964|12|29|1879|10|4|df=y}} | death_place = Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France | genre = Poetry, novel, essay }}
'''Marie Le Franc''' ({{IPA|fr|maʁi l(ə) fʁɑ̃}}; 4 October 1879 – 29 December 1964) was a French-born writer who found much of her inspiration in Canada.<ref name=lile/><ref name=archives/>
The daughter of a customs officer, she was born in Sarzeau and was educated at the École des soeurs de Sarzeau in Morbihan and at the École normale de Vannes, receiving her teaching diploma. She taught school in Morbihan for several years and then came to Montreal in 1906, where she planned to marry Arsène Bessette. The marriage never happened but Le Franc continued to teach in the region. She returned to France in 1929 but continued to visit Canada until 1958.<ref name=lile/><ref name=archives>{{cite web |url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/literaryarchives/027011-200.077-e.html |title=Marie Le Franc fonds |date=8 April 2013 |publisher=Library and Archives Canada}}</ref><ref name=bertrand>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OIFATPq3NlMC&pg=PA123 |title=Littératures mineures en langue majeure: Québec, Wallonie-Bruxelles |pages=123–26 |last=Bertrand |first=Jean-Pierre |author2=Gauvin, Lise |author3=Demoulin, Laurent |year=2003 |isbn=276061879X |language=fr}}</ref>
She published two volumes of poetry ''Les Voix du cœur et de l'âme'' (1920) and ''Les Voix de misère et d'allégresse'', as well as novels and short stories. Her 1925 novel ''Grand-Louis l'innocent'' won the French Prix Femina. Her work also appeared in ''Le Mercure de France'', the ''Album universel'' and ''Les Carnets viatoriens''.
Le Franc was named a Chevalier in the French Legion of Honour in 1953.<ref name=lile/>
She died in Saint-Germain-en-Laye at the age of 85.<ref name=lile/>
Lac Marie-Le Franc in the Papineau-Labelle Wildlife Reserve was named in her honour in 1934.<ref name=lile>{{cite web |url=http://www.litterature.org/recherche/ecrivains/le-franc-marie-297/ |title=Le Franc, Marie |publisher=Infocentre littéraire des écrivains |language=fr}}</ref>
== Selected works == Source:<ref name=lile/> * ''Le Poste sur la dûne'', novel (1928) * ''Hélier: fils des bois'', novel (1930) * ''Grand-Louis le Revenant'', novel (1930) * ''Au pays canadien-français'', essay (1931), received the {{illm|Prix Montyon|fr}} from the Académie française * ''Dans l'île. Roman d'Ouessant'', novel (1932) * ''Visages de Montréal'', stories (1934?) * ''La Rivière solitaire'', novel (1934) * ''La Randonnée passionnée'', novel (1936) * ''Les Pêcheurs de Gaspésie'', novel (1938) * ''O Canada, Terre de nos aïeux !'', stories (1947) * ''Le Fils de la forêt'', novel (1952)
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{in lang|fr}} Archives of Marie Le Franc [http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=fonandcol&id=3672012&lang=eng (Fonds Marie Le Franc, R11765)] are held at Library and Archives Canada
{{Authority control}} {{Prix Femina}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Le Franc, Marie}} Category:1879 births Category:1964 deaths Category:French women poets Category:French women novelists Category:Knights of the Legion of Honour Category:Prix Femina winners Category:French expatriates in Canada Category:Expatriate writers in Canada