Sur la route de Louviers
This song from the Paris area goes back to the early 1800's. It was made famous by cabaret singer, Aristide Bruant. Louviers is a town in Normandy, 75 miles North-West of Paris.
Sur la route de Louviers
On The Road to Louviers
Chanson enfantine
Children's Song
(French)
(English)
Sur la route de Louviers,
Sur la route de Louviers,
Il y avait un cantonnier,
Il y avait un cantonnier,
Et qui cassait,
Et qui cassait,
Des tas d' cailloux,
Des tas d' cailloux,
Et qui cassait des tas d' cailloux
Pour mettre sur l' passag' des roues.
Un' bell' dam' vint à passer,
Un' bell' dam' vint à passer,
Dans un beau carrosse doré,
Dans un beau carrosse doré
Et qui lui dit,
Et qui lui dit :
"Pauv' cantonnier,
Pauv' cantonnier,
Et qui lui dit : Pauv' cantonnier,
Tu fais un fichu métier !"
Le cantonnier lui répond,
Le cantonnier lui répond :
"Faut qu' j' nourrissions nos garçons,
Faut qu' j' nourrissions nos garçons,
Car si j' roulions
Car si j' roulions,
Carross' comme vous,
Carross' comme vous
Car si j' roulions carrosse comme vous
J' n' casserions pas d' cailloux.
Cett' répons' se fait r'marquer,
Cett' répons' se fait r'marquer,
Par sa grand' simplicité
Par sa grande' simplicité
C'est c' qui prouv' que
C'est c' qui prouv' que
Les malheureux
Les malheureux
C'est c' qui prouv' que les malheureux
S'ils le sont c'est malgré eux.
On the road to Louviers,
On the road to Louviers,
There was a road worker*,
There was a road worker,
Who was breaking up
Who was breaking up
Piles of stones,
Piles of stones
Who was breaking up piles of stones
To put in the pathway of the wheels.
A beautiful lady happened to pass,
A beautiful lady happened to pass
In a beautiful golden carriage,
In a beautiful golden carriage
And she told him
And she told him,
"Poor road worker,
Poor road worker,"
And she told him "Poor road worker,
You're doing a lousy job!"
The road worker answered her,
The road worker answered her,
I have to feed my boys,
I have to feed my boys,
Because if I drove in
Because if I drove in
A carriage like yours**
A carriage like yours,
Because if I drove in a carriage like yours,
I wouldn't break up stones.
This answer is remarkable
This answer is remarkable
For its great simplicity
For its great simplicity,
It's what proves that
It's what proves that
Poor people,
Poor people,
It's what proves that poor people
Are poor against their will.
Notes
*Specifically the person who repairs the roads.
**"Rouler carrosse" is literally, "to drive in a carriage". Figuratively, it means, "to lead a high lifestyle".
Monique wrote:
"I learned this song in 2nd grade. The 3rd verse was converted in standard French as…
L' cantonnier lui répondit,
L' cantonnier lui répondit :
"C'est pour nourrir mes petits,
C'est pour nourrir mes petits,
Car si j' roulais,
Car si j' roulais,
Carrosse comm' vous,
Carrosse comm' vous,
Car si j' roulais carrosse comm' vous,
Je ne cass'rais pas d' cailloux."
The translation is the same except for the 3rd line, "C'est pour nourrir mes petits" (It's to feed my children, literally "little ones").
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Translated by Monique Palomares and Lisa Yannucci.
Merci beaucoup !
