Path of the Exiled
"The path of the exiled" is the nickname given in the Gallosphere to the trek taken every summer by a number of youth from Louisianna and New Francy. Carrying only a backpack, the youngsters will usually hitchhike or ride from their home country, pass through "Les Plaines" (referring to the flat land between the two Francophone countries) and the French-speaking part of Ontario (or vice-versa), to finally arrive at their destination where they will do odd jobs to sustain themselves for a few months.
The path of the exiled was a spontaneous phenomenon which started in the sixties when some gallosphere youth, benefiting from relaxed visa requirement, decided to see the rest of the former colonies of New France.
The Charlemagne Club, a non-profit organisation that promotes understanding and cultural exchange within the gallosphere, has sponsored a few hostels along the way that cater to the traveling youth.
History
The Path of the Exiled harks to the road travelled by those who wished to live a republican or monarchical political life that, when the colonies split, travelled to a new home. While some were forcibly exiled, such as many of the Louisiannan nobility, a much larger portion chose to relocate willingly. It was not uncommon to have several different caravans meet somewhere in between and trade properties or knowledge of the other country, nor was it uncommon for the two parties to come to blows over political viewpoints.
Some of these caravans actually settled in Les Plaines, Ouisconsin, and other provinces throughout the NAL-SLC, providing a French-speaking enclave in the middle of otherwise foreign speaking lands. This initially produced the Gaullic Belt. As the years have passed and fewer and fewer students made the trips, these enclaves began to homogenize somewhat with the surrounding cities. Since the turn of the millenium, there has been increased interest in heritage and ancestral languages, and these cities where French was considered heretofore moribund have seen a dramatic uptick in language learning by the youth, leading to an increased influence of the Gallosphere over North American politics and society.
