"Le Plat Pays" (Translation: ' The Flat Country') is a French-language song by Belgian singer

Jacques Brel Jacques Romain Georges Brel (; 8 April 1929 – 9 October 1978) was a Belgian singer and actor who composed and performed theatrical songs. He generated a large, devoted following—initially in Belgium and France, but later throughout the world ...

about his home country. It also exists in a Dutch-language version as "Mijn vlakke land" ('My Flat Country'), also performed by him. The French lyrics are by Jacques Brel, the Dutch lyrics by

Ernst van Altena Ernst Rudolf van Altena (11 December 193315 June 1999) was a Dutch poet, writer and translator. He was best known for his translations of chansons by Jacques Brel Jacques Romain Georges Brel (; 8 April 1929 – 9 October 1978) was a Belgian ...

Concept

Recorded on 6 March 1962, the song describes the

North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Se ...

as the final wasteland of Belgium's borders, then mentions the mist, the winds from all corners and

cathedrals A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...

as "the only mountains" his country has. Brel sees the sky as "so low" that "a canal gets lost", and "so gray", that "a canal would hang itself". The low brooding sky brings his people

humility Humility is the quality of being humble. The Oxford Dictionary, in its 1998 edition, describes humility as a low self-regard and sense of unworthiness. However, humility involves having an accurate opinion of oneself and expressing oneself mode ...

. Yet, despite the grey skies and rain he still declares his country as "his". The flat country referred to in the song is West Flanders, the region in

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

from which his family originated. It is a region with many open fields and few trees. Because this landscape is rather typical not only of the

West Flanders West Flanders is the westernmost province of the Flemish Region, in Belgium. It is the only coastal Belgian province, facing the North Sea to the northwest. It has land borders with the Dutch province of Zeeland to the northeast, the Flemis ...

, but of large swathes of the

Low Countries The Low Countries (; ), historically also known as the Netherlands (), is a coastal lowland region in Northwestern Europe forming the lower Drainage basin, basin of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta and consisting today of the three modern "Bene ...

, the Dutch version of the song is popular in

the Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

. He also refers to the Flemish seasonal workers who left their farms every winter to work in the textile mills of Northern France from November to May. (Les fils de Novembre qui nous reviennent en May)

In popular culture

The success encountered in Paris by his Swiss mentor friend

Jean Villard Jean Villard, Pseudonym, known as Gilles (2 June 1895 in Montreux (Switzerland) – 26 March 1982 in Vevey), originating from Daillens, was a French Swiss multi-talented chansonnier, poet, humorist, comedian, actor, and cabaretist. He was ...

' " La Venoge", about an unknown little river, inspired and encouraged him to write the song.

Valencian Valencian can refer to: * Something related to the Valencian Community ( Valencian Country) in Spain * Something related to the city of Valencia * Something related to the province of Valencia in Spain * Something related to the old Kingdom of ...

singer

Ovidi Montllor Ovidi Montllor (; 4 February 1942 in Alcoi, Spain – 10 March 1995 in Barcelona, Spain) was a Valencian singer-songwriter and actor. Career A native of Alcoi, at the age of 24 Montllor moved to Barcelona, where he was a member of various indepe ...

wrote a largely modified version, "El Meu Poble Alcoi" ("My Hometown

Alcoi Alcoy (; ; officially: / ) is an industrial and university city, region and municipality located in the Valencian Community, Spain. The Serpis river crosses the municipal boundary of Alcoy. The local authority reported a population of 61,135 r ...

"), which he dedicated to the city where he was born and grown up. The song was also referenced in the original French-language version of ''

Asterix in Belgium ''Asterix in Belgium'' () is the twenty-fourth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny (story) and Albert Uderzo (illustrations). It is noted as the last Asterix story from Goscinny, who died during its production. Plot summ ...

,'' where the Belgian leader tells

Asterix ''Asterix'' ( or , "Asterix the Gauls, Gaul"; also known as ''Asterix and Obelix'' in some adaptations or ''The Adventures of Asterix'') is a Franco-Belgian comics, French comic album book series, series about a Gaulish village which, thanks ...

Obelix Obelix ( ; ) is a cartoon character in the French comic book series ''Asterix''. He works as a menhir sculptor and deliveryman as well as one of the primary defenders of the Gaulish village, and is Asterix's best friend. Obelix is noted for his ...

and Vitalstatistix that'' "in his flat country

oppidum An ''oppidum'' (: ''oppida'') is a large fortified Iron Age Europe, Iron Age settlement or town. ''Oppida'' are primarily associated with the Celts, Celtic late La Tène culture, emerging during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, spread acros ...

s are the only mountains."'' The Italian singer and author

Herbert Pagani Herbert Avraham Haggiag Pagani (25 April 1944 – 16 August 1988) was a Jewish-Italian artist and musician. Biography Pagani was born in a Jewish family in Libya, just around the time when the country stopped being an Italian Colonial Administr ...

wrote and interpreted a cover titled "La Lombardia".

References

Jacques Brel songs 1959 songs Songs written by Jacques Brel Songs in French Songs about Belgium Belgian patriotic songs {{1950s-pop-song-stub