The moral mission of the romans du terroir was set out by Abbé Casgrain, a member of the École patriotique (fr).
The most popular example is Maria Chapdelaine by Louis Hémon, which was widely translated and became well-known across Canada during the early 20th century.
The roman du terroir more or less disappeared during the 1940s, when novels about urban life became widely read, such as those by Gabrielle Roy and André Langevin (fr); Germaine Guèvremont is generally considered to be the last influential writer of romans du terroir during this period of transition.
[5] Traces of the influence of the roman du terroir can be found in Québécois literature and culture today, sometimes nostalgic.
At the same time, many novels are written in reaction against the roman du terroir style,[6] maintaining the rural setting but exposing the sordid side of life in the countryside that was often culturally and economically impoverished.