 It is an official part of the coat of arms and has been the official licence plate motto since 1978, replacing ""La belle province"" (the beautiful province).The expression "La belle province" is still used mostly in tourism as a nickname for the province.The fleur-de-lis, the ancient symbol of the French monarchy, first arrived on the shores of the Gaspésie in 1534 with Jacques Cartier on his first voyage.