Vieux Quebec

On my way to St Jean sur Richelieu for Christmas, I stopped over in Quebec City. The next morning, I went to Vieux Quebec (Old Quebec) to look around. This area of Quebec City was settled by Europeans in 1608 when Samuel de Champlain made his way up the St. Lawrence River to an area known as "Hochelaga" by the Native Peoples. This town quickly developed into a full-fledged French city, complete with food stores, furriers, schools (run by the nuns/priests). The city and the settlement also gave birth to the "coureurs de bois" (runners of the woods) who would trap animals for fur/ trade goods with Native Peoples for fur, then return to the city and sell the furs to traders for a profit. The French government tried to control this trade and began licensing men to do this job. The 'legal' fur trappers were called 'voyageurs' (travelers), while the others were still referred to as 'coureurs de bois'.

Another group of people who rose out of this settlement were the "Metis" (May-tee). The French trappers often married Native women and their children were called "Metis". There are literally tens of thousands of Metis in Canada today.

Quebec City was the stronghold of France in North America and was the site of the big 'show down' between the French and English in 1755 during the 7 Years' War (US history books refer to it as the "French and Indian War"). The battle for supremacy in North America took place on the Plains of Abraham with Montcalm leading the French and Wolfe leading the English. At the end of the battle, both leaders were killed and the English won the war, leading North America to become a primarily English continent.