This map was drawn in the mid-16th century. Like many maps at the time, it places south at the top and north at the bottom. It depicts the St. Lawrence River at Québec City, with the Charlesbourg-Royal colony and the group of French settlers led by Cartier and Roberval. This group is being observed by Indigenous people.

1541 - 1542

Before Québec City: the Charlesbourg-Royal colony

After two initial voyages to Canada, between 1535 and 1536, French navigator Jacques Cartier set out in 1541 to found a permanent French colony in Canada. He was aided in this venture by Jean-François de la Roque de Roberval. The two navigators and some 1,500 colonists settled at Cap-Rouge, now a suburb of Québec City. After two disastrous winters of deep freeze, hunger and conflict with Indigenous Peoples, the colony was abandoned in 1543. Browse these many images to discover Charlesbourg-Royal, the first and then abandoned French colony in Québec City.

Map of eastern North America

Attributed to Nicolas Vallard This map was drawn in the mid-16th century. Like many maps at the time, it places south at the top and north at the bottom. It depicts the St. Lawrence River at Québec City, with the Charlesbourg-Royal colony and the group of French settlers led by Cartier and Roberval. This group is being observed by Indigenous people.

Chronoscope What other features do you see on the map? (unilingual French for a limited time)

Depicted period: 1541

Source: Ville de Québec Document in the public domain (free of copyright) - Date: 1547

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