MAY 17, 1642

MAISONNEUVE AND MANCE FOUND THE MISSION OF VILLE-MARIE

After establishing Québec in 1608 and Trois-Rivières in 1634, the French government plans a third settlement on the island of Montréal. The Société de Notre-Dame de Montréal is founded in 1639 to make the settlement a reality. Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve, a young, ambitious nobleman who desires to become a missionary, and Jeanne Mance, a nurse with multiple talents, are chosen to fulfil the mission.

Departing from La Rochelle, France, in May 1641, the founders and their crew arrive in Québec in the fall and spend the winter in nearby Sillery. As soon as the ice covering the St. Lawrence River has thawed, the settlers board a boat again and arrive near the location of Hochelaga in May 1642. They dedicate their new settlement to the Virgin Mary by naming it Ville-Marie, a name that will be replaced a few decades later by Montréal.

Located near major Indigenous trade routes, Montréal soon becomes an important crossroads for the fur trade.

Its advantageous location next to Huronia also makes it the ideal point of departure for evangelization missions.