From Stadacona to the REM · Drawing 04 of 36
The first houses of Montréal
1642
In May 1642, Jeanne Mance and Paul de Maisonneuve helped found Ville-Marie, which became Montréal. The newcomers built beside the river, on land already used by Indigenous peoples.
Look together
Where can you enter the palisade?
An idea to try
With blocks, build a palisade around three little houses. Ask your child what a village needs to live: water, food, shelter, neighbours.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
Maisonneuve and Jeanne Mance’s group arrived on May 17, 1642. Ville-Marie became Montréal. This new French settlement was not the beginning of human presence on the island.
The houses and palisade are interpretive. No cross appears on Mount Royal: Maisonneuve’s cross dates from January 1643, not the 1642 arrival.
Sources and context (3)
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. Source titles appear in their original language; some linked pages are in French.
- Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec — Fondation de Montréal
- Ville de Montréal — Maisonneuve érige une croix sur la montagne
- Pointe-à-Callière — Jeanne Mance, cofondatrice de Montréal
Source review: 2026-09-19. Illustrations simplify places and scenes; they are not historical documents.