From Stadacona to the REM · Drawing 06 of 36
The Filles du Roy Arrive
1663
From 1663 to 1673, about 800 women left France to settle and start families in New France. They were called the Filles du Roy, or King’s Daughters, because the king helped pay for their journey.
Look together
What are the young women carrying?
An idea to try
Pack an imaginary little chest for a very long trip: your child chooses three things to put in a box and explains why.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
Between 1663 and 1673, about 800 women came to New France with royal help for travel and settlement. They came from varied backgrounds; King’s Daughters does not mean they were the king’s children. Their migration played an important role in the colony’s population growth.
The people and luggage are imaginary. Ask what your child would pack for a long journey, while distinguishing this game from the real decision to leave one’s country.
Sources and illustration notes (1)
Landing as an evocation; imaginary young women, no named ship.
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. References identify the institution and the related lesson; some linked pages are in French.
- Parks Canada — Immigration of the Filles du roi to New FranceAbout 800 women from 1663 to 1673; royal assistance and varied origins.
Page prepared on September 19, 2026. Illustrations simplify places and scenes; they are not historical documents.
This drawing is from the book Québec’s Great Moments to Colour
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