From Stadacona to the REM · Drawing 08 of 36
The King’s Road
1737
In 1737, the Chemin du Roy linked Québec City and Montréal by land along the river. Travellers followed this long road on horseback or in horse-drawn carriages.
Look together
How many horses pull the carriage?
An idea to try
Draw a long road between two towns on a sheet of paper and mark stops for the night. Your child moves a small toy along it and counts the nights.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
Completed in 1737, the Chemin du Roy linked Québec City and Montréal over about 280 kilometres. It improved land travel along the St. Lawrence; relay stops helped travellers continue their journey.
The road in the drawing is imaginary. Compare horse travel with trips you take today, without confusing this route with the 1836 railway or the REM, which follow different routes.
Sources and context (2)
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. Source titles appear in their original language; some linked pages are in French.
- Encyclopédie du patrimoine culturel de l’Amérique française — Le chemin du Roy, entre Québec et Montréal
- Le Chemin du Roy — Foire aux questions
Source review: 2026-09-19. Illustrations simplify places and scenes; they are not historical documents.