A 17th-century French explorer’s mission to colonise Canada

When the French navigator and geographer Samuel de Champlain first set sail for New France (the area of North America colonised by France, some of which later became part of Canada) on 15 March 1603, it was the start of a love affair with North America that would last until his death. Over the following three decades he navigated and surveyed thousands of miles of North American rivers and coasts, and founded the first enduring French colony in the New World: Québec City.

Although permanent colonisation was Champlain’s goal during most of his time in the region, it was not easily achieved. Unlike many of his predecessors, Champlain didn’t underestimate the problems involved in founding a colony. He read and studied all he could about earlier European exploration and attempted settlements in North America. He realised that strong leadership, friendly relations with indigenous peoples, good knowledge of the region, and a food supply that would last the winter were all vital.

Even this forethought couldn’t prepare him for just how alien a country he would encounter. In scale, climate, vegetation, accommodation and the livelihood