Place-Royale from today to yesterday, Quebec city. (videos)

0.1 For MP3 and MP4 users

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 09:00:00 GMT

You can get a map of Place-Royale, showing the points of interest described here, from the entrance of the Centre d’interprétation de Place-Royale. You can also download this printable map from : mcq.org/place-royale.

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1.1 Place-Royale

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 08:55:00 GMT

Place-Royale—the birthplace of French America and a thriving hub of commerce and trade in New France—was home to many people long before the first Europeans arrived. In fact, the earliest traces of human activity that were unearthed during digs at the site go back nearly 5,000 years. One of the many fascinating discoveries was a 1,000-year-old Aboriginal burial ground.

The public square became a marketplace under the French regime. It was also the place where criminal executions and corporal punishment were carried out.

The square continued to serve as a public market until the 1880s, when the area began to decline. By 1950, it had become a rather poor, rundown neighbourhood. The business community and Government of Québec gradually realized that the site needed to be protected and so, between 1957 and 1970, the government acquired some fifty of its houses. The Ministry of Cultural Affairs then partially or completely demolished, restored or rebuilt these houses.

In 1967, the Québec government passed a law declaring Place-Royale a site of national historic significance.

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1.2 Fornel House

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 08:50:00 GMT

In 1723, Jean-Louis Fornel and his wife, Marie-Anne Barbel, moved into this house, which Fornel had inherited from his father. The following summer, the couple enlarged the house and added a small courtyard that looked onto the square. Then, in 1735, the Fornels had vaulted cellars built, at great expense, beneath the market square. This type of construction, located beside the house and carried out after the house was built, was unusual. Vaulted cellars were normally built beneath a building, and served as its foundation.

Vaulted cellars were essential for merchants. As well as offering protection from fire, they maintained a constant cool temperature, which meant that fresh food could be stored without spoiling, in both winter and summer.

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1.3 Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Church

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 08:45:00 GMT

Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Church—a project of Bishop François de Laval—was built in 1687–1688. Constructed on the site of Champlain’s “habitation,” the church was first dedicated to the Christ child. It was renamed Notre-Dame-de-la-Victoire after a siege by Admiral William Phips in 1690. Then, in 1711, after Sir Hovenden Walker’s failed attempt at conquering Québec, the church was known as Notre-Dame-des-Victoires.

After being almost entirely destroyed by bombing during the Conquest of 1759, the church was rebuilt between 1763 and 1766.

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1.4 Traces of Champlain’s Second Habitation

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 08:40:00 GMT

In front of Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Church, dark stones on the street indicate the site of Samuel de Champlain’s second habitation.

The first habitation was built in 1608, the year Québec was founded. Champlain chose this location for its numerous geographic and strategic advantages. The building served as a home, a warehouse, a trading post and a fort. But, because it was made of wood, it did not hold up well in the harsh winters. In 1624, a second habitation, made of stone, was built on this exact spot to meet the same needs.

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1.5 Bust of Louis XIV

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 08:35:00 GMT

In 1686, the Intendant of New France, Bochart de Champigny, had a bronze bust of King Louis XIV erected in the public square, in keeping with French custom. The square became known as Place Royale.

In 1700, the bust was removed on the pretext that its location made it more difficult for merchants in the square to transport their goods. It was stored in the Intendant’s Palace.

Then, mysteriously, all traces of it were lost . . .

In 1928, the French Minister of Commerce and Communications presented Canada with a replica of the original sculpture, which was created in 1665 by Le Bernin, a great master of the Italian school. Three years later, the bust was installed in the square.

The bust was removed in 1944, again under the pretext that it disrupted traffic. It was reinstalled permanently in 1964. The square regained the name Place-Royale, after having been called a variety of names over the years, including La Place, Place du Marché, Place Notre-Dame, Place de la Basse-Ville and Carré Notre-Dame.

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1.6 Centre d'interprétation de Place-Royale

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 08:30:00 GMT

The Centre d’interprétation de Place-Royale is the latest addition to the museum complex, which is operated by the Musée de la civilisation. Opened in November 1999, the Centre is located on the site of the historic Smith and Hazeur houses. It was on the site of the Hazeur House that traces of Aboriginal people, dating back nearly 5,000 years, were found.

The Centre recounts the history of Place-Royale. While the exhibits focus on the authenticity of the archaeological remains and collections, they are also designed to bring to life the notable figures—as well as the lesser-known individuals—who shaped Place-Royale over the years.

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1.7 Roofs

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 08:25:00 GMT

Place-Royale was the birthplace of the colony’s urban architecture. Building techniques reveal the French influence, along with some adaptation in light of the severe Québec climate. Another main concern, however, was fire prevention.

Over time, the authorities devised regulations to reduce the threat of fire. Houses had to be built of stone, covered with plaster and feature raised common walls that served as firebreaks. Mansard roofs and shingles were prohibited. Instead, long wood or slate boards were recommended. Tin plate, or tôle à la canadienne, was adopted around 1744; its low cost and effectiveness against fire offered significant advantages.

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1.8 Window Grates

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 08:20:00 GMT

Place-Royale boasts no fewer than 27 vaulted cellars. Since they maintain a constant temperature in all seasons, they were used to store all kinds of perishable goods, including wine, beer, rum, spirits, vinegar, oil, butter, cheese, salt pork, salt salmon, moose meat, and various types of fruits and vegetables. The cellars also helped to insulate the house from humidity in the lower level and to reinforce the main floor.

Because the cellars had windows for ventilation, owners needed to install bars on the windows to prevent break-ins. The type of ironwork used is called a window grate, herse (portcullis) or étripe-chat (cat-gutter). It consists of a rectangular strip of wrought iron with curved pieces ending in a point along either side. Examples can be found on several houses in Place-Royale.

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1.9 S-iron

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 08:15:00 GMT

At the time, it was important to keep the stone or brick masonry walls of houses from warping. To prevent warping, an iron rod was inserted into a structural beam. The anchor placed at the end of the rod on the outside wall could come in a variety of shapes, including an “s.”

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2.1 Place de Paris

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 08:10:00 GMT

The Finlay Market was once held in this square. In 1987, it was named Place de Paris, following the unveiling of a work of art given to Québec by the City of Paris. The contemporary sculpture by French artist Jean-Pierre Raynaud is entitled Dialogue avec l’histoire (Dialogue with History). The 6.5-metre piece consists of two stacked blocks covered in white marble tile lined with thin strips of black granite.

This message is inscribed on a bronze plaque a few steps from the sculpture:

DIALOGUE AVEC L'HISTOIRE QUI REND HOMMAGE AUX PREMIERS FRANÇAIS QUI DÉBARQUÈRENT EN CE LIEU AUTREFOIS BORD DE MER, POUR Y BÂTIR UN PAYS OÙ LEUR CULTURE N'A CESSÉ DE S'AFFIRMER

(Dialogue with History pays homage to the first French settlers, who landed on this site—which was once at the water’s edge—to build a country where their culture continues to flourish)

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2.2 Thibaudeau Warehouse

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 08:05:00 GMT

In 1880, this neo-Renaissance style building became Isidore Thibaudeau’s warehouse. Thibaudeau was a wealthy textile merchant, as well as co-founder of the Banque Nationale.

The warehouse is located on the north side of a former public market site that opened in 1817. At first, this market was called the marché d’en bas, or lower market, to distinguish it from another market, held further up in front of Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Church. In 1838, its name was changed to the Finlay Market in honour of its benefactor, businessman William Finlay, who had made a donation to improve the streets and squares of Québec. The Finlay Market operated until 1906.

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2.3 St. Lawrence River

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 08:00:00 GMT

For a long time, the St. Lawrence River was the main route for immigrants and goods arriving from metropolitan France. But, since it didn't take long for France and England to bring their quarrels to the colonies, "the enemy" often used the river as well. The English made four attempts to capture New France; each time, they approached via the mighty river. The Kirke Brothers succeeded in taking the colony in 1629. In 1632, the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye officially restored New France to the French . . . who then lost it again in 1763.

Over time, the river became more than a connecting passage. Its banks limited the construction of new housing, making it an obstacle to settlement, and so, in 1707, the authorities ordered those whose property bordered the river to reinforce the banks to add space for more housing.

After the Conquest, the harbour underwent further changes, as a number of wharves were added.

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2.4 Québec–Lévis Crossing

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Since the colony's early days, people needed to cross the St. Lawrence River at Québec. They used birchbark canoes at first and, later, wooden ones.

In those days, an ice bridge formed during the winter. Instead of paddlers, coachmen and carters moved travellers and goods from one side of the river to the other.

In 1818, the first steamboat, the Lauzon, appeared. The first horse-boat, with horse-driven paddle wheels, soon followed. With a number of ferry boats travelling back and forth across the river, the cities of Québec and Lévis decided to create certain regulations: in 1863, an exclusive contract was awarded, by auction, to a single company.

Since 1972, the Société des traversiers du Québec has been operating Québec–Lévis ferry services.

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2.5 Royal Battery

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 07:55:00 GMT

In 1690, the English of New England led an attack to conquer New France. Admiral William Phips came to Québec and demanded that the city surrender. Governor Frontenac gave his now-famous response: “My only reply will come from the mouths of my cannons!" Phips lifted the siege, but Frontenac was convinced the British would return to attack again. To improve the city’s defences, he had a new battery built in a semicircle to enable the soldiers and their cannons to follow the movements of the ships as they made their way down the river.

The Royal Battery, named in honour of King Louis XIV (who financed it), was not used in defence of an attack until 1759, the year of the Conquest.

In 1763, since it no longer served any military purpose, the battery was transformed into a pier. During the 19th century, the battery gradually disappeared under layers of construction and fill. It was later unearthed during archaeological digs, and was restored in 1977.

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2.6 Cannons

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 07:50:00 GMT

The Royal Battery is made up of embrasures, or openings, that house cannons of various calibres: 24, 18 or 6 pounds (11 kg, 8 kg or 2.75 kg). Each calibre corresponds to the weight of cannonball the cannon can fire. The heaviest cannonballs have enough impact to sink a ship. The lightest ones can be loaded quickly, which is essential for close-range fire.

The cannons on the Royal Battery today are reproductions. They were a gift from France, which still has the moulds that were used to make the originals.

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2.7 Guillemin House

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 07:45:00 GMT

On October 9, 1683, the Jesuits had a stone warehouse built at the end of Rue Sous-le-Fort. In 1713, a merchant named Charles Guillemin acquired and modified the building, enlarging it and adding a separate three-storey structure. This would be his store, which served as a sign of Guillemin’s wealth: most merchants and tradesmen set up shop on the ground floor of their own homes.

On the two buildings' roofs, one being the mansard roof of the house, dormer windows were equipped with a hook to hoist goods up. At the far end, Guillemin added a space for storing salt, which, at the time, was essential for preserving food.

The wealthy merchant's house had more rooms than other houses of the period. It included a kitchen, a dining room, a number of bedrooms and several water closets.

Unfortunately, by the end of his career, Guillemin was financially ruined. The devaluation of the card money used in the colony at the time, as well as the sinking of several of his merchant ships, contributed to his downfall.

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3.1 Rue du Cul-de-Sac

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 07:40:00 GMT

While today the tiny Rue du Cul-de-Sac simply connects Rue Notre-Dame to Boulevard Champlain, it used to run alongside the first port of New France. This little street was the Port du Cul-de-Sac.

Between the St. Lawrence River and this street was the Chevalier House, built at the heart of the city’s trade district and at the crossroads of incoming and outgoing goods. For a long time, the place was such a hive of activity that the Leduc House, at the corner of Rue Notre-Dame and Rue du Cul-de-Sac, had a wall rounded in a cul-de-poule or “hen’s bottom” shape to make it easier for carts to turn the corner.

If you look up from here, you can see part of the fortifications of Québec nestled on the cliff.

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3.2 Anse du Cul-de-Sac

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 07:35:00 GMT

For a long time, the banks of the St. Lawrence River at high tide stretched right to the foot of the Chevalier House, creating a natural haven where small boats could moor. Known as the Cul-de-Sac, it was the colony’s first port. In 1748, it was home to the King’s shipyard, where two high-tonnage ships—among others—were successfully launched.

In 1854, the city filled in the area for the Champlain Market.

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3.3 Chevalier House

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 07:35:00 GMT

The Chevalier House was built in 1752 on the banks of the Cul-de-Sac. The property of ship owner Jean-Baptiste Chevalier, it stood at the heart of the action. At the time, the entrance you see here was at the back of the house, which made it easy to unload goods and store them in the vaulted cellars.

In 1806, the Chevalier House became the famous London Coffee House, and remained so until the early 20th century. It was acquired by the government of Québec in 1956; restoration began the following year.

The Chevalier House and its two adjoining houses now belong to the Musée de la civilisation and are used as venues for themed exhibits.

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3.4 Fortifications

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 07:30:00 GMT

Samuel de Champlain equipped his habitation with a defence system when the Québec post was first established. In the same spirit, in 1620, walls were built to mark out the first Fort Saint-Louis, higher up on the cliff. From 1690 to 1745, various military structures were built to form the first line of defence, enclosing the upper part of Québec. The structures incorporated the Saint-Louis and the Saint-Jean gates, among others.

After the Conquest, these fortifications were the scene of the city’s final siege, in 1775. That year, revolutionary American troops led by Colonel Arnold and General Montgomery stormed Québec. The American soldiers were defeated; they retreated in June 1776. In the wake of these events, the British army began constructing a series of defensive structures, including wooden and earthen ramparts, redone in stone from 1786 to 1812. The final element in the defence plan, the citadel, was built between 1819 and 1832.

Québec is the only North American city to still have the majority of its original defence system. It was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

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3.5 Cul-de-poule Wall

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 07:25:00 GMT

The Leduc House stands at the corner of Rue du Cul-de-Sac and Rue Notre-Dame. When the house was built, the intersection was an extremely busy one. To avoid the outside edge of the wall being damaged by the cart wheels that were constantly hitting it, the authorities decided to round out the corner in a cul-de-poule, or “hen’s bottom,” as it was called.

The technique is simple: build the stone wall in a quarter-circle up to a height of approximately 2 metres. Then, to make the transition between the rounded shape and the right angle, lay the stones like an inverted staircase.

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4.1 Parc de la Cetière

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 07:20:00 GMT

The first houses in this area were built of wood between 1650 and 1670. During the great fire of 1682, they burned to the ground. New houses were built two years later—this time of stone. They were destroyed in the bombings of 1759. New houses, rebuilt on the same foundations, burned down again in 1948. Where five houses once stood, you can make out the foundations of two houses: those of Guillaume Gaillard and Jean Soulard.

The Fresque des Québécois (Québécois fresco) is found near these ruins, offering a surreal backdrop that lies between the real and the imaginary. Opposite the fresco, the Côte de la Montagne follows part of its original line to the Upper Town, while to the north a cross marks the site of the colony’s first cemetery.

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4.2 Fresque des Québécois (Québecois Fresco)

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 07:15:00 GMT

This fresco was created in 1998 by a team of nine artists from Lyon and three from Québec. The striking trompe l'œil took the 12 artists nine weeks to complete.

The work springs from the imagination, rather than from an existing panorama, with the four seasons illustrated in order from top to bottom. The artists drew inspiration from several geographic, urban and architectural features of the area. Details such as the Cap aux Diamants, the Upper Town, the hill and stairs, the fortifications, the roofs, the windows and the texture of the materials give the fresco its authenticity.

Dotted throughout the fresco, 16 major figures bring the history of Québec to life.

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4.3 Côte de la Montagne

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 07:10:00 GMT

In April 1623, Samuel de Champlain had a road built to make it easier for traffic to move between his habitation on Place-Royale and Fort Saint-Louis, which he had built on the headland. The road’s original route coincides with the upper part of the current Côte de la Montagne.

The founder of Québec named the road Côte de la Basse-Ville. During the 19th century, the road became known as Côte de la Montagne, no doubt because of its geographic location.

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4.4 Québec’s First Cemetery

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 07:05:00 GMT

The site of Québec’s first cemetery is in an adjacent lot north of the Côte de la Montagne, halfway to the top. The cemetery was used from 1608 until 1670. Some 300 people are buried there. They were either originally from France or were Aboriginal people who converted to Christianity.

Today, a single wooden cross marks the cemetery’s location. There was a time when several small crosses indicated gravesites, as is shown on an insert illustrating the city of Québec, which is part of a map by Jean-Baptiste Franquelin, cartographer of New France.

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4.5 Remains of the Gaillard House

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Parc de la Cetière was named after Florent de la Cetière, who was born in 1668 and died in 1728, at the age of 60. Over the years, he had a number of different professions, including notary, clerk of the court, judge, upholsterer and tavern-keeper. His property was located at the tip of the park, near the Côte de la Montagne. Not far from there, the foundations of two houses were unearthed: those of Jean Soulard and Guillaume Gaillard. Gaillard was a member of the Sovereign Council, a businessman and seigneur.

During the excavations in this area, 13 spigots were discovered. A spigot is a small tap used to draw liquid from a cask. These clues prompt us to ask: did one of these two houses serve as a shop? A notarial deed confirms our assumptions: while he was alive, Jean Soulard rented his house to a merchant.

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4.6 Limestone and Sandstone

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 06:55:00 GMT

Massive and solid Beauport limestone was used to build the houses of New France. Grey sandstone from L’Ange-Gardien, Château-Richer and Beaumont was also used.

For door and window surrounds, as well as for plinth lines and wall ties, builders preferred stone from Pointe-aux-Trembles, a municipality now known as Neuville. Its coarse-grained limestone was easier to cut than the Beauport stone.

Stone from the cliff was not used for construction, as it crumbled on contact with air and water.

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5.1 Transitional Neighbourhood

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 06:50:00 GMT

Take a walk down Rue Saint-Pierre and journey back in time as you relive the major changes that the neighbourhood underwent. Its architecture provides the commentary.

On the south side, the style is French and bears witness to the period of New France. The north side has an English influence. Crossing the street is like travelling from one country to another. What’s more, the buildings and their signs speak volumes about the neighbourhood's transformation, which took place in the late 19th century. Major financial institutions moved into the area, breathing economic vitality into this sector of the city. The Banque de Québec building is an eloquent reminder.

From south to north, you can also move from one era to another. The different materials used to build houses, the street paving, the road markings on Rue Saint-Antoine, the Estèbe House, the Musée de la civilisation and the Rue de la Barricade all provide numerous opportunities to discover traces of the past . . .

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5.2 Rue Saint-Pierre, South Side

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 06:45:00 GMT

The architecture on the south side of Rue Saint-Pierre bears the mark of French craftsmen. Many of the houses are made of limestone from Beauport or Neuville.

The day after the British Conquest, Place-Royale was in ruins. But the neighbourhood managed to rise from the ashes and it was rebuilt in the same style in the following years. The same craftsmen remained, and they continued to use their own methods. Despite the change in rulers, the site retained a French atmosphere for many years.

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5.3 Sewage Drainage

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 06:40:00 GMT

Before the 19th century, none of the neighbourhood streets or the market square were paved, despite recommendations from the authorities. In 1673, residents were told they must pave the section of street in front of their houses. They were to leave a gutter in the centre, to serve as an open sewer. The order also declared that all new buildings had to be equipped with latrines. But despite these edicts, and later ones, the streets still weren’t paved. What's worse, the habit of tossing everything into the street persisted: waste water, chamber pot contents and table scraps were often found out on the street in front of the houses.

In 1800, stone paving was laid for the first time in the market square and on a few other streets, including Rue Notre-Dame and Rue Saint-Pierre, as well as the Côte de la Montagne. A channel was created down the centre of the paving to allow water to drain.

A covered sewage system was not extended to the entire city of Québec until the second half of the 19th century.

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5.4 Rue Saint-Pierre, North Side

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 06:35:00 GMT

At the turn of the 20th century, eight banks, around twenty insurance companies and around a dozen stockbrokers, as well as numerous law firms and notary offices, lined Rue Saint-Pierre, on the north side of Rue du Porche. These establishments attested to the district’s new financial importance and even their architecture signalled the change in regime. The buildings clearly showed an English influence: they were much taller than the buildings the French had constructed and were made of freestone or brick.

In the early 20th century, Rue Saint-Pierre was dubbed "the Wall Street of Canada."

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5.5 Expansion of Riverbanks

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 06:30:00 GMT

By the late 17th century, to make up for the lack of space on Place-Royale and to encourage trade along the waterways, the riverbanks were filled in with building scraps, manure and other materials. This explains why today, darker paving stones on Rue Saint-Antoine indicate, in stages, the location of the riverbanks during three different time periods.

In 1608, when Samuel de Champlain and his men reached Québec, the riverbanks were very close to the cliff.

By 1700, more land was needed for housing. The authorities ordered residents to fill in the tidelands.

Around 1800, the merchants, most of whom were anglophone, built a number of wharves, transforming the entire riverfront. Later on, developments mainly involved filling in the spaces between these wharves and thus further increasing the surface area.

From the 17th century to today, these filled-in banks quadrupled the surface area of Québec’s Lower Town.

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5.6 Musée de la civilisation

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 06:25:00 GMT

The Musée de la civilisation, which opened in 1988, offers visitors a bold new way to experience a museum. It places people—rather than objects—at the centre of its exhibits, activities, research and reflection.

The Musée de la civilisation's architectural concept, entrusted to Moshe Safdie, is at once undeniably contemporary and yet solidly rooted in history. It thus incorporates old buildings such as the Estèbe House and the Banque de Québec. A number of other features reveal the museum’s concern for creating historical continuity that is transposed into an urban setting. For example, the copper roof with its large triangular skylights recalls the traditional roofs of the Upper Town; the facing with limestone from Saint-Marc-des-Carrières and campanile profile are reminiscent of the many bell towers of Québec. These elements link the modern museum to the past, to memory and to the city’s built heritage.

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5.7 Estèbe House

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 06:20:00 GMT

Built in 1751, the Estèbe House is a prime example of an urban residence of the early 18th century. With a façade that spans 20 by 15 metres, and 21 rooms heated by eight fireplaces, this stately home is a masterpiece of Québec’s architectural heritage.

Its owner, Guillaume Estèbe, arrived in New France before 1739. He held a number of different positions, including member of the Superior Council, director and administrator of the Saint-Maurice ironworks, King’s storekeeper in Québec, entrepreneur specializing in seal fisheries of the Labrador coast, merchant-trader and seigneur of Lagauchetière, a seigneurie on the Island of Montréal. He returned to France in 1759.

The Estèbe House is now part of the Musée de la civilisation complex. You can visit its vaults, which are home to the museum’s gift shop.

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5.8 Banque de Québec

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 06:15:00 GMT

The Banque de Québec, or Québec Bank, as it was called at the time, was founded in 1818 by the anglophone merchant elite of the city of Québec. It is Canada’s second-oldest chartered bank.

In 1863, the institution moved into the building on the corner of Rue Saint-Pierre and Rue de la Barricade. According to architect Edward Staveley’s plans, the building, which was built the year before, was faced entirely with Saint-Marc-des-Carrières limestone.

In 1917, the Banque de Québec was absorbed by the Royal Bank of Canada. It moved from the premises ten years later. Today, the building blends harmoniously into the Musée de la civilisation complex.

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5.9 Rue de la Barricade

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 06:10:00 GMT

In June 1774, the local authorities of the Thirteen Colonies—which would later form the United States of America—made plans to take the province of Québec by force. A year-and-a-half later, in December 1775, Colonel Benedict Arnold and General Richard Montgomery laid siege to the city of Québec.

At dawn on December 31 of that year, Montgomery ordered his men to take the city by armed force. While his occupying troops made a show of settling in on the Plains of Abraham, Arnold and Montgomery planned an attack against the Lower Town, with the aim of reaching the Upper Town on the same day. Montgomery came from the west of Place-Royale and headed towards the Côte de la Montagne. Before he even reached the Petit-Champlain district, he and his troops were ambushed by British soldiers and Canadian militiamen. To the east, Arnold and his men were heading down Rue du Sault-au-Matelot. They too met with defeat. They were trapped by a barricade, which was guarded by both regular soldiers and Canadian militiamen under Governor Guy Carleton’s command.

The barricade’s location, once called Rue Saint-Jacques, now bears the name Rue de la Barricade in memory of this 1775 event.

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0.1 For MP3 and MP4 users

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 06:00:00 GMT