It was the third stop on Chirac's whirlwind art tour of the Canadian north.
The visit officially got under way with a ceremony in Nunavut's legislature in Iqaluit.
The premier of Nunavut, Paul Okalik, welcomed Chirac in Inuktitut. It's the first time Okalik has addressed anyone in the brand new legislative chamber. In fact, construction came to a close here just two weeks ago.
Chirac is the first foreign head of state to visit Nunavut. He used the opportunity to honour John Amagoalik, the father of Nunavut.
Amagoalik helped negotiate the terms of the land-claim agreement as chair of the Nunavut Implementation Committee.
Chirac pinned a red ribbon and medal on Amagoalik's lapel, making him a Knight of the Legionne d'honneur.
For Amagoalik, it's an honour he'd prefer to share. "I feel very humbled actually. Because I'm not the only person who's done work towards Nunavut. I remember all the people that I've been working with over the past 25 years and at this moment, I remember all of them," he said.
Chirac says he has a special interest in Canada's Inuit culture. And he plans to take some of that culture home, in the form of art.
