The Founding of Quebec City

Quebec City 400th Parade (Photo: Alice Marie-Aimée Musabende/cbc)

Samuel de Champlain wasn't the first Frenchman to reach Québec, but he was the first to stick around. In 1535, explorer Jacques Cartier stopped at the site – it was then an aboriginal village called Stadacona – but settlement wasn't his goal. By 1608, when Champlain arrived, the trade in furs between aboriginals and the French was strong enough to support a permanent post....

Join us here over the coming weeks for our coverage of Quebec City's 400th anniversary.

400th Audio/Video Features

Visit our audio/video features section to watch and listen to our various Quebec 400th features.

CBC Radio and CBC Television celebrate Quebec's 400th Birthday

On July 3, 1608, Samuel de Champlain established the first permanent French colony in North America on the shores of the St. Lawrence River. Four hundred years later to the day, Quebeckers and visitors from around the world gathered in front of his statue to mark the historic event.

CBC Radio's Mike Finnerty and Susan Campbell were on hand to cover the festivities, and Michel Godbout and the CBC News at Six team prepared a special live edition of the newscast. Visit our audio/video features section to tune into both specials.

My Quebec City

The legislature tower in Quebec City. (Photo: CP/Jacques Boissinot)

Our 400th anniversary series, My Quebec City, introduces us to places in the city that have a special meaning for a dozen celebrated residents - past and present - songwriters and novelists, a hockey player and an Olympic athlete, a federal politician and an astronaut, business leaders and the chef at the iconic Chateau Frontenac.

Visit our audio/video features section to listen to the series.

Remarkable city, remarkable people

Stefan Tremblay, front, and Danny Deshenes prepare for a re-enactment at the plains of Abraham. (Photo: CP/Ryan Remiorz)

Four hundred years of Quebec City history have produced some remarkable personal stories. We dug into the history books to discover some of the lesser-known figures who have made a special contribution to the life and progress of the city, the province and the nation. Naturally, a list of such intriguing people is virtually endless, so in this series of audio documentaries, we have tried to focus on those who represent a wide variety of endeavours.
Visit our audio/video features section to listen to the series.