Champlain and the Foundation of Canada From the first voyage of Cartier onwards, Canada was called intermittently New France, and its possibilities were not lost sight of by a few intelligent Frenchmen on account of the fur trade.

Amongst these was Amyard de Chastes, at one time Governor of Dieppe, who got into correspondence with the adventurers who had settled as fur traders at Tadoussac, prominent amongst whom was Du Pont-Grave.

De Chastes dispatched with Pont-Grave a young man whose acquaintance he had just made, SAMUEL CHAMPLAIN.[1] This was the man who, more than any other, created French Canada.
[Footnote 1: Afterwards the Sieur de Champlain.

The title of _Sieur_ (from the Latin _Senior_) is the origin of the English "sir", and is about equivalent to an English baronetcy.] Champlain had had already a most adventurous life.

He was born about 1567, at Brouage, in the Saintonge, opposite to the Island of Heron, on the coast of western France.