The Father of New France, Samuel de Champlain, made the first of two voyages into what is now Ontario in 1613. He travelled up the Ottawa River seeking the northern sea (Hudson Bay) which one of his five companions, Nicolas de Vignau, claimed to have seen. The expedition struck inland above Lac des Chats and followed a chain of small lakes towards present-day Cobden. Here, on June 7th, Champlain visited with the Algonkin chief Nibachis. Later the party met with the Algonkin elder Tessouat at Allumette Lake. Not wanting the French to travel into Nipissing territory, Tessouat convinced Champlain that Vignau had lied about having seen the northern sea. Champlain, his plans thwarted, returned downriver.

Location

In Municipal Park, Highway 17, Cobden

Themes

• Exploration
• First Nations
• Franco-Ontarian heritage
• Fur trade