Montreal, 1535-1914. Vol. 1. Under the French Régime, 1535-1760

The narrative traces early European exploration of the island and river, recounting initial encounters with Indigenous settlements, the naming and surveying of local landmarks, and the voyages of early navigators. It then follows the evolution of colonial efforts under successive trading companies and royal commissions, describing cartographic work, attempts at settlement, missionary activity, and the establishment of permanent posts. The account examines economic monopolies, shifting alliances with Indigenous nations that produced cycles of conflict and cooperation, and supplies geological, topographical, and documentary studies that illuminate formative episodes in the region's early colonial era.