An archaeological view of the French colonial port of Québec

SUMMARY: In this paper the remains of the first harbour front discovered on the Îlot Hunt in Québec are discussed in relation to evidence found on other sites in the city’s Lower Town. These remains throw light on the nature of the French colonial port, testifying to the initiatives of its merchants and the actions of its colonial authorities. Structures built during the British regime by merchants belonging to the Lymburner family provide an example of the kind of innovative facilities that inaugurated the disappearance (c. 1775–80) of the harbour front developed during the French colonial era.