The team of archaeologists from Parks Canada discovered and searched Samuel de Champlain’s dwelling in summer 2007. It is located about six meters under the Dufferin terrace on the edge of the current Château Frontenac.
The discovery of what can be considered Champlain’s last house is of the most important. The researchers now own information about the building where the founder of the first city in New France passed away, in 1635.
The Dufferin terrace is no more and no less than an expansion of the original terrace that the founder of Québec ordered to build. All the governors who succeeded Samuel de Champlain kept this terrace in place on the edge of the former Saint-Louis castle, facing the river. It is considered one of the main legacies of Champlain.
The major part of the archaeological site was backfilled with sand after the excavation. This processed is used by the archaeologists in order to preserve some huge remains in the ground, like the foundations of a historic building.