No visitor to Cape Breton should miss seeing the Fortress of Louisbourg. This National Historic Site is the reconstruction of what was once France's largest colony-stronghold in North America, guarding the entrance to the Gulf of St Lawrence and thus to the rest of New France.
The area was first settled in 1713 by French soldiers expelled from their former base at "Plaisance" (Placentia) in Newfoundland, and it became an official French colony in 1720. An imposing fort was erected, Canada's first lighthouse and
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satellite shot
This photo shows the Louisbourg harbour region. The fort and...
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arrival by sea
This is what a weary passenger arriving in the morning by ship would have seen.
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the waterfront
Ships would dock here, and people would enter through the Porte...
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waterfront sentry box
This is where a sentry with a lone cannon would guard the waterfront.
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the Porte Frederic
Myrtle at the gate gives an idea of the size of this archway. The plaque in...
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right behind the waterfront
This is one of the community's two main streets.
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the hotel
It was a substantial building, located right at the intersection of...
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the tavern next to the hotel
Oh, there is a tavern in the town, in the town ...
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the King's Bakery
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at the bakery's entrance
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the communal well
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the well-stocked General Store
Drygoods came in bales, and perishable items were stored for safe-keeping in...
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the engineer's house
This most important of officials was civil engineer, town planner, and town...
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the Guard House
Located outside the main entrance to the fort, this is where the duty...
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Guard at the main entrance.
"Qui vive?!"
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a 'soldier'
You'd have to call her the "politically correct" version, since...
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firing a 1744 musket
A costumed soldier explained all about his weapon, then gave a demonstration...
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the harbour-side parapet
There was no shortage of cannons in the fort, to guard against attack by sea.
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cannon barrel swabs and ramrods
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a powder magazine
For obvious reasons these spaces below the cannons were the most...
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an officer's quarters
The officers certainly weren't spoiled back then.
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soldiers' bunk room
The ordinary soldiers had even fewer amenities than the officers. What's...
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livestock enclosure
pigs, hens, etc.
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a contemporary cemetery
This simple cemetery stands about a kilometer from the fort, near the earlier...
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North America
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