Corossol National Historic Site of Canada

Corossol was designated a national historic site of Canada in 1995 because:

• of its potential for contributing greatly to our knowledge of life in New France during the period.

The scientific value of the wreck of the Corossol is based on its rarity and its antiquity. Its remains are to this date the only ones in Canada that have been confirmed to date as being from the wreck of a 17th-century French vessel. It also serves as a significant contribution to the commemoration of Canada’s little-known national maritime heritage.

The historical value of Corossol derives from its potential as a source of information on the material culture of New France in the 17th century. Documentary evidence indicates that the French King’s vessel arrived in the colony in August 1693, and departed in October of the same year with fur pelts and passengers returning to France. A few days later it struck a shoal and sank, and its cargo was scattered along the coast. A salvage expedition in May 1694 was partly successful. Even though the old witness reports from survivors did not enable the wreck to be accurately located, the site was identified in 1990 from period documents, records of the salvage expedition, and from the discovery of such significant items as a 1691 French coin and various military artifacts attesting to the military role of the ship. Local place names also contributed to the identification of the wreck, as the remains were located between Île du Corossol and Île Manowin, previously known respectively as “Carroussel du Large” or “Petit Carroussel” and “Carroussel de terre” or “Grand Carroussel”.