<P> The French first came to the New World as explorers, seeking a route to the Pacific Ocean and wealth . Major French exploration of North America began under the rule of Francis I, King of France . In 1524, Francis sent Italian - born Giovanni da Verrazzano to explore the region between Florida and Newfoundland for a route to the Pacific Ocean . Verrazzano gave the names Francesca and Nova Gallia to that land between New Spain and English Newfoundland, thus promoting French interests . </P> <P> In 1534, Francis I of France sent Jacques Cartier on the first of three voyages to explore the coast of Newfoundland and the St. Lawrence River . He founded New France by planting a cross on the shore of the Gaspé Peninsula . The French subsequently tried to establish several colonies throughout North America that failed, due to weather, disease, or conflict with other European powers . Cartier attempted to create the first permanent European settlement in North America at Cap - Rouge (Quebec City) in 1541 with 400 settlers but the settlement was abandoned the next year after bad weather and attacks from Native Americans in the area . A small group of French troops were left on Parris Island, South Carolina in 1562 to build Charlesfort, but left after a year when they were not resupplied by France . Fort Caroline established in present - day Jacksonville, Florida, in 1564, lasted only a year before being destroyed by the Spanish from St. Augustine . An attempt to settle convicts on Sable Island off Nova Scotia in 1598 failed after a short time . In 1599, a sixteen - person trading post was established in Tadoussac (in present - day Quebec), of which only five men survived the first winter . In 1604 Pierre Du Gua de Monts and Samuel de Champlain founded a short - lived French colony, the first in Acadia, on Saint Croix Island, presently part of the state of Maine, which was much plagued by illness, perhaps scurvy . The following year the settlement was moved to Port Royal, located in present - day Nova Scotia . </P> <P> Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec (1608) and explored the Great Lakes . In 1634, Jean Nicolet founded La Baye des Puants (present - day Green Bay), which is one of the oldest permanent European settlements in America . In 1634, Sieur de Laviolette founded Trois - Rivières . In 1642, Paul de Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve, founded Fort Ville - Marie which is now known as Montreal . Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette founded Sault Sainte Marie (1668) and Saint Ignace (1671) and explored the Mississippi River . At the end of the 17th century, René - Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle established a network of forts going from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence River . Fort Saint Louis was established in Texas in 1685, but was gone by 1688 . Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founded Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit (modern - day Detroit) in 1701 and Jean - Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville founded La Nouvelle Orléans (New Orleans) in 1718 . Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville founded Baton Rouge in 1719 . </P> <P> The French were eager to explore North America but New France remained largely unpopulated . Due to the lack of women, intermarriages between French and Indians were frequent, giving rise to the Métis people . Relations between the French and Indians were usually peaceful . As the 19th - century historian Francis Parkman stated: </P>

Early french colonization in north america was characterized by