One of the Oldest Houses in Canada is a Historic Hidden Gem

Montreal is known as a city of neighborhoods, with each one having its own unique flair. And scattered throughout each neighborhood are spectacular hidden gems that most visitors miss, which is why it's so important to pay attention while you're wandering around. And we're here at Pointe Saint Charles. I'm going to show you this beautiful old house from the New France era. Yeah, I'm getting some strong old world vibes. I feel like I'm in like a small French village in the middle of nowhere, but we're actually like walking distance from downtown Montreal. If that says 16-something, without a doubt, this is one of the oldest buildings in Montreal, which would mean, I mean, it's one of the oldest buildings in present-day Canada. Of course, this building is much older than Canada, the country we know today. We're standing in front of one of the oldest houses in the city of Montreal. This building has belonged to the Congregation of Notre Dame since the 17th century and became a museum in 1966. Just looking at it from the outside is simply gorgeous. This is the Maison Saint-Gabriel, or the Saint-Gabriel House. The house was built in the 1660s by a rich man from Montreal. Bought in 1668 by Marguerite Bourgeois, founder of the Congregation of Notre Dame, this house served as a welcoming place for the kings and queens who came to Ville-Marie. Since 1662, used as a residence for the king's wards, first school in Pointe-Saint-Charles. In 1693, the old farmhouse burned down. However, the foundation and the creamery survived the fire and were incorporated into the reconstruction of the house, which was completed in 1698. So very well preserved. Look at that old bell up there, that church bell. We have a well here, an old-fashioned well. Over here we have a little garden, and over on this site we actually have a barn. The 17th century house and the 18th century barn hold a collection that helps recreate rural living in New France, using objects dating from the 17th century onward. There's a plaque. Basically, you go in and it has all kinds of artifacts from the New France era. We want to offer a sense of history, a sense of our roots, a sense of what Quebec and Canada were like, because it was here at Pointe-Saint-Charles that the first settlers arrived on our shores. It became a school for the so-called king's daughters, sent by Louis XIV between 1663 and 1673. The king had to incentivize and pay for about 800 young French women to go over, with hopes they'd get married and convince people to stay in New France. The French king decided to send these young women to New France to make sure there would be families in Quebec and to help increase the population. So Marguerite Bourgeois decided to take care of these girls herself in this house. I was chosen because I was strong, courageous, of good reputation, of comely appearance. There were whole boatloads of us. The living wasn't easy. The winters were endless. We must have been out of our minds to dare think we could raise children here, make them into a nation. These Filles du Roi are hugely important and they are the founding mothers of all French Canadians and their descendants all over the world. Les guides portent un costume comme ceux que pourraient porter les Filles du Roi, sinon on a aussi des costumes comme ceux qui étaient portés par les engagés qui travaillaient sur la ferme. On est présentement dans la salle commune, qui est une pièce centrale à la maison, derrière les portes juste ici. On peut voir également des traces de l'histoire de la maison. On voit ici un cadre de porte qui est brûlé, puisque il y a eu un incendie en 1693 qui a ravagé presque toute la maison. Il y a le foyer et la laiterie de l'autre côté qui a survécu, mais tout le reste a dû être reconstruit. Le cadre de porte brûlé ici, on peut encore sentir le feu, il y a encore une petite odeur qui s'en dégage. So if you appreciate old buildings and you appreciate history, this is definitely something I would suggest you check out. A place like this needs to be discovered more and more. It's a 350-year-old gem, and when you realize Marguerite Bourgeois walked on these floors, the king's daughters lived here. Maybe that's what people are looking for more and more, authentic spaces. Plan a day at the heart of history for your family by taking a detour through the 17th century at Maison Saint-Gabriel. If you live in Montreal or you visit Montreal, come check this out. It's right near Charlevoix metro station. Yeah, it's kind of a little hidden gem.