The site of one of the first European settlements in the New World is visible from this historic park, 8 miles southeast of Calais. In 1604, a company of settlers sailed from France to establish a French claim in North America. They built a settlement on a small island in Passamaquoddy Bay, between Maine and New Brunswick, Canada.
The settlers were ill-prepared for winter, and icy waters essentially trapped them on the island with limited food until spring. Many perished. The settlement was abandoned in 1605 and a new home was established in Port Royal, Nova Scotia.
A short trail at the park winds past bronze statues and historic displays, with views to the island where the settlement occurred. A visitor center is staffed from mid-May to mid-October.
