manoir de Courboyer in Noce © le journal de Dame Marie (pictures and old postal cards of the Perche)

The County of Perche was created in 1115 when the County of Mortagne was combined with the seigneuries of Nogent-le-Rotrou and Belleme. Before the French Revolution, it was part of the Province of Normandy. In 1792, when the 34 provinces of France were changed to 96 departements, the Perche was included mostly within the Departments of Orne and Eure-et-Loir but small parts of the Perche lie within the current departements of Sarthe, Eure and Loir-et-Cher. In 1998, the Parc Naturel Régional du Perche (Natural Park of Perche) was created.

The Perche is a pastoral area consisting mainly of gently rolling farmland but, unlike much of France, it is blessed with some beautiful forests. It also benefits from a number of rivers and streams. The main cities are Nogent-le-Rotrou, Mortagne-au-Perche and Bellême.

Percheron horse © le journal de Dame Marie (pictures and old postal cards of the Perche)

1621 : Robert Giffard, an apothecary in Tourouvre, native of Autheuil, perhaps a friend and classmate of Hébert , leaves for Canada and settles around Quebec.

1625 : First Jesuit missionaries arrive in Canada.

1627 : Robert Giffard returns to France, convinced that the new colonists must settle on the banks of the Saint Lawrence River. The Company of the One Hundred-Associates is founded this same year. Noël Juchereau, a native of Tourouvre and a friend of Robert Giffard is one of the members of this company.

1628 : In February, Robert Giffard marries Marie Renouard in Mortagne. As of spring, he goes again to New-France in order to prepare future establishments. The ship on which he boards is intercepted by pirates who are in the English's pay. Robert Giffard must return to France. In Tourouvre and Mortagne, he makes profitable this period to evoke the immense country which extends beyond the Atlantic.

1629-1631 : Kirke brothers occupy Quebec for England.

March 20th 1632 : France recovers Canada with the treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Robert Giffard can finally carry out his dream.

1633 : Robert Giffard, with the help of the brothers Jean and Noël Juchereau, prepares his expedition.

1634 : In January, Robert Giffard gets the concession of the Seigneurie of Beauport by the Company of the One Hundred-Associates. He recruits his first colonists, receives the support of Pierre Le Bouyer de Saint-Gervais, civil general lieutenant and criminal of the Perche. During March: departure of Robert Giffard, his wife, his children and about thirty colonists for New-France. Among them Jean Guyon, master-mason, Zacharie Cloutier, master-carpenter and Robert Drouin, tile maker (native of Le Pin-la-Garenne). At the beginning of June, the ship reaches Quebec.

1635 : Samuel de Champlain dies in Quebec; the colony counts 132 colonists of which 35 come from the Perche. In Mortagne, departure of new colonists of which Gaspard Boucher, his wife and his children. Among them Pierre, born in Mortagne in 1622, 13 years old. The first organized colonization of New-France is started. With regard to the Perche, the main departures happen between 1634 and 1662. Some emigrants are mentioned at the end of the 17th century and in the 18th century.

1641 : Arrival in Quebec of Guillaume Pelletier (from Bresolettes). The population of the colony is 300.

1647 : Arrival in Quebec of 17 young people coming from Tourouvre and the surroundings.

1650-1653: Franco-Iroquois war

1653: Pierre Boucher defends Trois-Rivières against the Iroquois. Peace between the French and the Iroquois.

1662: Pierre Boucher returns to France and, in order to save the colony threatened by the Iroquois, requests the support of Louis XIV and Colbert. He returns to New-France bringing back many colonists.

1665 : Arrival in Quebec of the Regiment of Carignan-Salière.

1668 : Robert Giffard dies in Beauport. The colony has 3000 inhabitants.

source: Ministère des Affaires étrangères et du Commerce international du Canada