The La Vérendryes: Family of Explorers

Early Life

Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, Sieur de La Vérendrye, was born in Trois-Rivières, Quebec. He was the youngest of thirteen children. He joined the army in 1696 and served in New France and France until 1710. He left after he was wounded and captured at the Battle of Malplaquet.

Canadian militiaman on snowshoes Copyright/Source		A French soldier. La Vérendrye may have dressed the same way Copyright/Source

When he returned to New France, he married Marie-Anne Du Sablé and they had six children. La Vérendrye was a farmer until his brother took command of the French fur trade's poste du Nord. He joined him as second-in-command.

	Pierre de La Vérendrye was the first fur-trading explorer to be born in Canada. He was the son of the governor of Trois-Rivières. He was a soldier and farmer before he was put in charge of a fur-trading post near Lake Superior.