Jacques-Cartier Manor

Jacques-Cartier Manor House is the only existing property which belonged to Cartier, the forerunner of the French presence in North America. After opening this vast continent to France by navigating the Saint Lawrence River as far as Montreal, Cartier chose to settle in this house located between Saint-Malo and Cancale in France.

In 1974, David Macdonald Stewart, an avid collector fascinated with Canada's early history, learned that the owner of the Manor House, a farmer, was about to undertake major work on the interior and exterior of the building. The house was in very poor condition, the successive owners having neglected its upkeep. The work would permanently alter its  integrity. Wanting, at all costs, to prevent irreparable damage to the house, he proposed an exchange that suited the owner who agreed to sell the property and move to another 18th century Malouinière.

After the exchange, Mr Stewart established the Society of the Friends of Jacques Cartier, a Canadian non profit organization whose mission was to acquire and restore the house to be a museum. To achieve this goal, the Society called upon major Canadian industrial and commercial companies, various cultural and educational institutions, the Federal Government, as well as that of several provinces to join in financing this project. 

As soon as the deed of acquisition was signed on March 25, 1978, the restoration work was entrusted to the chief architect of Monuments historiques de France, Ille-et-Vilaine.  The work continued for more than six years and was carried out based on early documents of the building.   
                
The Jacques Cartier Manor House Museum was officially opened on May 19, 1984, as a museum and interpretation centre dedicated to the travels of Jacques Cartier and the great explorers who shaped the face of French America. The opening was one of the key events associated with the 450th anniversary celebrations of Jacques Cartier's voyages to Canada. The museum was an immediate success with visitors. Its school program, in large part inspired by Canadian museum programs, welcomed hundreds of school children every year. The Manor also held numerous events and became an active site for the St-Malo community.
 
The Manor House was donated to the City of Saint-Malo in 2012 to ensure its permanent presence as a binational heritage monument in memory of this great explorer. Since then, the municipality has administered and funded all activities associated with the life of the museum, including impressive improvements to access and parking for visitors. The Macdonald Stewart Foundation is proud to have been the initiator and benefactor of this Canadian presence in France.
Sir and Madam Macdonald-Stewart are Honorary Citiziens of the Town of Saint-Malo

The Macdonald Stewart Foundation is a Canadian non-profit organization established in 1973 by Montreal philanthropists David and Liliane Stewart. It pursues the endeavours initiated over a century ago by Sir William C. Macdonald, the great businessman and philanthropist. The foundation is attentive to the various needs of the community, working independently or in cooperation with public and private organizations in the areas of education, medicine, culture and Canadian heritage where it has provided major financial assistance to many projects.

Macdonald Stewart Foundation
1195 Sherbrooke St. West., Montreal, Quebec, Canada. H3A 1H9
La Fondation Macdonald Stewart est un organisme canadien à but non lucratif créé en 1973 par les mécènes David et Liliane Stewart. Elle poursuit une œuvre philanthropique qui a débuté il y a plus d’un siècle avec Sir William C. Macdonald, hommes d’affaires éminent et philanthrope. La Fondation se veut attentive aux besoins divers de la communauté auxquels elle essaie de répondre seule ou en collaboration avec des organismes publics ou de bienfaisance dans le domaine de l’éducation, de la médecine, de la culture et du patrimoine canadien où elle a contribué de façon substantielle à la réalisation de nombreux projets.                
Fondation Macdonald Stewart
1195, rue Sherbrooke Ouest., Montréal, Quebec, Canada. H3A 1H9