Fort La Reine

Fort La Reine is located on the north bank of the Assiniboine River and was a French trading post built in the 1700s. The site sits at a strategic location that linked distant trading regions across the interior of North America.

The fort was established in 1738 by Pierre Gaultier de Varennes to control trade routes in western Canada. It became a base for exploring and mapping the interior regions of North America.

The fort served as a meeting place where French traders and Indigenous peoples exchanged goods and built relationships that shaped commerce in the region. These interactions created trading networks that extended across much of western Canada.

The original buildings no longer stand, but a commemorative cairn and plaque mark the exact location of the former fort. The site sits right along the river and is accessible from the town nearby.

The site was the starting point for a 1743 expedition that traveled south along the rivers and reached the Yellowstone River region. This journey was one of the earliest European ventures deep into the interior plains of North America.

Location: Portage la Prairie

Inception: 1738

Website: http://fortlareinemuseum.ca

GPS coordinates: 49.95120,-98.32760

Latest update: December 12, 2025 09:06