Fort Saint-Jean

Fort Saint-Jean is a military fortification on the Richelieu River featuring two stone bastions and archaeological traces of early ramparts and foundations. The site displays remains of earthwork and wooden palisade construction from its earliest period.

French soldiers of the Carignan-Salières Regiment built the original wooden structure in 1666 as a colonial defense post. The fort was reconstructed and reinforced multiple times through the 1700s to strengthen its defensive capabilities.

The site served as a military fortress for generations before becoming the Royal Military College Saint-Jean in 1952, marking a shift from defense to education. This transformation made it one of Canada's earliest bilingual military training centers and shaped how locals view the location today.

The location sits roughly 40 kilometers southeast of Montreal and is accessible by car from the city. Visitors can walk the grounds freely to view the outdoor structures and indoor exhibits displaying military objects and historical information.

American forces under General Richard Montgomery besieged the location for 45 days in 1775 during the Revolutionary War. This event represents one of the lesser-known turning points in the conflict in North America.