Anse-au-Foulon facts for kids
Anse au Foulon is a small, quiet bay, or cove, in Quebec, Canada. It's a special place with a lot of history. This cove is now part of Quebec City. Before 2002, it was in a separate town called Sillery.
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Why is Anse au Foulon Important?
Anse au Foulon is also known as Wolfe's Cove. Many English-speaking people in Sillery used this name. The name comes from a very important event that happened there in 1759.
The Battle of the Plains of Abraham
On the night of September 12, 1759, and into the early morning of September 13, a big event took place. British soldiers, led by General James Wolfe, landed at Anse au Foulon. They climbed the steep cliffs from the cove.
After climbing, they marched to the Plains of Abraham. There, they fought the French forces. The French army was led by the Marquis de Montcalm. The British won this important battle.
What Happened After the Battle?
The British victory led to them taking over Quebec City. Later, in 1763, the Treaty of Paris (1763) was signed. This treaty officially ended the Seven Years' War. Great Britain won the war against France and Spain.
As a result, France gave up most of its land in New France to Great Britain. This land was east of the Mississippi River. This battle and treaty changed the history of Canada forever.
Where Did the Name "Foulon" Come From?
The name "Anse au Foulon" has an interesting story. It comes from a fulling mill (called foulon in French). A fulling mill is a place where wool was cleaned and thickened.
The Séminaire de Québec built this mill in 1710. It was at the bottom of the cliff, right by the cove. Workers at the mill used a path to get there. This path became known as Foulon path (chemin du Foulon).
Even though the mill closed in 1734, the name "Foulon" stuck around. In 1924, the town of Sillery officially named the path "chemin du Foulon." It was also sometimes called Cove Road.
Official Name Changes
Over the years, the official name of the cove changed.
- On December 5, 1968, the Commission de toponymie du Québec (Quebec's place name commission) officially recognized "Wolfe's Cove" as the name.
- However, on August 17, 1978, they changed their decision. They then recognized "Anse au Foulon" as the official name.
