When navigator Jacques Cartier charted the St. Lawrence River in 1534, he visited an Iroquoian village called Stadacona near present-day Quebec City. A European settlement in the area was founded in 1608 by explorer Samuel de Champlain, making Quebec City one of the oldest cities in North America. The capital of Quebec maintains its historic ramparts and the district of Old Quebec in the city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Quebec City is known as a thriving centre of Québécois culture, hosting its world-famous Carnaval every winter and a popular music festival every summer.
