Pierre François Xavier de Charlevoix

views updated

Pierre François Xavier de Charlevoix

1682-1761

French Jesuit historian and explorer best known for his travels and explorations in the American West. Charlevoix traveled from Quebec along the St. Lawrence River into central North America, then down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. From there, in spite of a shipwreck, he returned to France and published what was to become one of the first accounts of the American interior, and the best full description of that region until that time.

About this article

Pierre François Xavier de Charlevoix

Updated About encyclopedia.com content Print Article