Grande Hermine was the name of the carrack that brought Jacques Cartier to Saint-Pierre on 15 June 1535, and upon which he discovered the estuary of the St. Lawrence River and the St. Lawrence Iroquoian settlement of Stadacona (near current-day Quebec City). It is believed to be represented in the local flag of Saint Pierre and Miquelon (the yellow ship). It is also featured on the Amory Adventure Award of Canadian Scouting.
A life-size replica of the vessel was featured at Expo 67 in Montreal (1967) where it served as a floating restaurant. Following the Expo the replica was moved to Quebec City and put on static display in an artificial pond located in a city park, where it remained for at least three decades; poorly maintained. It was broken up completely in the same park where it sat for years.
The replica was later purchased by a businessman with the intention of moving it to Ontario and re-opening the restaurant. Unfortunately, he didn't have the funds to realise his dream, and the ship sat in Jordan Harbour, near St. Catharines for years, unused. In 2003, the ship was destroyed by what police called a suspicious fire, most likely the work of arsonists. The burned-out hull still sits in the harbour, located between the 55 and 57 Kilometer markers on the Queen Elizabeth Way.
pictures of the Quebec City ship being broken up:
two articles (in French) about the Expo 67 Grande Hermine replica: 1 2
