On Saint Croix Island in 1604, French nobleman-courtier Pierre Dugua Sieur de Monts established a settlement, the first attempt by the French at year-round colonization in the territory they called La Cadie or l’Acadie. The French experience on Saint Croix Island taught them much about adapting to the environment and interacting with the Aboriginal peoples. These insights formed the foundation for an enduring French presence in northeastern North America.