In May 2009 a delegation known as the Champlain Quadricentennial group traveled to France, in a voyage titled “In Search of Samuel de Champlain’s France.” The trip was intended to kick off the celebration of the Quadricentennial of Samuel de Champlain’s 1609 trip to the lake that bears his name. It was sponsored by Burlington City Arts and was led by Dana vanderHeyden.
In Paris, the group visited the the Rue de Saintonge, where Champlain is thought to have resided in his final years. The Rue de Saintonge is located in the Third Arrondissement, where the group received a reception at the Hôtel de Ville. The visitors had carried with them a marble plaque made in Vermont to commemorate Champlain.They presented it to Third Arrondissement mayor Pierre Aidenbaum as a gift from the City of Burlington. Senator Patrick Leahy and Marcelle Leahy attended and offered greetings on behalf of the state of Vermont.
The text of the plaque reads: “Dans cette rue habita Samuel de Champlain, père de la nouvelle France et explorateur du grand lac des états du Vermont ad de New York. Don de la ville de Burlington, Vermont a l’occasion do quadricentenaire (1609-2009)”
This brief video clip shows Doreen Kraft, Burlington City Arts director, and Dana vanderHeyden presenting the a plaque to the mayor. Journalist Fran Stoddard shot the video for Seven Days. Stoddard.
Information from notes by Dana vanderHeyden.