In 1706, the Conseil supérieur (Grand Council) of New France decreed that a road be built to connect the houses along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, between Quebec City and Montreal. Work began in 1731, under the supervision of Grand Voyer (senior road surveyor) Eustache Lanouiller de Boisclerc, and was completed in 1737. Upon completion, the Chemin du Roy was wide, over long, and crossed 37 seignories. The Chemin du Roy was the longest road in existence at the time in North America north of Mexico.
