Coureurs de bois

Coureurs de bois, meaning "runners of the woods," were French-Canadian fur traders and explorers in North America during the 17th and 18th centuries. They traveled deep into the wilderness, exchanging goods with Indigenous peoples, and often lived and worked outside formal company structures. Their activities helped expand European trade networks and map uncharted territories. Known for their skills in navigating the forests and waterways, coureurs de bois played a crucial role in the fur trade economy, blending European and Indigenous practices and cultures. Their legacy includes significant contributions to North American exploration and the development of early trading routes.