On the site you can find an interpretation centre and a 6,8 hectares inner-city park characterised by an uneven landscape and divided into two sectors "East" and "West" separated by the Lairet river.

The site commemorates the second voyage of Jacques Cartier; more precisely in 1535-1536 when he and his shipmates wintered near the Iroquoian village of Stadacona (Quebec City).

Moreover, by the end of the 17th century up to the opening of the national historic site in 1972, it hosted numerous hand-crafted and industrial activities such as a tannery, a pottery, a brickyard, a shipyard, a sawmill, a junkyard and a snow-dumping lot.

Today, the site offers a museum exhibition, animations for elementary and high school groups, thematic events, and a natural habitat in an inner-city park.

On September 8, 1553, Cartier found a harbor which he thought most adequate which he named Sainte-Croix (holy cross) located at the confluence of Saint-Charles and Lairet rivers near Stadacona, the Iroquoian village.

Unprepared for the harshness of the Canadian winter, Cartier and his crew chose to inhabit in the ships' steerage rather than building shelters in which they would have been better isolated from the cold temperature.

The other ones were saved by annedda, an infusion of a Canadian conifer (either the white cedar or the balsam fir), for which the Iroquoians knew the recipe.

The group was composed of fathers Jean de Brébeuf, Énemond Massé and Charles Lalement and also coadjutor brothers François Chartoin and Gilbert Burel.

Here is a list of the important steps in the history of the site: 1835: Erection of a wooden cross commemorating the second voyage of Jacques Cartier in front the hôpital de la Marine on the south shore of the Saint-Charles river (no longer existing today) 1886: The Quebec City Catholic Circle acquires the grounds 1888: Erection of a new metal cross commemorating the second voyage of Jacques Cartier in 1535-1536 by the Quebec City Catholic Circle.

Justifications: new hypothesis on the location of Jacques Cartier wintering 1996: Unveiling of the second commemorative plaque for Donaconna in three languages: English, French and Huron 2001: The Grande-Hermine replica is removed under the supervision of archeologists and the Jesuit stand is installed 2003: Landslide over the Lairet River channel 2004: Archeological excavations: wood pieces dating from earlier than Jacques Cartier are discovered 2007: The long house is demolished in order to repair the Lairet River channelization and archeological excavations are performed 2008-2009: Major work is done to revitalize the site and bring the Lairet back to daylight 2010: Complete reopening of the site, celebrations commemorating the 475th anniversary of Jacques Cartier's second voyage and installation of new interpretation panels From the opening of the site in 1972 up to 2001, a replica of Grande Hermine was exposed on the site.

Two long houses were built on the location of the National Historic Site Cartier-Brébeuf to represent the type of building the Saint-Lawrence Iroquoian lived in.