In 1534, two years after the Duchy of Brittany was formally united with France in

the Edict of Union, Cartier was introduced to King Francis I by Jean Le Veneur,
bishop of Saint-Malo and abbot of Mont Saint-Michel, at the Manoir de Brion. The
King had previously invited (although not formally commissioned) the Florentine
explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano to explore the eastern coast of North America on
behalf of France in 1524.[11] Le Veneur cited voyages to Newfoundland and Brazil as
proof of Cartier's ability to "lead ships to the discovery of new lands in the New
World".[12]

Route of Cartier's first voyage

On April 20, 1534,[13] Cartier set sail under a commission from the king, hoping to
discover a western passage to the wealthy markets of Asia.[14] In the words of the
commission, he was to "discover certain islands and lands where it is said that a
great quantity of gold and other precious things are to be found".
It took him twenty days to sail across the ocean. Starting on May 10 of that year,
he explored parts of Newfoundland, the Strait of Belle Isle and southern shore of
the Labrador Peninsula, the Gaspé and North Shore coastlines on the Gulf of St.
Lawrence, and some parts of the coasts of the Gulf's main islands, including Prince
Edward Island, Anticosti Island and the Magdalen Islands. During one stop at Îles
aux Oiseaux (Islands of the Birds, now the Rochers-aux-Oiseaux federal bird
sanctuary, northeast of Brion Island in the Magdalen Islands), his crew slaughtered
around 1000 birds, most of them great auks (extinct since 1852). Cartier's first
two encounters with aboriginal peoples in Canada on the north side of Chaleur Bay,
most likely the Mi'kmaq, were brief; some trading occurred.
His third encounter took place on the shores of Gaspé Bay with a party of St.
Lawrence Iroquoians, where on July 24 he planted a cross to claim the land for
France.[15] The 10-metre cross bearing the words "Long Live the King of France"
claimed possession of the territory in the King's name. The change in mood was a
clear indication that the Iroquoians understood Cartier's actions. Here he
kidnapped the two sons of their chief, Donnacona.[16] Cartier wrote that they later
told him this region where they were captured (Gaspé) was called by them Honguedo.
The natives' chief at last agreed that they could be taken, under the condition
that they return with European goods to trade.[17]
Cartier returned to France in September 1534, sure that he had reached an Asian
land.