Guide Sections
Use Port de Mallebarre's guide sections to understand how this stop fits into the larger park plan.
Point of Interest
Port de Mallebarre Details
Difficulty
Low
Distance
N/A
Estimated time
Region
N/A
French explorer Samuel de Champlain visited Cape Cod during his voyage of discovery in 1605, landing at Nauset Harbor, which he named Port de Mallebarre (the Bad Bar). "Many savages, men and women, visited us, and ran up on all sides dancing," he wrote in his diaries, and his maps of the harbor show it lined with Nauset settlements. Follow the Fort Hill or Nauset Marsh trails to get a sense of the site that greeted Champlain when he arrived here; you also can learn more about the French explorer's visit at the Salt Pond Visitor Center.