French colonization of the Americas French colonization of the Americas The French colonization of the Americas began in the 16th century, and continued on into the following centuries as France established a colonial empire in the Western Hemisphere. France founded colonies in much of eastern North America, on a number of Caribbean islands, and in South America. Most colonies were developed to export products such as fish, rice sugar, and furs. As they colonized the New World, the French established forts and settlements that would become such cities as Quebec and Montreal in Canada; Detroit, Green Bay, St. Louis, Cape Girardeau, Mobile, Biloxi, Baton Rouge
Valerie (given name) Valerie (given name) Valerie is almost always a feminine given name in French, derived directly from the French "Valérie" (a female-only name). Valéry or Valery is a masculine given name in parts of Europe (particularly in France and Russia), as well as a common surname in Francophone countries. Another, much rarer, French masculine form can be Valėre. Both feminine and masculine forms have derivatives in many European languages, and are especially common in Russian and other Eastern European languages. However the masculine form is not always a cognate of the feminine: it can have a distinct etymology. The name is