Basque fishermen were among the first europeans to frequent Newfoundland and Labrador. In fact, Newfoundland and St. Pierre place names such as "Placentia", "Miquelon" and "Trepassey" all have Basque origins. 

In 1592 the English Captain George Drake visited Placentia Bay and claimed to have counted up to sixty Basque fishing ships in the area.

The French selected "Plaisance" to be the French capital of Newfoundland. In 1660, King Loius XIV,THE SUN KING , signed a Royal Warrant authorizing  the establishment of Placentia. 

In 1662, the French began building Fort Louis, Gallardin and Castle Hill.

By 1672, there were a number of French families settled in the region serviced by a Roman Catholic Church and Franciscan Monestary. 

The Franciscan Monestary and Church are long gone. But in their grave yard are several tombstones inscribed with the ancient Basque language. One inscription has been translated as "Here lies, having died on May 1, 1676, John de Sale Cesana, Son of the House of the Sweetest Odour".

Another tombstone in that grave yard reads "Cy Gis Joannes de Suigarachipi, Dit Croisic, Captainede Fregate du Roi, Envieux, 1694. Pour l'Honnoeur de mon Prince j'Allais en suivant sa Carriere attaquer les ennemis..."

In 1689 England and France were at war. The French Governor of Newfoundland sent out small bands of French and Indian soldiers to pillage and destroy English settlements. In 1692, the English Navy attacked Plaisance. This seige failed. 

In the summer of 1696 Plaisance's Governor de Brouillon ordered a  French naval squadon under Chevalier Nesmond to lay  seige to St. John's.  The siege was unsuccessful.

In the fall of the same year, French-Canadian officer Captain Pierre Le Moyne sieur de'Iberville arrived in Newfoundland from Maine. 

After arriving at Plaisance, de'Iberville organized a force to attack English settlements. With some 400 French and Indian troops, de'Iberville marched across the Avalon peninsula. de' Iberville destroyed the vast majority of English settlements on the Avalon Peninsula including: Ferryland, Bay Bulls, Petty Harbour, Carbonear, St. John's, Holyrood, Harbour Grace and Old Perlican.

Soon after this campaign, Captain de'Iberville returned to Canada where he continued to soldier against English settlements and stations. He never returned to Newfoundland.

From 1696 until 1705 the French and English navys fought pitched battles on the high seas, around Newfoundland. During this time, English ships  attempted an unsuccessful seige of Newfoundland's French capital, Plaisance. 

Plaisance was a successful settlement. Despite many seiges, it was never captured by England. Also French settlers were becoming firmly established in the region. However, the paramouncy of Plaisance was waining. In 1713 France rescinded all claims to Newfoundland and withdrew from Plaisance.

In 1713, The Treaty of Utrecht was signed between France and England. The Treaty contained the clause "the island called Newfoundland, with the adjoining islands, shall from this time forward belong of right wholly to Britain". 

Placentia was given up and no part of the island was allowed to be fortified by the French.

When the Engtlish occupied Placentia, they repaired Castle Hill and built a new fort called Fort Frederick. These fortifications were maintained through the Seven Year War and into the Napoleanic Wars before they were abandoned.