Few figures in Canadian folklore are as infamous as Marie-Josephte Corriveau, a woman whose gruesome fate in 1763 led to one of Quebec’s most enduring ghost stories. Known as La Corriveau, she has been branded a witch, a murderer, and a restless spirit who haunts the streets of Quebec City to this day. But what really happened to her, and why has her legend persisted for over two centuries?

Marie-Josephte Corriveau was born in 1733 in the village of Saint-Vallier, New France (now Quebec). Married twice, she was accused of murdering her second husband, Louis Dodier, under suspicious circumstances. After an initial trial found her father guilty, a British military tribunal later retried the case and sentenced Marie-Josephte to death. She was executed by hanging on April 18, 1763, and her body was placed in an iron cage—a punishment reserved for the most notorious criminals of the time. The sight of her remains suspended in a gibbet at Pointe-Lévy (now Lévis) left an indelible mark on the local population.

Her legend only grew darker after her death. Some claimed that La Corriveau did not remain in her cage but instead would break free at night to wander the roads, attacking unsuspecting travellers. The sound of clanking metal was said to echo through the darkness, and those who ventured too close to the gibbet often reported seeing ghostly apparitions or feeling an overwhelming sense of dread. As the years passed, the legend became deeply rooted in local superstition, with some believing that her spirit had been cursed to remain trapped within the iron bars.

Marie-Josephte's remains, along with the infamous cage, were eventually removed from public display, but the legend did not die. In the 19th century, her iron gibbet was discovered and placed in a museum in Quebec City. However, the museum mysteriously caught fire, leading many to speculate that the spirit of La Corriveau had once again sought revenge from beyond the grave. Though her cage was believed to be lost in the flames, it later resurfaced under unusual circumstances—shockingly, it was found in Salem, Massachusetts, a city infamous for its own dark history of witch trials. How it ended up there remains a mystery, adding yet another eerie twist to her already chilling tale.

Over time, the legend of La Corriveau grew, and she became associated with witchcraft and the supernatural. Some believed she had made a pact with dark forces, granting her unnatural powers even in death. Her name was whispered in fear, and her tale inspired numerous literary and artistic works, cementing her status as Quebec’s most famous witch.

But was Marie-Josephte truly a murderer, or was she a victim of her time—an unfortunate woman caught in a legal system that offered little mercy? Historians debate whether her trial was fair, as New France was transitioning to British rule, and justice was often swift and brutal.

Regardless of the truth, the spirit of La Corriveau lives on in Quebecois folklore, haunting the imagination of those who dare to speak her name. Some say she still roams Old Quebec, forever searching for revenge—or perhaps redemption.

Want to hear more about this chilling legend? Tune in to our episode on The Quebec City Witch on Unsolved Canadian Mysteries, available now on Spotify and YouTube!