Cadillac was born in Saint-Nicolas-de-la-Grave, Gascony, France. He came from a noble family and received a good education. In 1683, he joined the French army and fought in the Nine Years' War. After the war, he became a fur trader and traveled extensively in North America.
In 1701, Cadillac was chosen by the French government to lead an expedition to establish a new trading post in the Great Lakes region. He chose a site on the Detroit River and built Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit. The fort soon became a major center for fur trading and a key strategic point in the region.
Cadillac served as the commandant of Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit for several years. He was a strong and effective leader, but he also made some enemies among the French colonists. In 1710, he was recalled to France.
Cadillac never returned to North America. He died in Castelsarrasin, France, in 1730.
