History, Religion, & Gardens

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History, Religion, & Gardens

The History, Religion, and Gardens tour is an experience that takes you deep into the history of Louisiana’s River Parishes. Fee-Fo-Lay Cafe’s Local Legends and Lore Trail is a path of stories about myths and legends along the Mississippi River, and the tour at Evergreen Plantation emphasizes how slave labor was directly responsible for the region’s remarkable economic growth in the 19th century. St. Micheal’s Catholic Church honors the sugarcane industry with it’s Lourdes Grotto, made from Bagasse, a juice extracted from sugarcane, and at Poche Plantation, the history of Felix Pierre Poché, a prominient political figure who built the house is told. Your outdoor adventure is an exploration of the beautiful gardens at Houmas House Estate, Gardens and Oak Alley Plantation Gardens, and the St. James Parish Nature Trail, and your scrumptious meals are at Cafe Perique, B&C Seafood, the Crevasse, the Carriage House, Oak Alley Plantation, and Nobile’s
restaurants. The History, Religion, and Garden tour is an unforgettable and memorable experience!

Day 1

Legacy Suites

Make yourself at home at the Legacy Suites in St. James, Louisiana. The hotel offers studio rooms with kitchens, full size refrigerators, two stove tops, microwaves, dishwashers, and an onsite laundry.

Day 2

Café Perique

Your experience begins with breakfast at Cafe Perique in Gramercy, Louisiana. Enjoy a full breakfast, a croissant with bacon or ham, and some homemade glazed doughnuts.

Fee-Fo-Lay Café & Local Legends and Lore Trail

After breakfast, you will travel to Vacherie, Louisiana and visit Fee-Fo-Lay Cafe and walk the Local Legends and Lore Trail. While walking the trail, you will listen to mysterious, colorful, and mostly true tales about life along the Mississippi River.

Evergreen Plantation

Your experience continues at Evergreen Plantation in Edgard, Louisiana. Evergreen Plantation features an in-depth description of slaves who were skilled in various trades, in addition to those that labored in the sugarcane fields. You will visit the extravagant main house, the outdoor cooking house, and the Slave Village, which are twenty-two cabins that still exist from the time of slavery.

B&C Seafood Market & Cajun Restaurant

Lunch today will be at B&C Seafood Market & Cajun Restaurant in Vacherie, Louisiana. Select the special of the day or choose a tasty meal from an ample selection of authentic Cajun dishes.

St. Michael Catholic Church & Cemetery

Your next visit is St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Convent, Louisiana. Built on land that was owned by a Free Woman of Color, the church is home to the Lourdes Grotto and the Henry Erben Pipe Organ. After touring the church, you will experience a living history presentation in the St. Michael’s Cemetery.

Crevasse Restaurant at Poche Plantation

Next door to St. Michael’s Church is the Crevasse Restaurant at Poche Plantation, where you will have dinner. Before dining, you will learn the interesting history of Felix Pierre Poché, who built the house and who was a justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court.

Relax, and enjoy another good night’s sleep in your hotel, the Legacy Suites.

Day 3

Today, you will explore the beautiful gardens at Houmas House Estates and Gardens and the lovely gardens at Oak Alley Plantation. Your breakfast is at the Carriage House Restaurant at Houmas House, and your lunch is at Oak Alley Plantation Restaurant. For dinner, you will dine at Nobile’s Restaurant and Bar in Lutcher, Louisiana.

After visiting the gardens, you will stop by the St. James Parish Welcome Center in Gramercy, Louisiana, and take a walk through the center’s nature trail. The boardwalk is a winding path that leads deep into the forest where plants, trees, streams, and native animals thrive.

Houmas House Plantation & Gardens

The Gardens of Houmas House, spanning 38 acres, are a panorama of indigenous Louisiana plant life and stunning exotics designed to beckon visitors to extend their stay.

The Gardens are planned to reflect the unique beauty of each part of the year with an extensive color renewal each April and November.

Many sitting areas have been provided around the property to invite guests to sit and experience the year-round grandeur of the ancient oak alley, the fragrance of spring and summer blooms and the sights and sounds of bird life, wildlife and plantation life of long ago.

Each courtyard displays a dramatic water feature where exotic Lotus and Lily pads thrive. Large and colorful Koi friskily circle the ponds providing vibrant colors and a peaceful feeling.

Oak Alley Plantation Gardens

Over time, several gardens and ornamental plantings were established by the many residents of Oak Alley. The sprawling lawns and open pastures dotted with mature trees, ornamental gardens and agriculture crops have come to define the character of Oak Alley’s landscape. Visitors have had the opportunity to witness many of these but most notably the formal gardens and alley of oaks. Opportunities exist to weave these elements together into a tapestry of history and cultural landscape. Site Interpreters will utilize the layouts created of the east and west garconnieres, created in the locations of the the original garconniere structures to conduct conversation series. This interpretation will be in addition to signage throughout each garden.

The West Gardens:

The West Garden shares the history and horticulture of Louisiana plantation gardens from 1840 to 1860. It is an interpretation, using period plants and human relationships to tell stories of Oak Alley’s designed landscape. It also reflects regional horticultural commerce, including available plants and connections between rural plantations and resources in New Orleans.

The East Gardens:

The East Garden is an interpretation of early twentieth-century garden design trends that responded to increasing interest in America’s past, particularly its garden heritage.

After your experience with nature, relax and get another good night’s sleep in your hotel, the Legacy Suites.