In Pointe Coupee Parish, historic buildings meet a landscape shaped by rivers and an oxbow lake. The area also offers regional cuisine, events, and several ways to explore its history.
Cultural History and Buildings
Parlange Plantation House is a National Historic Landmark in Pointe Coupee Parish. The French Colonial plantation house was built around 1750. On the west bank of False River, near Parlange Plantation, stands the Pointe Coupee Parish Museum. The museum is a rare example of log construction in a Creole house. The two sites highlight different aspects of architectural history, but do not form a joint visitor route.
The history of St. Francis Chapel also spans several centuries: a baptism recorded at this site by French Capuchin missionaries in 1728 marks the beginning of the Christian community in Pointe Coupee. The chapel itself was consecrated in May 1895. St. Stephen's Episcopal Church is the oldest brick building in the parish. It was built in the 1850s to designs by Frank Wills, fully restored, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
Other historic sites reflect different architectural and political connections. Valverda Plantation was designed in the Greek Revival style and completed in 1850. From 1855 until his death in 1864, it was home to Henry S. Johnson, the fifth governor of Louisiana. Shortly before the Port Hudson campaign, White Hall Plantation House served as the headquarters of the Department of the Gulf of the XIX Corps of the U.S. Army under Major General Nathaniel P. Banks. The Pointe Coupee Parish Courthouse in New Roads was built in 1902 in the Romanesque Revival style and designed by A.J. Company. It is one of only four surviving courthouses; two of them are still used as courthouses.
False River and the Waterfront Landscape
False River is a 15-mile-long oxbow lake that was once part of the Mississippi River. It offers opportunities for water sports; specific activities and conditions may vary. Together with Old River, False River is one of two Mississippi oxbow lakes in Pointe Coupee Parish that offer opportunities for fishing, boating, and hunting. Alongside the historic buildings, water-based activities offer another distinct focus for trip planning.
A notable landscape feature is the Randall Oak near the west bank of False River along Louisiana Highway 1. The tree can be seen from the roadside. Its circumference is approximately 35 feet and 8 inches, its height is 68 feet, and its crown spread is 156 feet. Check visibility and access before visiting. The parish lies between the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers; Louisiana Highway 190 and LA 1 run along its southern and eastern boundaries, respectively. Pointe Coupee Parish also includes several sections of regional bike trails; route details may change.
Cuisine, Events, and Getting Here
The early French and African influences are still evident in the cuisine of Pointe Coupee Parish. Options include Creole, Cajun, and traditional Southern cooking. Events held throughout the year include cooking competitions such as Cochon de Lait; individual dates and programs may vary. The parish normally hosts four family-friendly Mardi Gras parades each year. The parades date back to 1881, and their specific dates may change. If you want to plan your trip around a festival or cooking competition, check the dates of the events in question.
Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR) is the closest airport for getting here. Check current flight connections as you plan. The buildings, waterfront landscape, and culinary traditions offer different ways to choose a focus for your trip—and, in turn, to look for a hotel that suits your stay.
Explore more destinations: Oscar, New Roads, De Soto, Plaquemines Parish, Jefferson, Ouachita, Orleans, Allen.
Return to the main travel overview: Louisiana.
