Small-Town Escapes: St. Francisville, LA

BY RIEN FERTEL - LOUISIANA - JUNE/JULY 2015

A sleepy River Road retreat with postcard-perfect good looks

Population: 1,746 Drive Time: Forty minutes northwest of Baton Rouge

Perched on a thin bluff along the Mississippi, St. Francisville is nicknamed “the town two miles long and two yards wide.” Deep in central Louisiana’s plantation country—there are more than 150 historic structures scattered throughout downtown and the immediate area—this River Road hideout, just a short jaunt up Highway 61 from Baton Rouge and about two hours from New Orleans, was founded as a burial site for Capuchin monks. They named the area for their order’s spiritual forebearer, St. Francis, the patron saint of nature and all its wildlife. Today, many yards and storefronts display statues of the saint. Even with architectural showpieces aplenty, nature remains triumphant in St. Francisville. Read More.....