TOWN OF PRAIRIEVILLE IN ASCENSION PARISH
 

Just South of Baton Rouge, via 110, is the rapidly growing area of Prairieville in Ascension Parish. Lying on both banks of the mighty Mississippi, Ascension Parish, and Prairieville in particular, has become a popular home choice for those who wish a bit more laid back atmosphere. Situated just 40 minutes from New Orleans and 10 from Baton Rouge, the location is convenient to people who work in either city. Here, giant live oak trees shade country lanes, such as this spot along Swamp Road. 

The bayous, lakes, and natural beauty of the Prairieville area have made perfect settings for new developments. With the recent increase of so much new construction and homes, the local government of Ascension is making great strides to ensure the beauty of the area is preserved. Here the past of Ascension can be found in the picturesque pastures, parks and lakes that are adjacent to brand new subdivisions. Many of the new developments include man-made lakes which helps the entire neighborhood fit into the natural landscape. The horse property in the photo lines the entrance to a new upscale neighborhood, showing the best of both worlds the area offers. 

Ascension Parish has many new developments and properties to offer. Whether your preference in a neighborhood is a large development with community pool and facilities, lazy lakefront properties, or smaller “one-street” subdivisions, you will find much to choose from among the expansive newly developed areas of Prairieville and all Ascension Parish. It has been my experience that newcomers are very pleased and delightfully surprised at the fine details of our construction in Louisiana. Many have told me that in other parts of the country, in order to have such amenities as wood floors, high ceilings, detailed moldings, travertine and granite accents, a person must build a costly custom design. This “quest for excellence” is due in part to “Louisianians” growing up with some of this country’s most exquisite architecture right in their back yards. 

The Baton Rouge area also offers totally planned communities to call home such as The Bluffs, in West Feliciana Parish north of the city and Pelican Point, an award-winning plan near Gonzales in Ascension. The expansive Pelican Point neighborhood is built around a world-class golf course and offers clubhouse, tennis, swimming, and restaurant. Dwellings range from town homes to garden / patio properties, to expansive estate homes. The Greens at Pelican Point caters to the retired resident, with all of the benefits enjoyed by the rest of the community, as well as scheduled trips, events and parties. Of course for those who desire the true “southern experience”, the occasional vintage home can still be found, complete with huge live oaks and wrap around porches. Whatever lifestyle suits you, our Southern, Country French and New Orleans’ styles of architecture are sure to please!  

From the “Big House” to the “Boat House”; plantation to swamp, the diversity of Louisiana is exemplified in Ascension Parish. Settled by the French, Acadians, Germans, Spanish and English, Ascension like all of Louisiana, is anything but boring. Along the parish’s River Road you will discover some of Louisiana’s finest plantation homes, where aristocratic English and French planters settled. Dotted along this scenic route are such grand “ladies” as Ashland / Belle Helene, Bocage, l’Hermitage, and Houmas House pictured here. Houmas House, overlooking the Mississippi, is open year round to the public and is noted to be a premiere example of Louisiana plantation life. A very popular subject for local artists, “She” is also one of the most photographed of Louisiana’s plantations and a favorite among brides for engagement and wedding portraits. It is also said that several of Louisiana’s Ghost population reside at Houmas House! 

Good food abounds in Louisiana, and Ascension Parish is no exception. The city of Gonzales is home to the annual Jambalaya Festival, where you’ll find lots of great food, music, and local cooks (mostly men for this dish) vying to be the winner of the state’s largest Jambalaya cook off. For newcomers, a Jambalaya is a rice base dish made with beef, pork, sausage or other seasonal meats, usually cooked in large iron pots – great for feeding a crowd! There are wonderful restaurants on main highways as well as along country lanes, so don’t miss out on all of the local menus! While in the Plantation Country / River Road area, stop by and see the folks at The Cabin restaurant (photo)near Burnside, a very unique dining experience!  

To experience a look into the way of life of the French Acadian settlers of this area, don’t miss a trip to Cajun Village, near Burnside and the Plantation trek. Unlike their English and French-noble counterparts in the “big houses”, the early Acadian settlers seldom had wealth and rarely lived in grandeur. Expelled from their homeland in Nova Scotia, the Acadians arrived by small boats through the bayous and waterways of Louisiana with a few meager belongings. However, with a tremendous zest for life and commitment to family and faith, they made the best of life wherever they landed. A site of several vintage Acadian buildings, barns and farm implements, Cajun Village cottages now house a neat assortment of gift, candle, and antique shops; a coffee house, art gallery and pottery studio - all featuring regional items and artists. 

At Alligator Bayou, just ten minutes from all the grandeur along the Mississippi River Road, one can discover another side of Louisiana – literally a trip from the “big house” to the “boat house”! You may just stop for a rest and refreshments at the water’s edge, or you can board a pontoon boat for a tour in search of alligators along some of the most beautiful swamps this state has to offer. You might spot the graceful white egret or blue heron that soars the swamplands, or a nutria (beaver imposter), or even the “native” pirogue (pronounced pee-row), the wooden boat of Native American / French design used for generations in the swamp. In spring you will be certain to see the beautiful purple flower of the water hyacinth, which is not native to the state at all, but took to our muddy waters like “a fly on honey”. 

NOTE: It is worthy to note that the two gentlemen who own & operate Alligator Bayou saved this gorgeous piece of LA from the hands of anxious developers by giving up the security of jobs and businesses, in order to invest in this natural swamp. Your patronage will surely be appreciated! 

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