# Louisiana Plantation Tours



## MULTIZ321 (May 24, 2009)

LOUISIANA PLANTATIONS

Visiting Louisiana Plantations can be a fun day-trip from New Orleans. Several Plantations can be toured in one day if you have a car. 

For example, Laura Plantation, Oak Alley Plantation, San Francisco Plantation,  Houmas House Plantation and Gardens, and Nottoway Plantation can be toured in a day with proper planning. 

 Several tour companies  offer plantation tours if you don’t have a car  - usually with a tour company you visit, at the most, two plantations and the tour price can be more than a rental car. So I’d recommend a rental car. 

Also Creole Plantations (e.g, Laura Plantation, San Francisco Plantation)  have very different traditions than English Plantations (e.g., Oak Alley Plantation, Nottoway Plantation), so be sure to visit both Creole and English Plantations.  

For examples of some driving distances from the Quarter House in the French Quarter of New Orleans:  to San Francisco Plantation – 43 miles; to Laura Plantation – 54 miles; to Oak Alley Plantation – 58 miles; to Houmas House – 63 miles; to Nottoway Plantation – 77 miles.

Overview on Louisiana Plantation Homes with pics

For more info about the history of Louisiana – see Louisiana - New France

Oak Allee - Allees were originally introduced as a landscape feature during the Italian Renaissance.  

The word “Allee” is from Old French, aller meaning “to go” and refers to a walkway or drive bordered by rows of evenly spaced, even-aged trees of the same species. 

 Allees were popular in European royal parks and estates in the 17th and 18th centuries mostly in France and England.  In the late 19th century in America, it became popular to create tree-lined streets on the model of the allees.

There are several plantations located throughout Louisiana that have been featured in movies. Destrehan Plantation was the setting for “Interview with the Vampires”, while “Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte” was filmed at Houmas House. “A Woman Called Moses” was filmed at Madewood Plantation.
For more movie and television info see -
Eyes on Louisiana - Movies and Television Series Featuring Louisiana Locations

*Laura Plantation (A Creole Plantation)*
2247 Highway 18
Vacherie, LA 70090
Ph: (225) 265-7690 or (888) 799-7690 Toll Free US only
Built 1805 - where the B'er Rabbit stories originated
www.lauraplantation.com

*Oak Alley Plantation*
3645 Hwy 18 (River Road)
Vacherie, LA 70090
(225) 265-2151 or 1-800-442-5539
Famous 1/2 mile allee of 300 year old live oaks
www.oakalleyplantation.com

*St. Joseph Plantation*
3535 Hwy 18
Vacherie, LA 70090
Ph:225-265-4078
www.stjosephplantation.com

*San Francisco Plantation*
2646 Hwy 44 (River Road)
Garyville, LA 70051
Ph: (985) 535-2341  or 1-888-322-1756 (toll free in US)
www.sanfranciscoplantation.org/

*Evergreen Plantation*
4649 Hwy 18 (aka Great River Road)
Edgard, LA 70049
Ph: 504-201-3180 or 1-888-858-6877
www.evergreenplantation.org

*Destrehan Plantation*
13034 River Road
Destrehan, LA 70047
Ph:985-764-9315
www.destrehanplantation.org

*Ormond Plantation*
13786 River Road
Destrehan, LA 70047
Ph:225-343-4955
www.plantation.com

*Houmas House Plantation and Gardens*
40136 Highway 942
Darrow, LA 70725
Ph:225-473-9380 or 225-473-7841
Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte with Bette Davis was filmed here
Visitors receive a commemrrative hand fan, complete with a litany of "fanning gestures" used by Southern Belles to communicate feelings, attitudes, status, and intentions. 
Also can view a Confederate submarine up close.
http://www.houmashouse.com/

*Nottoway Plantation*
30970 Highway 405
White Castle, LA 70788
Tour info ph:1-866-527-6884, Ext 120; Room Reservations:225-545-2730
Construction of Nottoway was completed in 1859 at an estimated $80,000. Nottoway has 64 rooms in its three floors, six interior staircases, three modern bathrooms, 22 massive square columns, 165 doors and 200 windows. During Randolph's day, the home had fancy chamber pots (flushing toilets) and hot and cold running water in all bathrooms, all unheard of at that time. Nottoway had a "gas plant" on site with gas lighting throughout the home, unique at the time.  A bowling alley was installed for the children inside the home.
www.nottoway.com/

*Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site *
12501 Hwy 10
St. Francisville, LA 70775
Ph: 225-635-3332 or 888-376-1867
Among Earliest 19th Century Gardens in America with 13 Historic Buildings and Mansion House
Now owned by the State of Louisiana
ROSEDOWN PLANTATION
Or
Louisiana Culture, Recreation & Tourism – Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site

*Butler Greenwood Plantation & Bed and Breakfast*
8345 US Hwy 61
St. Francisville, LA 70775
Ph: 225-635-6312
www.butlergreenwood.com

*The Myrtles Plantation*
7747 US Hwy 61
P.O. Box 1100
St. Francisville, LA 70775
John & Jeeta Moss, Proprietors
Ph:225-635-6277 or 1-800-809-0565
“One of America’s Most Haunted Homes”
www.myrtlesplantation.com/index.html
At main page – look carefully toward top of page for navigation links, they’re hard to see with the black background
Also see The Legends, Lore, and Lies of the Myrtles Plantation

*The Cottage Plantation*
10528 Cottage Lane
St. Francisville, LA 70775
Ph:225-635-3674
www.cottageplantation.com

*Magnolia Mound Plantation*
2161 Nicholson Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Ph:225-343-4955
www.magnoliamound.org

*Madewood Plantation Home*
4250 Hwy 308
Napoleonville, LA 70390
Ph: 985-369-7151 from 9am to 7pm Central Time
www.madewood.com

*Kent Plantation Home*
3601 Bayou Rapides Road
Alexandria, LA 71303
Ph:318-487-5998
www.kenthouse.org

*Cortableau House Plantation B&B*
225 West Carriere Street
P.O. Box 1051
Washington, LA 70589
Ph:337-331-5681 (cell); Evenings 337-418-1506
Courtableau House is the former Creole Plantation Jean-Baptiste La Fleur II
http://www.courtableauhouse.com/

*Frogmore Cotton Plantation & Gins*
11054 Hwy 84
Frogmore, LA 71334
Ph:318-757-2453 or 318-757-3333
An 1800-acre working cotton plantation
www.frogmoreplantation.com

*Crystal Rice Heritage Farm Plantation*
6428 Airport Road
P.O. Box 1425
Crowley, LA 70526
Ph:337-783-6417
One of the few working rice and crawfish plantations offering tours
www.crystalrice.com


*Need Wheels?*
The following New Orleans tour companies offer transport to various Louisiana Plantations

*Tours by Isabelle  *
Offered Daily
Ph: 504-391-3544
http://www.toursbyisabelle.com/tours_plantation.html

*Old River Road Plantation Adventures*
Offered Daily
Ph: 504-671-8687
http://www.plantationadventure.com/

*Louisiana Tour Company*
Offered Daily
Ph: 504-689-3599
http://www.louisianaswamp.com/oakalleycombotourboat.htm

*Cajun Pride Tours*
Offered Daily
Ph: 1-800-467-0758 
http://cajunprideswamp.com/plantationtours.aspx

*Grayline Tours*
Tues. Thurs. & Sun.
Ph:504-587-0862
http://www.graylineneworleans.com/plantation.shtml


*Degas House, Historic Home, Courtyard & Inn*
2306 Esplande Avenue
New Orleans, LA  70119
Ph: 504-821-5009
If you like the French Impressionist artists, visit the Degas House while you're in New Orleans. It's located on Esplanade Avenue just 11 blocks from the French Quarter. You have to call and make a reservation to do a tour - our guide was one of his great-great-great grand nieces and gave us interesting family tidbits.
http://www.degashouse.com/

*Longue Vue House and Gardens*
7 Bamboo Road
New Orleans, LA 70124
Ph:504-488-5488
If you can’t get out of New Orleans to the Plantations, an alternative fun day would be to experience the history and beauty of Longue Vue House and Gardens, a National Historic Landmark in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Longue Vue features Classical Revival style buildings and landscaped gardens, a magnificent collection of European and American decorative and fine arts pieces, museum exhibits, entertaining tours, educational programs, and a delightful museum shop.
The estate was designed in 1939-1942 for philanthropists Edgar Bloom Stern, a New Orleans cotton broker, and his wife Edith Rosenwald Stern, an heiress to the Sears-Roebuck fortune.  The site is a collaborative tour-de-force, combining the landscape and interior design of Ellen Biddle Shipman, the architectural genius of William and Geoffrey Platt, and the horticultural knowledge of Caroline Dormon, with the informed patronage of the Sterns.  With colorful seasonal blooms, Longue Vue provides a memorable experience year-round.
http://www.longuevue.com/


Richard


----------



## ricoba (May 24, 2009)

We did an airboat swamp tour ride that included a tour of Oak Alley.  It was a fun experience.  I think our tour company was Rajun Cajun or something similar.


----------



## rapmarks (May 24, 2009)

We did a Greyline tour of two plantations.  it took all day .  We got the two plantations, lunch, the driving was done for us, we were dropped at our hotel when finished.  The driver was extremely informative and gave background the entire trip.  We had a two for one from the Entertainment book and it was well worth it.   I am ure we were gone at last 10 hours.


----------



## Timeshare Von (May 25, 2009)

Thanks for that great overview!

We're going to be in NOLA at the end of next month and originally was planning to do the "Grand Tour" with Tours by Isabelle.  At $136pp, for two planations (Oak Alley and Lauras) plus a swamp/boat tour I realized that we could rent a car for two days (plus one night parking), do those three things plus several addtional plantations for less than what we would have paid Isabelle.  We also thought about being at one place too long (and getting bored) or not having enough time at someplace we found very interesting . . . so it seemed a "do-it-ourselves" tour would be better for us.

Our itinerary will be something like this:

Pick up car with Enterprise (they come for us!) at 8:00am.  Tour four plantations (San Francisco, Laura's, Nottoway, and ending with Houmas for tour & dinner).  If we have time, we will add Oak Alley.

Next day, get up and go do a 10:00am swamp/boat tour and catch the 2:00p Old New Orleans Rum Tour on the way back into town to return the car to Enterprise.


----------



## MULTIZ321 (May 25, 2009)

Timeshare Von said:


> Thanks for that great overview!
> 
> We're going to be in NOLA at the end of next month and originally was planning to do the "Grand Tour" with Tours by Isabelle.  At $136pp, for two planations (Oak Alley and Lauras) plus a swamp/boat tour I realized that we could rent a car for two days (plus one night parking), do those three things plus several addtional plantations for less than what we would have paid Isabelle.  We also thought about being at one place too long (and getting bored) or not having enough time at someplace we found very interesting . . . so it seemed a "do-it-ourselves" tour would be better for us.
> 
> ...



Timeshare Von,

Sounds like a good plan but I would suggest some minor changes - I think you can add Oak Alley to the list - it's very close to Laura's and perhaps consider lunch there. Their Oak Allee (aka Oak Alley) is truly spectacular and runs from the house down close to the Mississippi River.  

When you're at Laura's - they have an award winning Video running in a continuous loop in the lobby area of where you purchase your tickets - I think it's about a half hour - if you decide to watch it, I think it adds much more to the tour (the video is also available for purchase).  Also in French creole tradition the passage of property to children did not necessarily go the first-born son, it went to who the parent(s) thought was most capable - and in this case that was Laura, who had an older brother. So there were some hard feelings for a time. Laura was a truly amazing woman.

Regarding Houmas House & Nottoway  - I think your order of which one to see first is a toss up - they're both beautiful and I'm glad we did them both.
You'll pass Houmas House as you're going to Nottoway - you'll discover as you check the maps that the Great River Road runs on both sides of the Mississippi River (albeit with different name-number designations) - San Francisco Plantation and Houmas House are on the East side of the river (although that's relative due to the winding of the Mississippi) and Laura's, Oak Alley, and Nottoway are on the west side of the river. The websites will provide directions of what bridge to take to cross the river. 

We decided to do Houmas house after Oak Alley and then Nottoway - we did the last tour of the day at Nottoway - I think 5pm but we had called and made reservations. I can't remember why we choose to have dinner at Nottoway rather than Houmas House and for us it was a good choice - I think you can go either way here.  At Nottoway, if you have time, visit the family cemetery, the grave-stones are interesting. As you face the front of the house, the cemetery is off to your right in the corner of the property (less than a 5-minute walk).

When you're at the Houmas House - note the two hexoganal two-story bachelor's quarters on either side of the house - known as "garconnieres".
The Garconieres - Houmas House Plantation 
 (I've seen it spelled with both one "n" and two "n's" ). If I recall, I think the tour guide said something about unmarried men and unmarried women could not sleep in main house, even in separate rooms, and hence the bachelor quarters were built.


Have a great trip!

Richard

PS. I forgot to add, don't forget your camera.


----------



## Timeshare Von (May 25, 2009)

Richard,

Thanks for the input and suggestions.  Not sure why we thought Houmas for supper, but I don't think we're married to it . . . so if Nottoway is more "efficient" then that's good too.

We had Oak Alley as a "fill-in" maybe because I had read on TripAdvisor that it was the least impressive plantation (house) but a decent grounds.  So we thought if time permitted.  If you think we can do them all, we'll add it.  (Lunch there is what most of the tours do, as an FYI.)

Thanks again!
Von

p.s.  I don't go anywhere w/o a camera


----------



## MULTIZ321 (May 25, 2009)

Timeshare Von said:


> Richard,
> 
> Thanks for the input and suggestions.  Not sure why we thought Houmas for supper, but I don't think we're married to it . . . so if Nottoway is more "efficient" then that's good too.
> 
> ...



Von,

It's doable to add Oak Alley to your list. I can understand why some people would be disappointed in the plantation house, compared to some others (e.g., Houmas House, Nottoway).  The grounds and landscaping at Oak Alley contribute a great deal to the ambiance.  I remember that when touring the house - I think the group started out in a parlor room. If I recall there were some unique candle-holders on a table that allowed one to adjust the height of the candles relative to the base (replicas were available for purchase in the gift store).  Candles were always lit when a gentleman came to visit an unmarried lady living in the house.   If the lady really fancied the gentleman caller, the height of the candle was set high so she could spend more time with him.  If she didn't really care about her caller - the candle was set lower to have a shorter burning time and hence much shorter visit.  Also you'll see that there would be special concave mirror(s) strategically placed in the parlor.  This is so a chaperone could unobtrusively observe the courting couple.  You'll learn more about the social etiquette of hand fans at Houmas House. 

Glad to be of help.

Richard


----------



## wauhob3 (Jun 12, 2009)

Thanks for posting all  this. I was just going to ask because we are going to NOLA for the first time in August.


----------

