St. Martinville

“Le Petit Paris”

St. Martinville, Louisiana, often called the “Cradle of Cajun Culture,” is one of the oldest towns in the state and the seat of St. Martin Parish. Originally home to the Attakapas people, the area developed in the mid-1700s as Poste des Attakapas, a French settlement along the Bayou Teche. In 1765, Acadian exiles expelled from Nova Scotia arrived, bringing with them the French language, Catholic faith, and traditions that still shape the community today. St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church, first founded by those settlers, became the heart of the town, with the present church completed in 1840. By the early 19th century, St. Martinville grew into a cultural hub, attracting French Royalist refugees and earning the nickname “Le Petit Paris” for its opera house, theaters, and refined social life. The town’s fame was further cemented in 1847 with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s epic poem Evangeline, which linked the community to the Acadian story of love and exile, symbolized by the legendary Evangeline Oak. Though epidemics, fires, hurricanes, and the decline of the steamboat trade slowed its growth, St. Martinville retained its role as a center of French heritage. Today, it remains rich in historic sites, including the Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site, Maison Olivier plantation, and the Acadian Memorial, and continues to celebrate its enduring Cajun and Creole identity as a vital piece of Louisiana’s history. Use the options below to plan your trip to St. Martinville, Louisiana!