Bayou Teche National Scenic Byway

An American-Indian word, "Atchafalaya" (Think of a sneeze: uh-CHA-fuh-lie-uh) means long river. Established in 2006, the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area (NHA) stretches across 14 parishes in south-central Louisiana. It is among the most culturally rich and ecologically varied regions in the United States, home to the widely recognized Cajun culture as well as a diverse population of European, African, Caribbean and Native-American descent.

According to National Register documents, “Breaux Bridge, like other communities across the country, did not develop with separate commercial and residential sectors. The two were freely mixed. . . .Although there were scattered commercial buildings on the east side of the bayou, the downtown proper was on the west side. . . . Here, along Bridge and Main streets, residences stood between or across from commercial buildings. Also, of course, two story buildings combined residential and commercial use. Washington Street, which parallels Bayou Teche, was commercial in orientation near Bridge Street and more residential further south. These historic use patterns are present today in the district, enabling one to “read” the community’s development, so-to-speak.

Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site explores the cultural interplay among the diverse peoples along the famed Bayou Teche.

The park centers on an ancient live oak tree on the Bayou Teche that has been the most visited spot in St. Martinville since the late nineteenth century. The tree is named for the heroine of the poem Evangeline, written and published by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in 1847.

Visit these gardens overlooking Lake Peigneur with 20 acres surrounding the Joseph Jefferson Home, built in 1870. Dine at Cafe' Jefferson, and wander through the man-made wetland Rip's Rookery.

Learn about aviation and area sawmill history!

The Conrad Rice Mill is the oldest rice mill in America.

As a former plantation home, the story of the Shadows is as much about the hundreds of enslaved men, women, and children who lived and labored at the site as it is about the Weeks family.

Fun for the whole family, interactive exhibits showcase the spicy blend of cultures, artists, industries and lore that sprang from the land surrounding the snake-like curves of the peaceful South Louisiana bayou.

Tour the factory where TABASCO® brand pepper sauce is made, dine at Restaurant 1868 and shop at the Country Store. Nearby Jungle Gardens encompasses 170 acres of native and exotic plants, a bird sanctuary and a myriad of wildlife species.

Learn about sugarcane and lumber industries and days of the steamboat.

The Chitimacha Museum preserves and promotes the enduring heritage and pride of Southern Louisiana’s original inhabitants.

This antebellum townhouse in Franklin’s City Park has been home to large families, and was used by the townspeople as a recreation hall and location for community dances.

The Franklin Historic District contains nearly 420 noteworthy structures and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on December 29, 1982.

The Only Place in the World Where the General Public can Walk Aboard an Authentic Offshore Drilling Rig!

Start on Highway 90 heading west out of New Orleans. This Byway will follow the Bayou Teche National Water and Paddle Trail – along a path of a former Mississippi River channel. The Atchafalaya National Heritage Area and the Atchafalaya River is to the north and the Gulf of Mexico to the south as you leave the city. Traveling through several smaller communities and bayous, make a stop at the International Petroleum Museum in Morgan City and the Wedell-Williams Aviation and Cypress Sawmill Museum in Patterson. In Franklin, drive through the Franklin Historic District and stop at the Grevemberg House Museum, built a decade before the Civil War.

Continuing on Highway 90, the Chitimacha Reservation will be to the north. In Jeanerette, stop at the Jeanerette Museum to learn about the sugar cane and lumber industry. Next stop is New Iberia with lots to see- the Conrad Rice Mill, Bayou Teche Museum, and Shadows-on-the-Teche. Grab a meal at the many local and chain choices of restaurants. To the west is Jefferson Island Rip Van Winkel Gardens, a great place to watch birds and wander through botanical gardens. To the south of New Iberia is the Avery Island Jungle Gardens and the TABASCO Brand Factory where you can take a tour. Pick up Highway 31 to St. Martinville for stops at the Evangeline Oak Park and a few blocks later, Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site. Check out the historic district in Breaux Bridge before arriving at Arnaudville and the end of the Byway.