Towns

St. Landry Parish is the site of one of the oldest European settlements in Louisiana, le Poste des Opélousas, an administrative territory established by the French government in 1720.

Home of the Opelousas Indians, the district was larger than some European empires of the day. At first, it was an obscure military outpost governed in turn by the French and the Spanish, but, by 1791, the area was settled also by some English, Scotch, Irish, and German people who managed to find their way to the lush and fertile lands of the district. They found the area perfect for agriculture and raising cattle, and the government post soon developed as a commercial center serving their farms and plantations. Black slaves arrived with the first Europeans in the early 1700s, and in the late 1700s, free blacks and les gens de couleur libres, or free people of color, began arriving in the area to take advantage of Spanish land grants.

In 1804, about a year after the Louisiana Purchase, the parish was named for St. Landry, an early bishop of Paris, renowned for his great love of the poor and his charitable acts.

With its dramatic history and diverse cultures, St. Landry Parish boasts une différence, which few, if any, places in America can claim today. The influences here--Native American, European, African, Acadian, American-have mixed and matched for almost three centuries to produce the rich and colorful experience that is St. Landry Parish today.

St. Landry Parish has it's all-fascinating history, world-famous music, great food, and most important, warm and welcoming people who delight in introducing visitors to the beautiful paradise on earth that they call home.

Whether visiting Eunice, the heart and soul of Cajun music; the historic towns of Washington, Sunset, and Grand Coteau; or Opelousas, the home of zydeco music, be sure to take time to travel the little lanes and secluded backroads that lead to some of the most interesting and scenic sites in St. Landry Parish.

And, don't forget-Passer un bons temps, cher!