Acadiana, also known as the Cajun Country, is the official name given to the French Louisiana region that has historically contained much of the state’s Francophone population.
Many inhabitants of the Cajun Country have Acadian ancestry and identify as Cajuns or Louisiana Creoles. Of the 64 parishes that make up the U.S. state of Louisiana, 22 named parishes (our name for counties) and other parishes of similar cultural environment make up this intrastate region.
But there is a difference between Cajun and Creole. Creole refers to “children of the colony” the descendants of those who lived here during European colonial rule. Cajun specifically refers to those of Acadian decent from Nova Scotia, Canada.
Acadians were expelled from Canada for not converting from Catholicism to Church of England. They travelled on boats to the Caribbean and some ended up in south Louisiana and thrived because the watery march terrain was very similar to their original homeland.
They brought with them the music, language, foodways, culture and traditions and blended it with Native Americans, Africans and Creoles.
Known for great food, great music, celebration and fun New Orleans visitors can take an overnight or several day trip to this area to really absorb themselves into this rich, cultural region.
Places to visit in the Cajun Country would be:
- Lafayette with Vermillionville for an experience with their loving history museum,
- St. Martinville – considered the heart of the Cajun Country, at one time known as Le Petit Paris because of the many French who moved their directly from France in the 19th century,
- New Iberia – where you can find the mysterious home Shadows on the Teche
- Breaux Bridge and its famous Crawfish Festival,
- Rip Van Winkle Gardens, and
- Avery Island where they make the world-famous Tabasco hot sauce.
For more info:
https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/acadiana-louisiana-cajun-country-road-trip
https://www.lafayettetravel.com/
