Now for the good part! We have arrived in New Roads, Pointe Coupee Parish. Our ancestors came here in the mid 1700s from France and Acadia. They founded these communities! We start the day with coffee and beignets at a charming little cafe on the misty Fausse Riviere, the only mishap occuring when a large bird made off with two of my sugared beignets leaving my plate sadly empty. We have come to see the Nicholas La Cour home, built in 1760 on the Mississippi River in the Pointe Coupee Post. It has been lovingly moved and restored by a charming couple whose heart and soul are tangled with preservation of Louisiana history. As we drive down the little lane, we are met by the owner — and offered a tour. What luck! Our mouths were a permanent ‘O’ shape as we admired the old hardware, construction techniques, and antique period furnishings.

We were consumed with the story of Nicholas La Cour and other families, such as De La Mirande, DuFour, Rabalais, Gremillion and Joiffrion — such poetic names. Families who came via the Mississippi River and built large plantations in Louisiana before the Louisiana Purchase was finalized. The very core of local history. Too soon it was time to head home. We crossed the Mississippi River on the ferry at St. Francisville and wound our way up the Natchez Trace towards Jackson, MS. The quiet old roadway concealed from modern civilization and abundent with wildlife, such as deer and wild turkey — it was a good transition back to the 21st century.