trektravel - Joyeux Noel - Cajun Country Christmas

DAY 1 – MONDAY, DECEMBER 6 – LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA – This morning we make an early departure for Lafayette. We will make a rest stop and a lunch stop along the way. On arrival in Lafayette we are met by our Acadian Guide. We first visit the St. John Cathedral to view The Hanley-Gueno Nativity Exhibit with 300 year old figures (on loan to the Church) and the magnificent 500 Year Old Oak. Next we will visit the Alexandre Mouton Home. This charming home was a turn of the century home of Louisiana’s first democratic governor, - the museum here has a “Mardi Gras” room containing elegant breath-taking costumes of past kings and queens of Lafayette’s Mardi Gras. The exquisite yuletide decorations are donated by area florists and designers, giving the lovely old home the festive ambience of Christmas long ago. Following our visit here we will check in our hotel. We will have dinner at one of Lafayette’s favorite restaurants. This evening we will visit The Acadian Village and enjoy a special Christmas presentation, Noel Acadien Au Village, a festival of lights (thousands and thousands) will highlight the celebration of the Holy Season at Acadian Village – wonderful decorations on all the porches and the entire village is decorated. (D)

DAY 2 – TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7 – ST MARTINVILLE – NEW IBERIA - Following a delicious hot breakfast at our hotel we will depart for St. Martinville where we visit St. Martin de Tours Church, the Mother Church of the Acadians, Evangeline’s grave and the Evangeline oak where she disembarked the boat when searching for her lost love, Gabriel). Leaving the Church we travel to New Iberia for a stop at the one and only Tabasco Factory. Following our visit at the Tabasco Factory we will have lunch on our own before visiting Shadows-On-The-Teche Antebellum Home. This home is reportedly the most photographed antebellum home in the South and you will see it at its best – beautifully decorated for the Christmas Season. We depart Shadows-On-The-Teche and visit Rip Van Winkle Gardens (formerly Live Oak Gardens – the site of the oil rig/salt dome drilling disaster. We will view a video on the disaster and the history of the island and visit the Joseph Jefferson Home and beautiful gardens. The home is usually decorated for Christmas in an Edwardian or Victorian style. We will return to our hotel and have time to freshen up before departing for a Fais Do-Do at a favorite local restaurant featuring delicious Cajun food, live Cajun music and dancing – a local couple will join the group to demonstrate Cajun dancing and dance with persons in the group that would like to learn some Cajun dance steps. Following dinner and a fun evening we return to our hotel.(B)(D)

DAY 3 – WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8 – HOME - This morning we enjoy another delicious hot breakfast before checking out of our hotel. Our first stop will be the Acadian Cultural Center. Here we will view a video telling the story of the expulsion of the Acadians from Acadie who settled the prairies, bayous and marshes of southern Louisiana. We depart the Cultural Center and have a treat in store as we visit Vermilionville Cajun/Creole Cooking School. We will enjoy a cooking class with the History on the Table presentation, receive three recipes and a wonderful Lunch included. Following lunch we board our motorcoach and depart for home. As we travel this afternoon we will have a rest break and then continue our journey home, arriving late afternoon(B)(L)

TOUR COST

$495.00 PER PERSON DOUBLE

$475.00 PER PERSON TRIPLE

$465.00 PER PERSON QUAD

$595.00 PER PERSON SINGLE

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