Petit Paris

Petit Paris lies on the banks of the Bayou Teche in the idyllic town of Saint Martinville, Louisiana. Its nickname, Petit Paris ("Little Paris"), dates from the era when St. Martinville was known as a cultural mecca with good hotels and the Duchamp Opera House, a French Theater that featured the best operas and witty comedies. It is also the oldest Opera House in the Americas.

The third oldest town in Louisiana, St. Martinville has many buildings and homes with beautiful architecture, such as the historic St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church and La Maison Duchamp on Main Street. The church was dedicated to Martin of Tours in France, where a St Martin de Tours church can be found. There is also one in Layrac, France, the birthplace of Pierre Nezat who settled in 1768 in St Martinville.

St. Martinville in the eighteenth century involves its reputation as the home of numerous French Royalists who emigrated to escape the French Revolution as they fled precipitously from the anti-Catholic mob attack. In Saint Martinville, they replicated in the wilderness a social life which resembled Parisian society as closely as possible. St. Martinville has subsequently been known as "Le Petit Paris". The many displaced Royalists that settled in the region established a class of leisure and culture in the New World.

Mais cher, let's go down to Le Petit Paris and pass us a good time...

The Ville

Slang name for St. Martinville, LA the “Cajun epicenter” of Louisiana. St. Martinville is widely known as the place where Cajun culture originated after they left their home in Acadie’ (Nova Scotia) for America in the mid-1700’s. From St. Martinville the Cajun people spread out 100 miles in every direction taking over the local English, Spanish or Native American cultures wherever they went.

Most Cajuns, but especially those from “Da Ville”, are known are “the most partying people in America”. For example, most senior citizens in “Da Ville” party right alongside college age kids and do not slow down until they pass away, still happily dancing and drinking. Many towns and hotels on the Florida panhandle have special provisions for when Cajuns from “Da Ville” show up for vacation. Some hotels sadly ban St. Martinville Cajuns from their premises because the other non-Cajun guests are not accustomed to the hard-partying lifestyle of the Cajun people from “Da Ville”.

The “th” sound is not native to the French dialect, so locals pronounce “the” as “da”, similar to the way Italians pronounce it.

For a period between 1970-1990, “Da Ville” was the dominant force in high school football, striking fear in other teams they played. St. Martinville’s wrestling team, on the other hand, was not the winningest team in Louisiana, but they were the hardest partying…

I'm going party at the Boucherie in The Ville on the Saturday before Mardi Gras!

12👍 61👎

Da Ville

Slang name for St. Martinville, LA the “Cajun epicenter” of Louisiana. St. Martinville is widely known as the place where Cajun culture originated after they left their home in Acadie’ (Nova Scotia) for America in the mid-1700’s. From St. Martinville the Cajun people spread out 100 miles in every direction taking over the local English, Spanish or Native American cultures wherever they went.

Most Cajuns, but especially those from “Da Ville”, are known are “the most partying people in America”. For example, most senior citizens in “Da Ville” party right alongside college age kids and do not slow down until they pass away, still happily dancing and drinking. Many towns and hotels on the Florida panhandle have special provisions for when Cajuns from “Da Ville” show up for vacation. Some hotels sadly ban St. Martinville Cajuns from their premises because the other non-Cajun guests are not accustomed to the hard-partying lifestyle of the Cajun people from “Da Ville”.

The “th” sound is not native to the French dialect, so locals pronounce “the” as “da”, similar to the way Italians pronounce it.

For a period between 1970-1990, “Da Ville” was the dominant force in high school football, striking fear in other teams they played. St. Martinville’s wrestling team, on the other hand, was not the winningest team in Louisiana, but they were the hardest partying…

I'm going party at the Boucherie in Da Ville on the Saturday before Mardi Gras!

29👍 12👎