On False River

Finding respite in the New Roads oxbow lake.

The first thing for first-time travelers to know about Pointe Coupee is that this is a parish that rewards exploration. Whether by driving its country roads, taking to its sinuous waterways by boat, or walking beneath ancient live oaks around its historic houses, Pointe Coupee is one of the few parts of Louisiana where visitors can still find natural vistas teeming with wildlife, in close proximity to the agricultural landscapes that sustained them. An area where several of Louisiana's most important rivers intersect, Pointe Coupee is a region rich in outdoor sport and recreation.

False River—which is actually a ten-mile oxbow lake that remained after the Mississippi River changed course in the early eighteenth century—has long served as a close country getaway for Capital Region-residing city folk looking to escape to their lakeside camps for a weekend. Come the Fourth of July, Labor Day weekend, or really any day of leisure with clear skies and sunshine, the waters of the horseshoe-shaped bend are replete with nautical crafts of every kind, all taking part in paddling and boating, fishing, sailing, tubing, and water skiing.

The False River Historical Trail Hike or Bike Tour offers a ten-mile self-guided excursion through nearly three hundred years of Pointe Coupee history dating all the way back to 1750. Extending from Lakeland to the parish seat of New Roads along Louisiana Highway 1, visitors will come across local landmarks such as the Ernest Gaines Oak Tree, Parlange Plantation, Bergeron's Pecan Plant, and more than a dozen of other notable spots. A free public boat launch and fishing pier as well as barbecue and picnic facilities may be found at the end of Morrison Parkway in downtown New Roads. Lake folk can also launch from Sand Bar in New Roads, play a match of beach volleyball, or order another round from their outdoor bar. 

The bait shop and boat launch at the Old River Landing in Batchelor has everything you need for a day spent reeling in bream or sac-a-lait. By the time you've filled your ice chest to the brim with the day's bounty, it should be time to head back to the Landing's bar and grill for a well-deserved meal—the mud fries are a must-try, and on Thursdays the dockside eatery does steak night. Order a long neck, throw some swamp pop on the jukebox, and slide into a booth. Whether visiting Pointe Coupee as a wayfarer, boater, or biker, the parish has a route worth traversing for you. pctourism.org

Photos courtesy of the Louisiana Office of Tourism