Cajun Country Region, LA Land for Sale

The Cajun Country region of Louisiana covers much of the southern part of the state, and is also called Acadiana, the name given to the French-speaking region of Louisiana. Many people of Acadian descent living in the area are now Cajun. Originally Acadian exiles from Canada's Maritime Provinces were expelled during the French and Indian War, and Cajuns are their descendants. Not everyone who lives in the region speaks Cajun French, and there are people who culturally consider themselves Cajun, but do not come from those original Acadian refugees. The largest cities are Lafayette, Lake Charles and Houma- Thibodaux, but there are several other large cities and towns in the region.

The region has low, gentle hills in the north and dry prairies in the south, with marshes and bayous in the south closer to the coast. Wetlands cover the areas around the Calcasieu River, Atchafalaya Basin and the Mississippi River Delta. The wet climate allows for cultivation of rice and sugarcane. There are a number of seaports, rivers, lakes, bayous, canals and spillways throughout the landscape, which are vital to commercial and recreational activities. Important rivers are the Mississippi River, in the eastern area, Atchafalaya River in the middle of the region, with the Calcasieu River flowing through Lake Charles which allows shipping traffic into the western part, and the Sabine River forms the western border of the state and the region. The Creole Nature Trail is a popular attraction in the southwest part of the area, and visitors can see alligators, ride airboats and experience the beauty of the state's coastal marshlands. Lake Charles and the southwest area have excellent hunting, fishing, crabbing and birding. Additionally, Lake Charles features casino gaming, museums, art galleries, theaters and the Lake Charles Symphony, restaurants, shopping and nightlife. Other attractions include Sam Houston Jones State Park, Sabine National Wildlife Refuge and Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge. The University of Louisiana is located in Lafayette.

Calcasieu Parish is located in the western part of Louisiana's Cajun Country. The name of the parish was the name of an Atakapa chief, the indigenous people in the southeastern woodlands, and means "crying eagle." It is bordered by Texas to the west and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Lake Charles is the largest city and the parish seat, and is a recreational destination for tourists. Other cities include Sulphur, Westlake and DeQuincy. Major waterways in the parish include Lake Charles, Calcasieu River, Intracoastal Canal, Ouiski Chitto Creek, English Bayou, West Fork and Calcasieu Lake. Sulphur is named for the chemical and mining industry which helped establish the parish in the late 1800s. It is a gateway to the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road. Westlake has an expanding industrial area, and also features a beautiful lakeside casino and hotels, as well as parks with facilities for swimming, softball, basketball, boating and fishing. The DeQuincy Railroad Museum is one of the most unique museums in the state.

Lafayette Parish is located in the center of Louisiana's Cajun Country. It was named in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette, a French general from the American Revolutionary War. The parish is the fifth smallest in the state by land area. The largest city is Lafayette which is also the county seat. Other cities include Broussard, Carencro, Scott, Youngsville, and there are a large number of small unincorporated communities. There is a strong Louisiana Creole influence in the area. The National Guard has a large base headquartered in this parish. A part of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve is in Lafayette Parish, and the Vermillion River runs through the center of the city of Lafayette. University of Louisiana at Lafayette, South Louisiana Community College and Louisiana Technical College are located in this parish.

Terrebonne Parish is located in the southeastern part of Louisiana's Cajun Country. It is named for its fertile soil, as terre bonne means "good earth" in French. It is the second largest parish in Louisiana in land area. It has been a center of Cajun culture since the 1700s and more than 10% of residents speak French. Houma is the only city and the parish seat, and there are a number of other unincorporated communities. The parish is bordered by the Gulf of Mexico to the south, where there are many bays and islands. The Gulf Coast features some of the best and most diverse fishing in the world, and the community of Cocodrie is ideal. Other attractions in the parish include Mandalay National Wildlife Refuge, Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum, Bayou Lafourche, which has a 50-mile paddling trail, Bayou Black Loop trails and Terrebonne Folklife Culture Center. A National Guard battalion resides in Houma.