Let's start with the All-Star of the plantations :

Oak Alley : "L'allée de Chênes"

It is indeed with this alley that everything began here around 1700.

A French settler, probably attracted by the coming foundation of New Orleans, acquires this land and plants there a double row of 28 oak trees, thus forming a 400 meters long alley leading to the Mississippi.

Aunty hides behind her nephew...

Enlarge the picture, you'll see me better ;)

But this settler did not survive in the though conditions that were prominent at the time, and could not pursue his dream...

 However the trees continued to grow and embellish this land, which in 1834 was offered by Jacques Roman, a rich planter, to his new wife.

The house was finished around 1841, supported by 28 columns, you guess why...  It was named "Bon Séjour" (Happy Stay), but the steamboat captains, seeing this gorgeous oak trees alley from the Mississippi, gave it the name that stayed : "Oak Alley".

30 years later, the last surviving son had to sell the plantation for a today ridiculous amount : 30 000 dollars...

A Portuguese man bought it and grew sugar cane.

His children not being interested, he had to sell it 20 years later, and went to Jefferson Hardin who kept it only 7 years.  But in 7 years, he did a lot for Oak Alley, particularly saving the oak trees from being cut down by the authorities.

Ah, good company and a good "Mint Julep"...

My godson dreams, back to a 300 year old oak tree...

Finally, in 1924, Mr. and Mrs. Stewart bought the plantation and began to restore it completely.

Short before her death, having survived her husband more than 25 years, Josephine Stewart created a non-profit organization to maintain the house and open it to visitors.

Thank you, Madam, from the bottom of my heart.

Tezcuco

Famous also, and not only for its majesty...

Tragically however, the main house burned to the ground in 2002...

Joli, joli !

Look who's there...

You could stay in one of the bungalows, it's a bed & breakfast !

A little expensive, but each bungalow is different, very well equipped, and, well...  What an experience !

No, the picture on the right is not misplaced...

It's at Tezcuco that we met the Corvette Club on a journey !

Two dozens of Corvettes entering a quiet parking lot, i can assure you it is impressive...

And their owners were among the nicest persons we met.

Not the same kind of vestiges...

Too sad...  Closed.

My aunt's name being Hélène, we had to stop by

Ashland "Belle Hélène"

even though this plantation has been bought by an oil company who does not seem to take great care of it...  Except for the fences !

No visit (1995).

Houmas

(If I remember well ?)

Another nice plantation...

But let's not forget that all these houses were the slaves owners'...  The slaves quarters in most plantations have disappeared, another sign of the difference of quality between them !

The alley does not compare to the other,
but I wouldn't spit on it anyway !

Better than a country house, hmm ?

San Francisco

My favorite !  It's a steamboat captain who had this unique one built, half steamboat and half-house, with "Tex-Mex" colors.

On the down side : today it is bordered with a road, a parking lot and a refinery !