When my husband and I unexpectedly had 24 kid-free hours on our hands last week, we were left wondering what to do … do we sleep, do nothing, go to Target? The possibilities were endless! As we only have about 2 months until we enter the newborn, sleepless night realm once again, we thought we better spring at the chance to get outta dodge while we still can! Where could we go that wasn’t too far away, spend a relaxed day with not too much walking, and get home before bedtime? A few google searches later, and we decided on Ste. Genevieve, Missouri.
Ste. Genevieve not only interested us because of its close location, but also because of its history! Founded in 1735, Ste. Genevieve is the oldest permanent European settlement in the State of Missouri. It was founded originally by French Canadians … pretty cool, huh?
We packed up the car and took Hwy 55 South to Ste. Genevieve. It only took us about an hour and we enjoyed gorgeous views of the changing leaves along the way which made the trip go by even faster! Upon arriving in town, we went immediately to the welcome center. Since we didn’t have too much time, we wanted to make sure we used our day wisely! The women working behind the desk told us all there was to know about Ste. Genevieve, and pointed us in the right direction of what to visit first. Mainly, where to get a good afternoon treat and cup of coffee! Mama’s got to eat, right??
Our first stop was the Beanik Cafe for a drink and pastry. The charm of this small historical (and very walkable!) town enticed us immediately. We were lucky that the 70+ degree fall weather played in our favor! We enjoyed our sweets and drinks outside and enjoyed the sights of the colonial architecture around us. We chose non-coffee drinks, but typically the owner provides freshly-ground pour-over coffee individually brewed for customers.
After our snack break, we kept on strolling and took in the views of the charming inns, colonial architecture and historic homes! The charm and history made us wish we had another day to spend before heading back to St. Louis!
Next, we headed to do a bit of shopping. Our first stop was Odile’s Linen & Lace, as the woman at the welcome center told us she had some beautiful baby items in stock. And she was right! It turns out that the owner is retiring this December, so there were some major markdowns and discounts to be had. Inventory included baptism gowns, scarfs/wraps, hats, bobbles, Christmas decor, lace and SO MUCH MORE. There are treasures tucked into the small, multiple rooms of this shop. We could have spent hours exploring! Be sure to stop in if you visit Ste. Genevieve before the end of the year.
Here are a few other images I snapped while window shopping:
The last official stop we made was a visit to the Ste. Genevieve Parish. My husband is European and loves to compare the style and architecture of American Catholic churches with European Cathedrals. Did you know Ste. Genevieve Parish is the oldest recorded parish in the Archdiocese of St. Louis? We sure didn’t!
After purchasing some tasty candy for the road from Sweet Things Sweet Shop (a charming candy store that sells old-school candy, delicious chocolate, and gifts for both babies and adults), we passed in front of the Centre for French Colonial Life. Free of charge to the public, this centre offers an in-depth look at French colonial life in Ste. Genevieve and the development of a unique French creole culture. It’s here where you can also learn valuable information about local historical houses and buy tickets to tour them!
In the end, we wished we could stay for a night or two to have more down to explore the downtown and the surrounding area’s beauty, historic homes, wineries and so much more! But we vowed to come back (perhaps in a few years when both are children are sleeping through the night!) and do just that. I hope you’ll make a trip to Ste. Genevieve and love it as much as we did!
Click here for ALL their is to know about visiting Ste. Genevieve, including activities, history, dining, lodging, shopping and MORE!
Ste. Genevieve is hosting some really fun upcoming events in preparation for the holidays:
November 10: Cookie Crumb Trail – Get into the Holiday spirit as you sample cookies at participating locations in Ste Genevieve’s historic downtown!
Holiday Christmas Festival: December 7-9 – Experience a wonderland of festivities during the annual Holiday Christmas Festival, including a Christmas parade, caroling, colonial decorations, free pictures with Santa for the little ones, the Art Guild Art Show & Sale, downtown shop refreshments, an old-fashioned Christmas Tree lighting ceremony and more!
