Ste. Genevieve - An Historic River Town
Imagine life with no alarm clocks, no cell phone, no pager, no answering machine, no computer and no noise. Just peace and quiet. That life may be impossible to obtain, but it can happen if only for a few hours or perhaps a few days in Ste. Genevieve MO, just 1 hour south of St. Louis. An easy drive in the family Ford.
This is a charming, laid-back town, where bicycles stand on the sidewalks without locks and people stroll in and out of inviting little shops filled with antiques, crafts, gifts, sweets and wine.
One can enjoy the charm of an Old World village plus the comforts and convenience of modern living. Stroll through the streets of this unique community, dine in a variety of restaurants, browse the specialty shops and stay in distinguished bed and breakfast inns and other fine lodgings.
Beauvais-Amoureux House
The Beauvais-Amoureux House was built over-looking Le Grand Champ agricultural fields in 1792. This is a French creole vernacular post in ground (poteaux-enterre) construction; one of three in Ste. Genevieve and only five in the US. Its cedar log walls are set directly into the earth, without a foundation. The roof system consists of king-post trusses and longitudinal wind braces. The house is located at 327 St. Mary Road and is open occasionally to the public.
Hawn State Park
After leaving the historic site, point the Ford towards Hawn State Park which is just 16 miles from the city in Ste. Genevieve County, off Hwy 32. This is the best wilderness experience that nature has to offer to forget traffic jams, family crises and work related problems. Within the 4,953-acre park is the 2,570-acre "Whispering Pine Wild Area".
Nowhere else in Missouri can one find these rare plants, some left behind by glaciers. When snow is on the ground winter provides a special treat of frozen water falls and wonderful ice sculptures. Spring brings the wild pink azaleas which grow from the bluffs, hills and sandstone. You will also see the dogwoods, redbuds and many, many wildflowers.
When arriving at the park drive up to the information office and get a map. This will help to select one of the many trails and direct you to the campground, picnic area and facilities. For more information, call 573-883-3603.
After visiting the historical homes and hiking in park, head back into town for shopping at the unique gift stores and antique shops. You'll wish you had brought the Expedition instead of the Taurus so there'd be more room to load up all your purchases. Then relax over a lovely dinner and rest up with an overnight stay at a bed 'n' breakfast before heading back into the city.
