Abbeville, Louisiana: What to See, Where to Eat and More

Abbeville is a quaint town south of Lafayette centered around a parish courthouse at one end and the historic St. Mary Magdalen Church at the other. Catholic missionary Rev. Pére Antoine Désiré Mégret of France arrived in 1843 and it’s believed he named the settlement for his hometown in France. Enjoy great seafood along Bayou Vermilion, visit its many historic attractions or come for the annual Giant Omelette Celebration in the fall. Fun Facts! The remake of the film “The Blob” was filmed in Abbeville in 1988. Abbeville natives include Bobby Charles, who wrote “See You Later, Alligator” and “Walking to New Orleans.”

Downtown Abbeville

Downtown walking tours and tours of the historic St. Mary Magdalen Church with its ancient cemetery containing many Cajun pioneers are available by appointment. Other historic and cultural properties to enjoy include the Sam Guarino Blacksmith Shop Museum and the Abbeville Cultural & Historical Musem & Art Gallery, the latter offering self-guided tours of downtown to allow visitors to explore on their own. Numerous shops dot the downtown landscape, including Grammie’s antique market, T’Boys Flea Market and Chloe Rosé Gifts.

Come Hungry

Because of Abbeville’s proximity to the Gulf, visitors can expect amazingly fresh Gulf seafood, much of which is purchased straight from the docks or caught live. Shucks! and Dupuy’s Seafood & Steak are famous for their oysters fresh from the Gulf but also fish, jumbo shrimp and rich Cajun gumbo. Riverfront – A Louisiana Grill serves up seafood as well, either indoors or on the screened-in patio overlooking the Vermilion River. Abbeville is also home to Cajun culinary delights such as Steen’s Syrup derived from sugar cane and Cajun Power products that range from gumbo starters to seasonings and sauces.

Break an Egg

Every year, Abbeville celebrates its French heritage with the Giant Omelette Celebration. Chefs gather to whip up 5,000 eggs along with pounds of butter and crawfish, gallons of chopped green onions and bell peppers and large dashes of Tabasco on a 12-foot skillet that’s so enormous it takes a forklift to place over a fire. The family friendly-festival — Nov. 7-8 this year — also includes a two-day arts and craft show, an egg-cracking contest, live music, antique farm implements and cars and much more. And yes, samples of that omelette will be given out.