The .Plan

Holla.

Of the 39 US cities and counties named for the Marquis de La Fayette , the aristocrat who was a hero of both the French and American revolutions, this is definitely the place that will show you the best time. Located about 130 miles west of New Orleans on the Vermilion River, Lafayette is an exhilarating gumbo of Cajun and Creole cultures brought to life in the city’s artwork, music, and food. French influences prevail, from the state’s only doctorate program in Francophone studies at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette to the musical and cultural statements made at the annual Festival de Musique Acadienne , Festival International de Louisiane, and the Festivals Acadiens , coming up Oct. 13-15.

…No visit to Lafayette is complete without an evening at Mulate’s in nearby Breaux Bridge. The sign promises “bon temps et bon manger” (good times and good eating), and this venerable landmark delivers. The alligator hides on the ceiling are a clue that you’re in Cajun country, along with the bronzed dancing shoes on the walls. Try the boiled crawfish, fried crawfish, crawfish étouffée — you might guess that Breaux Bridge tags itself “The Crawfish Capital of the World.”

More than five generations of two-steppers have danced across these old cypress floors, with live Cajun music every night, as well as at noon on Saturday and Sunday. Even if you don’t know how to dance Cajun style, don’t be shy, cher. In Lafayette, getting on your feet and giving it a whirl is all it takes to feel a little bit Cajun.
–Beth d’Addono, “A good time is had by all”, Boston Globe, August 16, 2006