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Francois Gabriel ‘Valcour’ Aime built this plantation in 1799. What made this property unique was the 12 acres of English Gardens that was created by an European landscape architect. His wealth grew into the millions, and he was labeled ‘Louis XIV of Louisiana.’ This plantation was once considered the most lavish in Louisiana which gave it the name Le Petit Versailles. The gardens contained an artificial lagoon that was fed by the Mississippi River wound through the gardens and under Roman bridges. This property also contained summerhouses, a treehouse, greenhouses, private zoo, and a miniature Napoleonic fort which was viewed from a pagoda built atop a man-made hill.
This plantation grew fruits, vegetables, plants, and flowers from all over the world. While growing sugar cane, he experimented with techniques for refining sugar and was one of the only planters who refined sugar directly from cane juice on site. The house was sadly destroyed by fire in 1920.
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Photographs taken July 2010 ~ Area grown up
The few remnants left of this plantation is on private property and is closed to the public.
Location: Hwy. 18, Vacherie, Louisiana