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Pecanapalooza (Nov)
Get out this November and enjoy music, food, craft beer, military vehicles, and more at the annual Pecanapalooza Street Festival in our historic downtown on Market St. And there’s the pecan pie baking contest, of course.
Living in Ste. Genevieve House Tour
How do you take an old home and update it to current styles? Find out during the Living in Ste. Genevieve House Tour on Saturday, March 18, 2023. From 10a-3p see how homeowners have updated historic homes with modern touches on the inside. This all starts at the Guibourd-Valle House at #1 N. 4th St.
Honey Festival + Market
Come join family and friends at the annual Honey Festival + Market, sponsored by Harold’s Famous Bee Company. Music, honey, food, and fun await the family during this Saturday affair on Market Street in historic downtown Ste. Genevieve, Saturday, June 24, 2023 from 10a-4p.
Valle Craft Fair
Stop by and do some Christmas shopping at the annual Valle Craft Fair at Valle school. Dozens of crafters are there with a variety of options so you can find something for that person on your list. Open 9a-4p on the first Saturday in December.
40 N. 4th St.
Ste. Genevieve, MO 63670
Allée Allumée
Alleé Allumeé translates to “Lighted Garden Path” and that’s just what this event is! Tour guides lead you through a lit path in the historic yards and boxwoods of the Beauvais-Linden House. Learn more about the Christmas Traditions of the French settlers as you follow painted figures of colonial children as they bring gifts to a manger scene. Live music, cookies & cocoa, crafts, and a visit from Père Noël (French Santa Clause) help round out this fun and educational event
Lions Club Park
155 Market St.
Public Invited
A green space with tables and benches located in the middle of the historic downtown, Lions Club Park is an oasis where you can enjoy a meal or walking respite and sit under a beautiful shade canopy. Stop by for a beer and a hamburger during Jour De Fete or say hi to Santa after the annual Christmas Parade.
Schools may use the park for their sack lunch breaks during school tours but please reserve the park by filling out the form below.
All other group event/activities must fill out a Lions Club application by email request.
Baetje Farms Events
8932 Jackson School Road
Bloomsdale, MO 63627
Call us at 573-483-9021
Check-in advance for open hours.
Interested in a fun day at Baetje Farms? Schedule a tour of our world famous creamery, goats, barn, and a complimentary cheese tasting!
Baetje Farms is open to the public Monday through Thursday and often on Sundays. Please check our website for updates.
While you are there, feed the goats and then feed yourself award-winning goat cheese for a truly memorable experience!
Jean Baptiste Valle NPS Site
99 South Main Street
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Call us at 573-880-7189
Contact the National Park Service for availability
The Jean-Baptiste Vallé House is a large and imposing example of the “poteaux-sure-solle” (post on sill) construction. In the 1850s and 1860s, subsequent owners of the house remodeled it to conform to American tastes. In the 1960s, descendants of Leon Vion, who purchased the property in 1867, restored the house to its pre-1850 appearance.
Jean-Baptiste Vallé was the commandant of this area at the time the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory eliminating that French/Spanish position. Built in 1794, this house served as both a government center and home. Today it is operated by the National Park Service and is open when rangers are available.
Holiday Christmas Festival
December 3 & 4, 2022
All day Saturday and Sunday in the downtown Ste. Geneviève Historic district
Admission: Free
Call us at 800-373-7007 or 573-883-7097
Experience a wonderland of festivities during the annual Holiday Christmas Festival. A cultural celebration of 500 years of holiday-themed music performed by renowned musicians from across the region is featured at free performances in historic churches and other downtown venues.
Other activities include a Christmas parade, caroling, colonial decorations, free pictures with Santa for the little ones, the Art Guild Art Show & Sale, downtown shop refreshments, some historic site open houses, and an old-fashioned Christmas Tree lighting ceremony on Saturday evening at the Welcome Center!
Check out the Events Calendar for times and locations.
Déjà vu Spirit Reunion
October 22, 2022
“Meet” Dr. Lewis Linn, Missouri’s model Senator, Ferdinand Rozier an early merchant, and Jean Baptiste Valle an early leader of the community. Or “meet” folks portraying the well-to-do, or the not-so-well-to-do, residents of Ste. Geneviève’s history before 1880?
At the Déjà vu Spirit Reunion, on the 4th Saturday in October from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., visitors will experience these stories and more as the Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Geneviève hosts its annual event in the historic Memorial Cemetery. Tour the cemetery via lantern light and chat “face-to-face” with friendly spirits clad in traditional dress and enjoy a hauntingly good time.
Sponsored by the Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Geneviève as a fundraiser for Memorial Cemetery.
Rural Heritage Day
Rural Heritage Day, the fourth Saturday in October, is a celebration of history, reverie, and reminiscence dedicated to the hard-working founders of Ste. Geneviève. Come see how it used to be done: whether it’s farming, cooking, spinning, lace-making, leatherworking, soap-making, wood carving, gardening, apple pressing or good old-fashioned games.
Jour de Fête
August 12-13, 2023
The annual Jour de Fête, the second full weekend in August, is southeast Missouri’s largest outdoor crafts fair with 150 vendors, food choices, and music. Held in the heart of Ste. Geneviève’s Historic District, visitors can browse through arts and crafts booths. Shop till you drop and enjoy live music, food, living history demonstrations, and other activities at this family-friendly event.
Freedom Celebration
Around 4th of July
Admission is FREE
Celebrate Ste. Geneviève’s Independence Day public gathering with music, speeches, and fireworks! At noon there is a traditional celebration with a church bell ringing, Pledge of Allegiance, patriotic speeches, and music, as well as an honor salute by various local organizations.
That evening the local Muny Band will perform patriotic music, and at dusk, Fireworks will explode in Ste. Geneviève’s Pere Marquette Park.
French Heritage Festival
June 10-11, 2023
The French Heritage Festival, 2nd Weekend in June, celebrates 300 years of French culture and traditions! Experience living history, live traditional music, and La Veillee folk dancing at the Felix Valle State Historic Site.
Also enjoy French foods, re-enactors in period dress, historic home tours, street dance with wine and beer tent, promenades (parades), children’s activities, walking tours, tea with “Marie Antoinette” at the Guibourd, and much more!
Master Gardener’s Annual Garden Walk
May 20-21, 2023
The Ste. Geneviève Master Gardeners’ annual Garden Walk is held in the downtown historic district the weekend following Mother’s Day. It is a unique opportunity to tour private and public gardens.
Several gardens are part of historic homes in Ste. Geneviève and are typical of the 18th-century time period. Other activities include a Master Gardeners’ plant sale, private vendors, discounts at participating downtown merchants, art exhibits, and on Saturday, the Farmers Market.
La Guiannée (La Guignolèe)
December 31, 2022
Founded by French merchants and fur traders, Ste. Geneviève remained a French-speaking enclave for many years in the newly Americanized Midwest. Sadly, the last generations of native French speakers are disappearing, but cherished traditions like La Guiannée still remain. This ancient tradition, analogous to the English custom of Wassailing that dates back to Europe’s Middle Ages, is celebrated by descendants of those French settlers.
You can watch and participate with these singers and musicians as they celebrate this 250-year-old tradition each New Year’s Eve in the streets, cafes, and pubs of Ste. Geneviève’s Historic District.
“Bonsoir le maître et la maîtresse, and everyone who lives here too. Now for the last day of the year, la guignolée vous nous devez.” So begins the song chanted almost every New Year’s Eve in Ste. Genevieve for well over 250 years! Ste. Genevieve’s La Guignolèe singing troupe will again run their circuit of the Ste. Genevieve historic district in their centuries old New Year’s tradition. Dressed in bizarre and somewhat archaic costumes, the revelers wander from place to place on New Year’s Eve, singing a beggars’ song for favors.
Make a dinner reservation at a restaurant to see the troupe as they make their rounds, watch them perform in the Valle gym at 7:00pm, or attend a La Guignolèe watch party sponsored by the Centre for French Colonial Life 6:30pm-8:30pm. Don’t miss this unusual display of French tradition!
Ste. Geneviève Levee Wildlife Refuge
Stormy Crawford Way
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Call us at 573-883-7097
One aspect of the Ste. Geneviève Urban Levee is to provide habitats for a variety of wildlife and to provide access for people to experience and enjoy this area.
Follow Stormy Crawford Way from Main Street toward the Ste. Geneviève Urban Levee to embark on a walk on top of the levee. Kiosks along the way tell of the history of the area.
Birds, plants, and fish can be found nearby. Don’t be surprised when you see deer, opossums, meadowlarks, and herons. Also notice the cottonwoods, oaks, and cypress trees.
Walk north or south to explore the many possibilities and enjoy a sunny walk atop the levee!
“Saving St. Louis” Exhibit Opens At Centre For French Colonial Life
French Colonial America (FCA) unveils “Saving St. Louis,” an exhibit explaining the role of the 60 militiamen who traveled upstream and were instrumental in thwarting the British attack on May 26, 1780. The exhibit opened at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 8, 2021 at the Centre for French Colonial Life.
Militia and living history specialists will be on-site for the opening and every Saturday throughout the summer.
The “Saving St. Louis” exhibit features original and reproduction weapons and equipment used in this region by both French and Native American peoples during the late 18th century.
To help visualize the story, professional photographer Ronald Rayfield recreated scenes and militia reenact the 60 Ste. Geneviève fighters at the battle.
FCA Executive Director Geoff Giglierano said, “it may come as a revelation to many visitors, even those who are familiar with the American Revolution, that the story of the Battle of St. Louis and the role played in it by citizen-soldiers from Ste. Geneviève is not as commonly known as it deserves to be.”
The Centre for French Colonial Life is the museum building and entry point for FCA’s historic campus. The campus also offers hourly guided tours of the historic Louis Bolduc House (circa 1788) and Bolduc-LeMeilleur House (circa 1820) and grounds as well as the “Hands-on History” program at the Beauvais-Linden House (circa 1820).
The campus is owned by French Colonial America, a recognized 501(c)(3) not-for-profit.
May 8 activities also include “Tunes, Tomahawks & Tours,” with live music, tomahawk-throwing, and activities at the Linden House from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is $3 cash only.
The Centre for French Colonial Life will be open Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Mondays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. It is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays until further notice.
Admission for the exhibit is $5 per adult, $3 for children, and free to military members with an ID. The Centre for French Colonial Life is located at 198 Market Street in Ste. Geneviève, Missouri. Ample free parking is available behind the facility.
Follow The Centre for French Colonial Life & the Bolduc House’s Facebook page for further information and updates.
Sassafrass Creek Pioneer Days
Sassafras Creek Originals is hosting Pioneer Days on the weekend of May 6 and May 7, 2023. You will see feature demonstrations by craft vendors in keeping with the store’s colonial-era theme.
Food and refreshments will be available, and live music performances are planned for the weekend.
The King’s Ball
Proceeds will go to the Foundation for Restoration of Ste Genevieve.
Ste. Geneviève Art Center & Museum
DuBourg Place and Merchant Street
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Call us at 573.535.9833
Hours
Friday, Saturday, Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The Ste. Geneviève Art Center features displays on the county’s rich art history and art by local artists. The center, home to the Ste. Geneviève Art Guild, offers art classes, workshops, and other events. Come in and browse the impressive displays!
Ste. Geneviève Militia Encampment
Saturday, October 7, 2023
History comes alive in Ste. Geneviève with the annual Encampment, an 18th-century re-enactment event.
The Encampment is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Center for French Colonial Life.
The living history camp will include children’s games, colonial skills demonstrations and colonial crafts and trades such as gun building, chair seat weaving, spinning, leatherwork, and more.
The event is free and is children- and family-friendly.
The Encampment is sponsored by the Ste. Geneviève Militia, Inc, a member of Seven Years’ War, Inc., with support provided by the Ste. Geneviève County Community Foundation and the Ste. Geneviève Welcome Center.
For information, contact Doug Nickelson at dnickelson78@yahoo.com.
Masquerade on Main
183 North Main
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
573-535-9056 Call for admittance.
In Masquerade on Main, visitors can strike a pose or take a selfie at one of several creative scenes.
Take pictures in, on, and around these current scenes: an old-timey scene, a Goth / Cathedral scene, a saloon, a pirate ship, steampunk, Day of the Dead / Voodoo / Halloween, a sparkly Forest, a cemetery, and a brick wall.
Pose in either in your street clothes ($1), with props ($5), or in the hundreds of costumes for men women, and children ($20). There are no set hours yet, but call to get in at almost any time.
Hands-On History at the Linden House
116 S. Main St
Ste. Geneviève MO 63670
573-880-4123
Hours
Open Saturdays 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., May thru September.
The Linden House features fun and educational French Colonial Activities for kids. Visit and experience colonial crafts and skills by “shopping” in our vintage store. Learn about history and language in our 18th-century schoolroom. Throw a tomahawk* or use a bow and arrow in the yard, and so much more! *Age 8+, close-toed shoes required.
Bolduc & LeMeilleur Houses
Entry at 198 Market St
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Call us at 573.883.3105
Hours
Open Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 P.M.
The Bolduc House is a National Historic Landmark and is restored back to the way it was in the 1790s. The Colonial furnishings in this vertical log structure demonstrate how people lived back then. The LeMeilleur House next door illustrates the next generation of house construction and décor. Guided tours are available with an emphasis on French and Spanish culture, influence, and architecture.
Tickets for tours are available at the bottom of most hours and may be purchased at the campus gift shop inside the Centre for French Colonial Life.
Adult/$10, Student/$5, free to the military with I.D. Available to student and adult groups as well.
Call to schedule a group tour.
The Sainte Geneviève Museum Learning Center
360 Market Street
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Call us at 573-883-3466
Hours
Daily 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Check stegenmuseum.org for Holiday Hours
The Sainte Geneviève Museum Learning Center has Guy Darrough’s impressive dinosaur replicas in the Hall of Giants. See the progress on the Missouri dinosaur currently being excavated at the Official Missouri Dinosaur Visitor Site. Visit the Ancient Cultures Gallery and the Ste. Genevieve History Gallery. Get hands on with the exhibits and bring the whole family.
River Rapids Waterpark
1301 Progress Parkway
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Call us at 573.883.5244
River Rapids Water Park has daily and seasonal memberships available. This amazing facility includes several tubular tall water slides. The lazy river offers a relaxing float around the park. A 6-lane lap pool features a zip line, climbing ropes, and a diving board. An exciting kids’ play area has 30 different activities to enjoy. Come for a splashing good time!
Iggy’s Pop Shop
233 Merchant Street
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Call us at 573-880-7075
Hours
Monday, Wed, and Thursday 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Friday-Sunday 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Comics, Gaming, Events, and Everything Pop Culture! Explore this gaming and comics center!
Audubon’s Walk
June 11, 2022
Saturday during the French Heritage Festival atop Urban Levee
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Call us at 573-883-7097 or 800-373-7007
The famed ornithologist John James Audubon lived for a short time in Ste. Geneviève. Audubon’s Walk is a naturalist lead hike atop the Ste. Geneviève Urban Levee. Come see what shows up: cliff swallows, horned larks, red-winged blackbird, eastern bluebird, and more!
DuBourg Centre
305 Merchant Street
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Call us at 573-883-2731
Located in the Ste. Geneviève historic district, the DuBourg Centre is a newly renovated 100-year-old building offering one of the most beautiful event spaces in southeastern Missouri. It offers seating from 25 to 250 for corporate meetings, holiday parties, wedding ceremonies and/or receptions, rehearsal dinners, as well as bridal or baby showers.
Weddings, Reunions, Meetings
Reunions
Audubon’s Grill and Bar
573-883-2479
Cave Vineyard
573-543-5384
www.cavevineyard.com
Chaumette winery
573-747-1000
Crown Ridge Tiger Sanctuary
573-883-9909
Crown Valley Winery
573-207-9463
DuBourg Centre
573-883-2731
www.ste.genevieve.parish/21.com
Ste. Genevieve County Community Center
573-883-5244
Watertower Winery
573-880-3887
www.facebook.com/watertowerwinery/
Weingarten Vineyard and Garten Haus Restaurant
573-883-2505
Other Venues:
American Legion Hall
573-883-5883
Knights of Columbus Hall
573-883-7549
Ste. Genevieve Elk’s Lodge
573-883-7257
VFW Hall
573-883-2207
Civil War Interpretive Event
Saturday August 27, 2022
When: 4th Saturday in August
Call us at 800-373-7007 or 573-883-7097
A family-friendly, living history event! Observe Civil War camp life and demonstrations of marching, and musket fire. Learn about Ste. Geneviève citizens who fought in the war, some on each side.
It is actually being held on Saturday, August 27th. The camp will be set up in the yard of the Felix Valle House State Historic Site. From 11:00am to 11:45am on that day, we will do a re-enactment of the Federal troops taking money from our bank during the early days of the Civil War.
The re-enactment will be on the corner of Merchant and Main in front of the Show Me Shop.
Green Tree Tavern NPS Site
244 St Marys Rd
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Call us at 573-880-7189
The Green Tree Tavern is the oldest verified vertical log building in Ste. Geneviève. Officially dated to 1790 by dendrochronology studies, this “poteau sur sole” (post on sill) vertical log construction was built by the French Canadian Nicolas Janis.
This impressive structure has also been used as an inn, a tobacco store, and the first Masonic Lodge in Missouri. The Green Tree is transferring to the Ste. Geneviève National Historic Park.
Open seasonally.
E*Klek*TiX
130 N Main Street
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Email jrissoverart@gmail.com
Call us at: 573-330-2620
Always a sure bet to find a unique gift, E•Klek•TiX Gallery and Studio feature original work by local artist J Rissover and a collection of gift and decorative items from many parts of the world.
Ste. Geneviève Art Colony
Ste. Geneviève Welcome Center
66 South Main Street
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Call us at 573-883-7097 or 800-373-7007
For several summers in the 1930s, an Art Colony located in Ste. Geneviève conducted a Summer School of Art. Instead of painting rolling hills or flowers, the artists portrayed the human condition and Depression-era events.
Information about the school and some of its creations are on display at the Ste. Geneviève Welcome Center. Gravediggers, portraits, and lime kiln workers are depicted.
The Summer School instructors include Thomas Hart Benton, Fred E. Conway, Joseph James Jones, Miriam McKinnie, Joseph John Paul Meert, Jesse Beard Rickly, Aimee Goldstone Schweig, Martyl Schweig, E. Oscar Thalinger, Joseph Paul Vorst, and Matthew E. Ziegler.
Another display of Art Colony works can be viewed in the stone building behind the Shaw house.
Traditional Artisans Showcase
ASL Pewter Foundry
Third Weekend in July
183 South Third Street
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
573-883-2095
This traditional art show and sale feature artisans from the Midwest who have been selected by Early American Life Magazine as the best in their fields. These artists and fine crafters display and sell their work and happily educate the public on the traditional way in which these items are made and used.
Guest artists have included Mike Ochonicky – scrimshaw; Doug and Julie Dawson – tin cookie cutters and other tinware; Vernon DePauw – woodcarving; Suzette Krummel – Penny Rugs; Tom Wintczak – redware pottery, and fracture; Kandye Mahurin – painted game boards on antique bread and cutting boards.
Kaskaskia Island Birding
Kaskaskia Island, IL
Off of Highway U
Near St. Mary, MO
Kaskaskia Island’s sloughs and ponds are a Mecca for water birds. Birders flock to this area. Birds can be viewed along most roads on the island. Herons, egrets, ducks, and stray whooping cranes are often seen here near the Middle Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge. Even though Kaskaskia is part of Illinois it can only be reached from Missouri.
To visit Kaskaskia, go south on Highway 61 to Highway U in St. Mary.
Ste. Geneviève County Fair
July 7-10, 2022
Mid weekend in July
County Fairgrounds, North Main St.
Ste. Geneviève, MO
The Ste. Geneviève County Fair includes a parade, livestock shows, demolition derby, horse show, truck pulls, tractor pulls, queen contest, 4H and FFA exhibits, and live entertainment.
There is a lot to see and do for adults and children all weekend with plenty of good food and entertainment.
French Christmas – Felix Valle House
Merchant and 2nd Streets
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Call us at 573-883-7102
This annual holiday celebration at the Felix Valle State Historic Site highlights the music, customs, and crafts of early French Colonial Christmas in Ste. Geneviève. The celebration, known as Le Reveillon, features costumed guides who explain the early 19th-century customs of Christmas. Traditional foods and music of the period are featured on the first Saturday in December.
4th Friday Art Walk (Feb thru Nov)
Historic Downtown Ste. Geneviève
Bring your friends and enjoy a leisurely stroll among the shops, restaurants, and art galleries of downtown Ste. Geneviève. During the 4th Friday Art Walks, Ste. Geneviève art galleries offer visitors the opportunity to view the works of local and regional artists displaying a variety of art forms.
During the Fourth Friday Art Walk, many businesses in the Historic District participate by extending their store hours from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Start your tour at the Welcome Center where you can view two important art collections, as well as pick up a map to the galleries. The 4th Friday Art Walk is sponsored by the Gallery Association of Sainte Geneviève. Art Walks are on the fourth Friday of each month from February thru November.
Refreshments may be served at various locations and there are five restaurants with regular evening hours in the historic district.
Small Shop Saturday (Nov)
Shop Small Saturday is a nationwide event created by American Express and sponsored locally by the Ste. Geneviève Downtown Renewal Project and The Ste. Geneviève Chamber of Commerce. This event’s purpose is to encourage sales for local small businesses. So shop local and support small business owners!
Moonlight Madness (July)
Wednesday, July 13, 2022
Location: Historic Downtown Ste. Geneviève
800-373-7007
573-883-7097
Enjoy a Christmas-in-July-themed shopping extravaganza on the second Wednesday in July. Participating shops in the Historic District will be open from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and offer special discounts.
Sponsored by Downtown Ste. Geneviève
Cookie Crumb Trail
Location: Historic Downtown Ste. Geneviève
800-373-7007
573-883-7097
Attention shoppers: Follow the Cookie Crumb Trail! Sample cookies and collect recipes to get started on your own Christmas baking! Participating downtown shops will feature a different cookie recipe and have sample cookies for you to taste.
Proceeds go to a local family in need. Just in time for Christmas!
Ste. Geneviève – Modoc Ferry
Locally referred to as The French Connection, the Ste. Geneviève – Modoc Ferry is a quick connection between Ste. Geneviève, Missouri, and southern Illinois.
From Ste. Geneviève, the ferry offers a quick route to Fort de Chartres, Pierre Menard Home, and Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Parks – as well as other interesting attractions in Southern Illinois.
To access the ferry go north on Main Street which ends at the ferry landing.
Call ahead to make sure it is running. As of 10/2022 it is under repair and not running.
Ste. Geneviève Muny Band Concerts
8:00 p.m. Thursday evenings in June and July
Valle School Parking Lot
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
573-883-7097
800-373-7007
Ste. Geneviève’s Municipal Band performs a variety of favorites each week: polkas, marches, show tunes, kids’ tunes, and popular melodies. Sit in your car or bring a lawn chair and blanket to enjoy one of the few municipal bands still around, a Ste. Geneviève tradition for over 70 years!
Ste. Geneviève Trolley
Historic District and Wine Country
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Call us at 573-535-1911
Ste. Geneviève Trolley was established in 2016 to provide a safe and friendly transportation service for the community.
For a $20 fee, riders will receive an all-day ride wristband and will be able to take the trolley from one of the downtown stops to several of the county wineries. Call 573-535-1911 to make arrangements.
History Conference
Where: Ste. Geneviève County Community Center
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
800-373-7007
573-883-7097
The Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Geneviève hosts an annual history conference at which presentations are made on the history of Ste. Geneviève and the surrounding area.
Presentations are on a variety of subjects from pre-European settlement to the French colonial period as well as the 19th and 20th centuries. The event starts with a continental breakfast and then lunch.
A reception for conference attendees will be held on Friday evening.
French Veillée
June 11, 2022
Felix Valle State Historic Site
Merchant and Second Streets
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
573-883-7102
On the second weekend in June, enjoy an evening in the garden of the Felix Valle House at this recreation of a La Veillée, a traditional French Colonial summer social gathering as part of the French Heritage Festival.
Featured at the event will be French folk dancing, folk tales, candlelight tours of the home, and refreshments.
L’Ecole du Soldat
Where: Historic District
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
800-373-7007
573-883-7097
A family-friendly, living history event! Come explore the traditions of the “School of the Soldier.” This is a fully packed weekend of lectures and camaraderie with plenty of events to see.
On Saturday, attend a public heritage auction of discovered “desirables” – memorabilia, collectibles, “accouterments,” utensils, and “watcha-may-call-its.” In addition, Ste. Geneviève has the greatest concentration of original French colonial buildings in North America. Plus it is the only surviving French colonial village in the United States.
At Ecole du Soldat activities of that early era are reenacted.
Ste. Genevieve Catholic Church
49 DuBourg Place
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
573-883-2731
Website
The current, brick Ste. Geneviève Catholic Church is the third Catholic church erected on this block. As Ste. Geneviève was moved to higher ground due to flooding, the original log church was moved here in 1794.
A stone structure replacing the log building was consecrated in 1837. As the congregation grew a larger church was required, and a brick building was constructed around the stone one. The stone church continued to be used until the new church was completed in 1880. Then the remaining old stones were removed out the doors. In 1911 this church was expanded again with the addition of the altar apse and the two side transepts.
Come inside to admire the stain-glass windows and marble adornments!
Hawn State Park
Hwy 144 off Highway 32
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
573-883-3603
Just 25 minutes west of Ste. Geneviève, Hawn State Park is one of the best wilderness experiences that nature has to offer. The nearly 5,000-acre park features beautifully manicured areas for day use tent or RV camping.
The River Aux Vases and Pickle Creeks provide added fun for staying cool in the summer. Dogwood and redbud trees along with numerous types of wildflowers give the park a stunning backdrop for your experience in the spring.
Fall is especially colorful with the trees in their full autumn attire. Maps are available to guide visitors in hiking the many trails ranging from 2 to 10 miles in length.
Felix Vallé House State Historic Site
Merchant & 2nd Streets
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Call us at 573-883-7102
Hours
Open Daily April to October
Thursday thru Sunday: November to March
Travel back to Missouri’s early French roots at Felix Vallé House State Historic Site. The American-Federal style Vallé house was built in 1818 and today is furnished in the style of the 1830s with a host of artifacts that show the American influence on the French community of Ste. Geneviève after the Louisiana Purchase.
This historic site was the home of one of Ste. Geneviève’s premier colonial families, Felix and Odile Pratte Vallé. The house features the family’s living quarters displaying beautiful early Empire furnishings with fully restored, original mantels and interior trim. An outside staircase on the back porch leads to fully furnished, second-floor bedrooms. The charming garden features original brick and frame outbuildings. Special Saturday activities are offered seasonally.
Admission includes guided tours. Meet your guide in the gift shop located across the street. Tours are offered at 10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Guibourd-Vallé House
Fourth and Merchant streets
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
573.883.0584
Website
Guided group tours may be arranged at any time by appointment.
Winter Hours 12:00 noon and 2:00 p.m. by appointment only.
Closed Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
The Guibourd-Vallé House was constructed for Jacques Guibourd in 1806 in the “poteaux-sur-sole” style with vertical, hand-hewn log walls and a double-pitched roof. This important National Register site is the only historic house in Ste. Geneviève where visitors can go into the attic to view and study up close the Norman truss architecture employed at the time.
The house is furnished with elegant French Antiques. The museum is owned and operated by the Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Genevieve as a memorial to its donor and former resident, Jules Felix Vallé.
Admission is adults $8, students $5 and a family $20, groups of 10 or more $5, students $3. Tours are led by costumed guides.
Guided walking tours in the historic district are also available Monday-Friday at noon starting at and including the Guibourd-Valle House. Admission is adults $15, students $5, and a family $35.
Magnolia Hollow Conservation Area
Magnolia Hollow Drive
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Magnolia Hollow Conservation Area’s rugged 1,740-acre area is bordered by Establishment Creek and Schmidt’s Island and the Mississippi River. This recreation and outdoor lover’s paradise has steep bluffs and scenic river views.
Eagles are commonly sighted along the river in the winter months. Finally, the management of Magnolia Hollow and Establishment Creek corridors is minimal and designed to protect the steep and sensitive watersheds.
Ste. Geneviève Memorial Cemetery
5th & Merchant Streets
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
573-883-7544
Open Daily until Dusk
Memorial Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 3,500 people, perhaps up to 5,000. Most grave markers were wooden crosses that have rotted away leaving most graves unmarked. The oldest grave is of Louis Le Clere and is dated 1796. The newest interment, or reinterment, is dated 15 years after the cemetery was officially closed in 1882.
Dr. Lewis Linn was first buried in1843 in Memorial Cemetery, but he did not rest in peace. Because the cemetery had become quite weedy and overgrown, the “model senator” was moved nearby to the new Valle Springs Cemetery. After Memorial Cemetery was cleaned up, in 1938 Senator Linn was buried for the third time. His almost 100-year-old corpse was remarkably preserved in his air-tight, lead-lined coffin, and people lined up to view his face through the window in the lid.
Another burial after the official closure of the cemetery was for Odile Vallé. She wished to be buried with her prominent husband, Felix Valle. In exchange, she donated land for the new cemetery and an enormous sum for the construction of the new brick Catholic Church.
Other notables buried in the cemetery include John Scott, Missouri’s last territorial representative and first Congressman; Jean Baptiste Vallé, the last French commandant of the area; Jacques Misse, an American Revolutionary War soldier; and a Civil War colonel killed at the Battle of Shiloh.
The oldest part of the cemetery is the middle third. This section was for Catholics. As other faiths came to the territory, another section was added uphill. This is where victims of a steamship explosion are buried, as are Native Americans. Some African slaves are buried there as well, while others lay at peace in their enslaver’s plot.
When it became apparent that more room was needed, another parcel was added downhill from the original. Finally, Memorial Cemetery reached capacity and became a health hazard. Burials after May of 1882 were in the new Vallé Spring Cemetery for Catholics, the Lutheran Cemetery, and Crestlawn Cemetery for others.
Centre for French Colonial Life
198 Market St
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Call us at 573-883-3105
Open Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 P.M.
The Centre for French Colonial Life is the headquarters for the French Colonial America museum campus. This building houses temporary and long-term exhibits, the campus gift shop, and offices.
At the Centre for French Colonial Life museum, the following special exhibits are on display: Saving St. Louis and To Shelter and Sustain. Saving St. Louis is an exhibit explaining the role of the 60 militiamen from Ste. Geneviève who traveled upstream and were instrumental in thwarting the British attack on May 26, 1780, during the Revolutionary War. The To Shelter and Sustain exhibit highlights the distinctive construction methods of structures utilized by early settlers of primary French descent who became known as “Creoles”.
Admission to the Centre for French Colonial life is $5 for adults and $3 for children.
Call to schedule a group tour.
Pere Marquette City Park
Pere Marquette Park
North Main Street at Mathews Drive
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
This scenic city park, named for the famous 17th-century French Jesuit missionary, provides a perfect spot for that leisurely picnic or open space for the kids to play. The park features, play structures, soccer and baseball fields, and restrooms.
Bequette-Ribault House
351 St Marys Rd
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Call us at 573-747-1000
Open Saturdays 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. seasonally by request.
Built in 1808, the Bequette-Ribault House, located across from Le Grand Champ or the “Big Field,” is an excellent example of “poteaux-en-terre” or “posts-in-the-earth” architecture.
Ste. Geneviève is home to 3 out of 5 remaining such buildings. Poteaux-en-terre architecture is in reference to the vertical logs built directly into the ground without a foundation.
The Bequette Ribault House was restored by Chaumette’s owners Hank and Jacque Johnson. In one of its outbuildings, a Hospitality Center features a tasting bar offering tastings and purchases of Chaumette’s award-winning wines.
Public tours are typically available on Saturdays, from noon to 5 p.m. and from Memorial Day to October.
Private tours on Saturdays can be arranged during the winter months by calling 573-747-1000.
For more info visit their website.
Pickle Springs Natural Area
Pickle Springs Natural Area, Highway AA
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Call us at 573-883-3603
Pickle Springs has been designated a Natural Landmark by the National Park Service for its biological and geological values as an undisturbed site. A two-mile trail named the “Trail Through Time” winds through the park and guides the visitor through 500 million-year-old geologic wonders carved in sandstone.
The trail features clear streams, cool canyons, spectacular bluff views, and “The Slot,” a crevice marked with holes, pockets, and ridges. Visitors must climb through the ”Keyhole” to descend to the creek below. Twin footbridges cross Bone Creek and pass Mossy Falls.
The park is a primitive natural area and does not have services. Be sure to bring a camera and plenty of liquids before hiking the trail.
Silver Sycamore Gallery of Fine Art
302 Market Street
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Hours
Friday 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Call us at 573-608-0692
Silver Sycamore a Gallery of Fine Art, formerly The Rhinehart & Rhinehart Gallery, is one of a kind! The moment you walk through the door, the variety and quality of the art will take your breath away!
This gallery features the creations of a number of local artists.
Available by appointment and they offer extended hours for Special Events. Call 701-527-9160 for additional times.
Hickory Canyons Natural Area
Hickory Canyons Natural Area, Sprott Road
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Lamotte sandstone formed box canyons here from the sandy beaches of a shallow ocean that existed 500 million years ago. Millions of years of erosion and uplift of the Ozark Plateau exposed the sandstone we see today.
After a rain event, a wet-weather waterfall can be enjoyed from the end of the 1/4 mile hiking trail on the east side of the county road. Another 1-plus mile trail loops through a canyon on the west side of Sprott Road.
In the winter, the bluffs drip with icicles that sparkle in the sun. This area is botanically rich, supporting glacial relics, species that were more common in Missouri 12,000 years ago during the last Ice Age. Since then, the climate has warmed, forcing some species to inhabit micro-climates that mimic the cool, moist conditions of glacial times. Glacial relics at Hickory Canyons include hay-scented fern, fir clubmoss, and winterberry. The area is rich in fern species with over a dozen species represented.
Beauvais-Amoureux House NPS Site
327 St Marys Rd
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Call us at 573-883-7102
Open seasonally
Built around 1792 by Jean-Baptiste St. Gemme Beauvais, the Beauvais-Amoureux Historic House overlooks Ste. Geneviève’s communal agricultural fields, le Grand Champ.
Its upright cedar log walls are set directly into the earth in the rare “poteaux-en-terre” or “posts-in-the-earth” architecture method of construction. Heavy, hand-hewn timbers form the Norman truss system which supports the steeply-pitched roof that is reminiscent of early French Canadian architecture.
This vertical log home was purchased by Benjamin Amoureux in 1852 and later inherited by his wife Pelagie. Visit Pelagie Amoureux to hear her story. This house is now part of the National Park Service. Tour a display explaining how vertical log buildings were constructed and a large, impressive diorama depicting the village of Ste. Geneviève as it was in 1832! Free
Ste. Geneviève Golf Course
17450 Clubhouse Ct, MO Hwy 32
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Call us at 573-883-2949
Hours
Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Serving: Breakfast, Lunch, and Supper daily
Amenities: Ste. Geneviève Golf Club is a Par-72, 18-hole design with 4 sets of tees. After playing a round of golf enjoy a sandwich or burger in the Clubhouse.
Alcohol: Full Bar
Crown Ridge Tiger Sanctuary
19620 State Route B
Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670
Call us at 573-883-9909
Enjoy a 45-minute guided walking tour of Crown Ridge Tiger Sanctuary. Learn where the animals were rescued from, their personalities, and how you can help these amazing big cats as well as their wild relatives.
After the tour, head down to our Education Center and Gift Shop where you can view and even touch tiger artifacts such as teeth, claws, and a tiger pelt, just to name a few.
Visitors receive a complimentary tasting of Fizzy Izzy Root Beer named after our very own, Izzy tiger. All of the pathways are paved and accessible to wheelchairs and strollers.
April thru Nov | Thursday thru Sunday | 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.
Dec thru March | Saturday, and Sunday | 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.
Night Of The Werewolf (Oct)
The annual Night of the Werewolf, from 7 to 9 p.m., provides a rare opportunity for night activities on the campus of French Colonial America.
Loup Garou (werewolves) have been spotted throughout the village at night! Enjoy lantern led historic house tours, werewolf stories & folklore around the fire, s’mores & cider, children’s games, and patrol with the militia as they capture and dispatch werewolves
Call about ticket availability at 573-883-3105.