All Summer in Sainte Genevieve

Ste. Genevieve Levee Wildlife Refuge – Where Mississippi River Bottomlands Meet Audubon’s Legacy Between downtown Ste. Genevieve and the Mississippi River, the Ste. Genevieve Levee Wildlife Refuge transforms flood protection infrastructure into wildlife habitat—more than 200 acres of river bottomlands, floodplain forest, wetlands, and open fields where deer browse at dawn, great blue herons hunt the shallows, meadowlarks sing from fence posts, and bald eagles perch in towering cottonwoods overlooking the great river. Dedicated in 2021 after seven years of collaborative planning between the City of Ste. Genevieve, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, both Ste. Genevieve Levee Districts, Missouri Department of Conservation, and Army Corps of Engineers, this refuge honors the historical connection between America’s oldest town west of the Mississippi and the river that shaped its destiny—while offering modern visitors the chance to walk the levee-top pathway, hike primitive trails to the riverfront, birdwatch along the Mississippi Flyway, fish the river’s edge, and experience rare undisturbed stretches of Mississippi River ecosystem recently transferred to federal wildlife management. The Urban Design Levee: Born from Catastrophic Floods Understanding the refuge requires understanding the levee itself—massive earthen barrier completed in 2001 after the devastating 1993 and 1995 floods that inundated Ste. Genevieve Read more…

Ste. Genevieve Trolley – Your Ride to Wine Country Adventure Since 2016, the Ste. Genevieve Trolley has been providing safe, friendly transportation that connects the charm of historic downtown with the scenic beauty of the county’s wineries. What began as a community transportation service has become an essential part of the Ste. Genevieve experience—especially for visitors wanting to enjoy local wines without worrying about driving. The Perfect Wine Country Solution Missouri wine country is one of the region’s hidden treasures, and Ste. Genevieve County is home to several excellent wineries producing everything from traditional varietals to distinctive local specialties. The challenge? These wineries are spread across the beautiful countryside, and responsibly enjoying wine tastings means having a designated driver. That’s where the trolley transforms your day from logistically complicated to blissfully simple. How It Works For just $20, you receive an all-day ride wristband that gives you unlimited access to the trolley service. This isn’t a rushed, schedule-locked tour—it’s flexible transportation that lets you create your own wine country adventure at your own pace. Board the trolley at one of the convenient downtown stops, settle into your seat, and enjoy the scenic ride through the countryside to the wineries. Once Read more…

The Ste. Geneviève Grape During the 1800s, Ste. Geneviève had its own type of grape. It went by various names, Ste. Geneviève, Amoureux, Red Elben, and American Rulander. It was grown extensively in the Hermann MO and Ohio areas. Today, it is no longer grown. Ste. Geneviève people have been making wine for its entire existence. Originally, the early French made wine from wild grapes growing up in the trees. The phrase, making the vintage with a hatchet, referred to the practice of cutting down trees in order to get to the grapes. The wine was also made from local fruits and berries. Many locals still make their own wine. Today, Ste. Geneviève County is home to numerous wineries along the Route de Vin Trail. Read more…

Zielinski ‘s – Forty Years of Hand-Picked Treasures from Family Adventures Turned Into Downtown Landmark At 288 Merchant Street, the Zielinski family has spent four decades transforming their treasure-hunting adventures into one of Sainte Geneviève’s most beloved antique shops—the kind of place locals describe as “organized and easy to navigate” despite being packed with dishware, vintage luggage, Christmas décor, Precious Moments figurines, lanterns, lamps, and records, where every item represents a story about where the Zielinskis and their friends found it, why they thought it worth bringing back, and who might fall in love with it next. This isn’t sterile retail where corporate buyers order inventory from catalogs. This is deeply personal curation where forty years of estate sales, auctions, flea markets, antique shows, and chance discoveries have filled the shop with items that caught the Zielinskis’ eye—hand-picked across decades of adventuring through Missouri’s backroads and beyond, hunting for the interesting, the beautiful, the nostalgic, and the uniquely connected to Sainte Geneviève’s history. The books and albums section draws particular praise from reviewers who call it one of their “favorite places to shop for anything eclectic, as well as music (LPs especially),” suggesting the Zielinskis have assembled serious vinyl collection Read more…