All Things to Do

Guibourd-Vallé House – Where You Can Touch History’s Framework In a town filled with exceptional French Creole architecture, the Guibourd-Vallé House claims a unique distinction: this is the only place in Ste. Genevieve where visitors can climb into the attic and actually touch the massive Norman truss system—those impressive hewn log beams and wooden pins that have held up the roof for more than two centuries. This rare access transforms what could be merely observational history into something tactile and immediate, allowing you to literally lay hands on the engineering genius of early 19th-century French colonial builders. Tour Schedule and Practical Information Regular Season (April through early December): Tours available at 9:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. Call in advance to book Closed Easter and Thanksgiving Other times available with advance notice Winter Months: Tours by prior arrangement only Call (573) 883-9622 to schedule Two days’ notice appreciated Admission: Adults: $10 Students: $5 Group and family rates available—inquire when scheduling A House with Distinguished Origins Constructed in 1806 for Jacques Jean Rene Guibourd de Luzinais, the house carries a name that signals its owner’s elite status within French colonial society. His full, formal French name speaks to European aristocratic traditions and Read more…

The Linden House Every Saturday from late March through early November, the Linden House opens its doors to something increasingly rare: the chance to step into French Creole colonial life not as passive observer behind velvet ropes, but as active participant in a breathing, tactile past. This isn’t history performed at you but rather history invited into your hands, your curiosity, your willingness to touch what earlier generations touched and understand through your own senses how people actually lived, worked, and entertained themselves in early 19th-century Ste. Genevieve. Architecture That Remembers Adaptation The Linden House itself embodies layered time. Built in stages from 1811/1812 through the 1930s, the structure reveals how families adapted their homes across generations—responding to changing needs, shifting prosperity, evolving architectural fashions. The earliest portions date to just after the Louisiana Purchase, when French Creole families navigated the delicate transition from Spanish and French rule to American governance. Later additions show the 19th century’s progressive transformations, eventually extending into the 20th. Within a single structure, different eras coexist: not frozen at one moment but rather representing the continuity of domestic life across time, families making do, expanding, reimagining their spaces as circumstances demanded. Three Spaces, Three Windows Read more…

Ste. Genevieve County Fair – Where Summer Gets Loud, Fast, and Delicious Every year on the second full weekend in July, the Ste. Genevieve County Fairgrounds transform into the epicenter of summer excitement, where engines roar, metal crunches, crowds cheer, and the irresistible aroma of fair food fills the air. This isn’t some sanitized, corporate-sponsored festival—this is a real county fair with dirt, diesel fumes, demolition, and the kind of unpretentious fun that reminds you why summer in rural America is something special. High-Octane Thrills: The Main Events Truck Pull: Power Meets Pavement Prepare for an adrenaline-pumping spectacle as gigantic trucks—modified monsters with engines—line up to test their raw power against an increasingly heavy sled. The truck pull is primal competition at its finest: driver skill, engine modifications, tire grip, and sheer mechanical force all combine as these behemoths drag massive weight down the track, their engines screaming in protest. For those unfamiliar with truck pulls, prepare to be amazed by the modifications these competitors make to their vehicles—massive tires, engine swaps, custom exhausts, and engineering tweaks that transform ordinary trucks into fire-breathing dragons of torque and horsepower. These aren’t showroom trucks; they’re purpose-built competitors representing hundreds of hours of Read more…

The François Vallé, fils House Built around 1794 within Ste. Genevieve’s evolving landscape, this house carries the story of a young man who lived through revolutionary transformation—François Vallé, fils, son of colonial merchants, militia officer witnessing the Battle of Fort San Carlos during America’s uncertain birth, resident of a structure that would outlast empires and survive through decades of ordinary family life. Now opened to public interpretation through guided tours, the François Vallé, fils House becomes portal into multiple histories layered within timber and brick: the young officer’s role in Revolutionary-era conflict, the archaeology revealing what earlier centuries deposited within this ground, the Sexauer family’s twentieth-century inhabitation and their quiet determination to preserve what others might have demolished. This is not museum display but rather living interpretation—a tour guide accompanying you across threshold, answering questions as exhibits unfold, honoring both the building’s original significance and the ordinary families who sustained it across generations. A Young Officer’s Revolutionary Moment François Vallé, fils inherited more than property from his merchant father. He inherited a family positioned within Ste. Genevieve’s colonial hierarchy, connections threading through French and Spanish governance networks, responsibility for maintaining family prosperity through revolutionary upheaval. When the American Revolution reached Read more…

4th Friday Art Walk Once a month, as twilight settles over the oldest town in Missouri, something magical happens. The historic streets come alive with art, conversation, and community as locals and visitors alike gather for the Fourth Friday Art Walk—a beloved tradition that transforms downtown Ste. Genevieve into an open-air gallery celebration. An Evening of Art and Discovery From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the fourth Friday of each month (April through October), the art galleries, shops, and businesses of Historic Downtown Ste. Genevieve open their doors wide, inviting you to enjoy a leisurely evening stroll through one of America’s most charming historic districts. It’s more than just an art walk—it’s a chance to slow down, connect with creativity, and experience the vibrant cultural life that thrives in this centuries-old river town. A Showcase of Regional Talent The galleries participating in the Art Walk feature works from talented local and regional artists working in a diverse array of mediums. You might encounter stunning paintings that capture the beauty of the Mississippi River Valley, intricate sculptures, handcrafted jewelry, fine photography, pottery, textiles, and mixed media pieces that push creative boundaries. Each Art Walk offers something new to discover, as Read more…