All Things to Do

EKlekTix – Jean Rissover Became a Painter at 70 and Now Creates Narrative Art While You Watch At 130 North Main Street in an 1860s building, Jean Rissover paints during the hours her gallery is open—not as demonstration or performance but as working artist fully engaged in creating the figurative paintings that crowd her studio walls. About 75 original oil paintings, most 11×14 inches or smaller, fill the space alongside eclectic giftware sourced from artisans around the world. The paintings tell stories, primarily of women—their activities, experiences, relationships, joys, sorrows, and moods—drawn from Rissover’s imagination populated by characters who “live in her head” and demand to be painted. Some focus on Sainte Geneviève’s French colonial history. Others explore universal experiences of being female across time and culture. All are narrative in nature, inviting viewers to construct stories around the figures Rissover portrays with loose, impressionistic brushwork that suggests rather than defines, leaving space for interpretation. The remarkable part isn’t just the art—it’s the journey. Jean Rissover started painting in 2011 at age 70, after retiring from a career spanning teaching, social work, event organization, antique shop ownership, and managing editor of the Ste. Genevieve Herald. It was her first serious Read more…

European Entitlements At 102 South Main Street in the heart of historic Ste. Genevieve, European Entitlements brings a curated collection of fine European home décor and garden items to Missouri’s oldest town—a fitting match given Ste. Genevieve’s deep French and German heritage. This specialty shop sells products made and manufactured exclusively in Europe: French linens, Scottish jewelry, Italian and German porcelain, English creamware, Swedish linens, Irish wools, and French and Italian soaps. Many products come from companies that have been in business for well over a century, connecting Old World craft traditions with contemporary American homes. As one visitor noted: “European Entitlements is a must-stop with fine home and garden décor and beautiful coffee table books.” Made in Europe, Only in Europe The commitment runs absolute: every product originates from European manufacturers. No knock-offs, no “European-style” items produced elsewhere, no compromises on authenticity. When you purchase French linens at European Entitlements, they’re woven in France by companies whose looms have operated for generations. The Scottish jewelry comes from Scottish artisans working in techniques passed down through families. Italian porcelain emerges from Italian kilns firing patterns perfected over centuries. This dedication to provenance matters in an era when “Made in Europe” Read more…

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. Read more…

Centre for French Colonial Life Gift Shop – Where Every Purchase Supports Preservation of America’s French Colonial Heritage Inside the Centre for French Colonial Life at 198 Market Street—the modern, purpose-built headquarters for the French Colonial America museum campus—French Colonial America’s Gift Shop offers carefully selected items enhancing the educational experience of one of America’s most significant French colonial historic sites. Open daily (Monday-Saturday 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Sunday Noon – 4:00 PM), this well-stocked museum shop sells books deepening understanding of French colonial history, CDs featuring period music, children’s games making history interactive, and branded merchandise featuring FCA’s signature trademarked logo—shirts, sweatshirts, hats, ornaments, and postcards letting visitors take a piece of Ste. Genevieve’s 290-year French colonial legacy home. Every purchase directly supports the museum’s mission: funding preservation of National Historic Landmark buildings, educational programming reaching thousands annually, scholarly research advancing academic understanding, and professional maintenance protecting irreplaceable architectural and cultural heritage for future generations. The Centre for French Colonial Life: Your Gateway to French Colonial America Understanding the gift shop requires understanding the Centre itself—the sophisticated headquarters facility serving as interpretive foundation and administrative hub for the entire French Colonial America museum campus. The Campus: Since January Read more…

Gegg’s Farm Market: An Artisan Experience in the Most Unlikely of Places Off State Route B in Ste. Genevieve County, on your way to Charleville Brewery and Winery, stands Gegg’s Farm Market—a far-flung mini Bucee’s celebrating local agriculture, artisan foods, and community sourcing in county setting where farm-to-table means walking distance to actual farms. Operated by Pat and Jessica Gegg (the same owners behind the acclaimed Silo Farm Haus), this unexpected retail treasure stocks locally grown and rendered pork rinds, cuts of meat from local farms, homemade sourdoughs, cookies, brownies, bulk jellybeans, and pickled everything—while anchoring the operation with full-service Blue Bell Ice Cream bar and made-to-order sandwich shop featuring homemade bread baked in-house. The signature Cajun Turkey sandwich (absolutely not to be missed) exemplifies the operation’s philosophy: take exceptional local ingredients, combine with quality execution, deliver experience that justifies the drive. Open Thursday-Sunday 9 AM-5 PM, Gegg’s Farm Market transforms rural location into destination—the kind of place wine country visitors stumble upon and immediately text friends about. From Silo Farm Haus to Farm Market: Pat and Jessica’s Expanding Vision Pat and Jessica Gegg operate within philosophy many entrepreneurs miss: build one excellent thing, then expand thoughtfully in directions that Read more…