All Places

ASL Pewter Foundry – A Working Pewter Studio Where Tom and Pat Hooper Keep Colonial Metalworking Alive A working pewter foundry in Missouri’s oldest town sounds improbable until you remember that Sainte Geneviève has always been a place where history isn’t just preserved but practiced. At 183 South 3rd Street, Tom and Patricia Hooper have spent nearly 40 years creating museum-quality pewter pieces using techniques that colonial craftspeople would recognize—casting molten tin alloy into antique molds, spinning flat pewter discs on an 1873 water-powered lathe (now electrified), and welding handles onto tankards with micro-torch precision. This isn’t a demonstration for tourists watching behind ropes. This is an active studio where you can commission custom pieces, watch the Hoopers work, learn the chemistry and history of the tin-based alloy that graced America’s founding families’ tables, and leave with functional heirlooms made by hands that understand centuries-old craft traditions. The work has earned White House recognition (Pat and Tom visited during George W. Bush’s administration, meeting First Lady Laura Bush), appeared in HBO’s John Adams miniseries starring Paul Giamatti, and attracted collectors who recognize that genuinely handcrafted American pewter—100% lead-free, made using antique tools and traditional methods—has become exceptionally rare in an Read more…

Audubon’s Restaurant – The Unequivocal Center of Downtown Ste. Geneviève Nestled in the heart of downtown Ste. Genevieve at 9 North Main Street, Audubon’s occupies a century-old building that has anchored the town’s social scene since 1901. Originally the historically famous Palace Bar starting in 1903, the restaurant reopened under current ownership in 2015 with a mission to reflect the cultural identity and history of Ste. Genevieve through scratch-made cuisine. The menu celebrates the town’s diverse heritage—French, Cajun, German, and Italian dishes crafted with locally sourced ingredients. One satisfied guest summed it up: “We ended our wine tasting day with dinner at the Audubon. We had the Schnitzel, Cajun Shrimp and mushroom burger. All were wonderful! Staff is great! Facility is clean.” Where the Past Meets the Present Audubon’s philosophy centers on giving visitors a chance to taste the history and diversity of Ste. Genevieve’s community while offering locals an opportunity to taste a bit of their own heritage. The scratch-made menu balances upscale dining with comfort food familiarity—German schnitzel and spaetzle sit alongside Cajun pasta, French onion soup, Italian fettuccine, and American classics like burgers and brick oven pizza. Signature dishes draw consistent praise. The pork schnitzel comes “bigger Read more…

The Sunday After the French Heritage Festival Levee Wildlife Refuge Ste. Geneviève, MO 63670 Call us at 573-880- 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! Read more…

Aunt Katie’s Corner – Where 1930s Glory, Rose Du Barry Glamour, and Old World Charm Create Downtown’s Most Distinctive Period Bungalow Experience Most vacation rentals offer generic comfort in spaces that could be anywhere—interchangeable bedrooms, utilitarian bathrooms, kitchens designed for efficiency rather than character. Aunt Katie’s Corner rejects this entirely. This meticulously restored 1930s bungalow, located in historic downtown Sainte Geneviève just a block off the main drag, doesn’t just reference its period through superficial vintage touches or antique accent pieces. This is comprehensive restoration to former glory—authentic 1930s atmosphere created through period-appropriate furnishings, old world charm preserved in architectural details, and the kind of attention to era-specific design that makes guests actually gasp when they see the Rose Du Barry bathroom or the vintage operational kitchen that isn’t just decorative but genuinely functional for preparing meals using equipment and aesthetics from nearly a century ago. With two bedrooms and two bathrooms, Aunt Katie’s Corner accommodates small families, couples traveling together, or anyone wanting space to spread out during multi-day Sainte Geneviève explorations. But the real appeal isn’t square footage or bedroom count—it’s the immersive experience of inhabiting lovingly restored space that transports you to specific historical moment when Art Read more…

Baetje Farms Lodging – Five Luxury Tiny Homes on a World-Renowned Goat Cheese Farm Where French Country Elegance Meets Missouri Countryside At 8932 Jackson School Road in Bloomsdale, just three miles off Interstate 55 at the entrance to Ste. Genevieve County’s wine country and directly across from Chateau Ste. Genevieve winery, Baetje Farms has created something genuinely unique: five luxury tiny homes where guests sleep steps away from the white Saanen goats whose milk becomes award-winning French-inspired artisan cheese—Bloomsdale (the flagship Super Gold World Cheese Awards winner inspired by Valencay), Miette (“small, sweet thing,” their most awarded honeymoon-perfect cheese), Coeur de la Crème (heart-shaped chèvre in multiple flavors), Vallée, and Amoureux—each tiny home named after a different Baetje cheese and designed with white planked oak floors, shiplap walls, white marble tiled bathrooms, floor-to-ceiling windows with flowing curtains, and French country chic décor honoring Ste. Genevieve County’s deep Francophone heritage. Accommodating up to 17 guests across all five homes (four romantic one-bedroom suites plus one stunning two-story Bloomsdale Suite sleeping nine with spiral staircase, double loft with four built-in queen bunk beds, floating bar, and outdoor fire pit), the tiny homes offer intimate escapes for couples, complete buyouts for wedding parties Read more…