Ville Platte's status as the smoked meats capital of Louisiana
In a state known for its food, Ville Platte stakes its claim as the epicenter of one particular facet of Cajun cooking. “The capital of smoked meats, that’s what they label themselves as,” says Raymond Aguillard, a broker at DGC/Aguillard Realty who has lived his entire life in the area. “Ville Platte is known for the cuisine.” The community also celebrates other parts of their heritage — the “swamp pop” genre of music, most popular in the 1960s, was developed in Ville Platte — but the food and agriculture industries are its essence. Though Ville Platte’s population of around 6,000 is down from roughly 9,000 at the turn of the century, its position as the seat of Evangeline Parish and its cultural heritage attract homebuyers.
National-style cottages and Acadian-style homes throughout the city
Narrow streets without lane dividing lines branch out from the center of Ville Platte. Cars are parked beneath carports, and chain-link fences delineate each property’s yard. National-style cottages are common, while ranch and Acadian-style homes make up the market's upper end. “Ville Platte has some higher-end and higher-priced homes, more so on the outskirts of town,” Aguillard says. Fixer-uppers or investment properties can go between $10,000 and $100,000, while move-in-ready homes sell between $100,000 and $270,000.
Teet's Food Store and other specialty smoked meat shops
Ville Platte is known as the epicenter of smoked meat in Louisiana, and Teet’s Food Store is the community’s most famous outlet for the delicacy. On the city's west end, the store sells its own smoked sausages, pork ribs and chicken, plus seasonings and roux mixes. “Teet’s is a local family-owned grocery store with specialty meats and things of that nature,” Aguillard says. “There are a few other specialty meat stores in the Ville Platte area, too.” Main Street is the primary commercial corridor within the city, with locally-owned shops including a hardware store, a pharmacy and staples like Mikey’s Donuts. A shopping center on the east end of town offers a Walmart for groceries and other essentials, with fast-food spots like Sonic and McDonald’s around it.
Ville Platte's heritage from Swamp Pop to smoked meat and cotton
The community’s rich cultural heritage is displayed at its museums and annual festivals. The Swamp Pop Museum is open year-round in Ville Platte and pays tribute to the genre it helped put on the map. Meanwhile, the Louisiana Smoked Meat Festival is headlined by Cajun music and smoked sausage cookoffs each June. The Louisiana Cotton Festival runs in the fall and features a carnival as well as a pageant.
Education at Evangeline Parish Public Schools, plus a private option
The Evangeline Parish Public Schools system serves Ville Platte, with the system receiving a B overall grade from Niche. Though the city is split into separate attendance zones, most of the community is zoned to Ville Platte High, which receives a B-minus rating. The school sponsors extracurricular activities such as 4-H Club and JROTC for students. The B-minus-rated Sacred Heart School is a private Catholic option for kindergarten through 12th grade.
Northside City Park within town and a state park to the north
The parks within Ville Platte tend to be spread out near the edge of town, with Northside City Park offering baseball fields and tennis courts. However, more expansive recreation can be found outside of town. Chicot State Park is 8 miles from Ville Platte and features a man-made lake popular for fishing. The park also has trails through the Louisiana forest, plus the Louisiana State Arboretum. Visitors can stay in the park’s cabins or camp near the lake.
Agriculture jobs, or commutes throughout the region
Ville Platte is roughly 18 miles via U.S. Highway 167 from Opelousas. Residents sometimes commute to the larger city for work, though the local agriculture industry is also significant. “One of the major employments of this community is agriculture — crawfish and rice fields,” Aguillard says. Meanwhile, Interstate 49 is 9 miles from the community, leading about 40 miles south to the largest city in Acadiana, Lafayette. The closest commercial flights take off from Lafayette Regional Airport. Mercy Regional Medical Center is in Ville Platte and has an emergency room.
