Ville Platte, LA Home for Rent

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. 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,