History, sweet pies, shops and the story of a miracle: Grand Coteau

The air is still in the silence surrounding St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.

Of course, activity will pick up over the weekend as parishioners in Grand Coteau head there for Mass. For now, the doors to this monumental building with its magnificent stained glass windows are open to visitors, as are its surrounding grounds and cemeteries.

Yes, that's cemeteries with an "s," because a small National Cemetery is situated directly behind the church's watch tower next to a small drive leading to the church cemetery a few yards away.

This is significant in Grand Coteau, because the church stands as the center of the town. Once you find the church, you'll discover everything else in the community.

When it's not the hottest day of summer, you can walk from its Church Street address to East MLK Drive, the town's main street on La. 93, and stop by a few antique shops and cafes.

Still, many who make the trip to this town at the midpoint between Opelousas and Lafayette are looking for the Shrine of St. John Berchmans at the Academy of the Sacred Heart.

The shrine stands on the site of the 1866 miraculous cure of novice Mary Wilson, who was sent to Grand Coteau in the hopes that a milder climate would improve her poor health.

But her health continued to decline.

So, the Sacred Heart nuns offered a novena to Blessed John Berchmans. The novice later testified that an apparition of John Berchmans appeared to her, followed by immediate relief from her pain and her subsequent recovery.

The Catholic Church investigated this cure, which was used in the canonization process of St. John Berchmans in 1888, marking the first miracle in North America ratified by the Vatican.

Now, if you're wondering about the Virgin of Guadalupe appearing to Juan Diego way back in 1531, he wasn't canonized until 2002. 

The Academy of Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau's former infirmary now serves as the Shrine of St. John Berchmans, which attracts pilgrims from throughout the world.

For those interested in seeing the site of the miracle and chapel, Mary Hawkins, communications manager for the St. Landry Parish Tourism Commission, recommends a call to the Academy of the Sacred Heart.

"They have to call ahead of time and arrange a tour, but they can visit the shrine where the miracle happened, and they can visit the academy's little museum," Hawkins said. "That's something I would recommend."

The museum, called Le Petit Musée, is dedicated to the history of the Academy of the Sacred Heart, which stands at 1821 Academy Road, a quick right turn from Church Street. The school was founded in 1821 under the direction of St. Philippine Duchesne and has remained in continuous operation through fire, epidemic and war.

But again, visits are by appointment only, which include the academy's grounds. Bus parking also is available.

Call (337) 662-5275 or email [email protected] to set up a tour.

Meanwhile, back at the church, St. Charles Borromeo also is historical, having been established in 1819 and built by the Jesuit Brothers. It as stands as the third oldest parish in the diocese of Lafayette and has been staffed by Jesuit priests since its founding.

Its design is attributed to New Orleans architect James Freret, who gained national prominence for his ecclesiastical buildings. That is, he is credited for everything but the bell tower on the backside, which was added six years after the church's construction.

The tower looks more like a lighthouse, yet it somehow complements the church. So, why is it special? Well, it houses the 3,000-pound bell donated by Eleanor Millard, the wife of Edward Millard, the physician who attended to the ailing postulant Mary Wilson at the Academy of the Sacred Heart.

The academy isn't within walking distance from the church, but the church's walkway leads to the back of the Jesuit Spirituality Center, also home to St. Charles College. The path also passes by the church's grotto and its altar, along with several meditation spots marked by statues of saints.

All stand beneath shaded areas.

As for the spirituality center, it is going through its own transformation with large estate sale last weekend, June 14-16.  

Back to the church's walkway, it stops at the live oak canopy-covered service entrance for the retreat center. Walk down this road, turn left, and you're a short walk from East MLK Drive.

"Of course, that's where you'll find the two cafes, the Kitchen Shop and the Petit Rouge antiques shop," Hawkins said.

One of the cafes, The Hive Market at 202 E. MLK Drive, sources all of its ingredients from Louisiana farmers. It's known for its homemade New Orleans style sno-balls made with all-natural and organic syrups that are seasonally curated.

Meanwhile, Le Petit Cajun Tearoom & Boutique is located at 182 E. MLK Drive, offers a selection of teas, finger sandwiches and pastries.

Both stand only a block or two from the Kitchen Shop at 296 E. MLK Drive, and Petite Rouge Antiques, 272 E. MLK Drive. 

"The Petite Rouge antiques shop offers a lot of herbal products with its antiques, so it's very interesting," Hawkins said. "They had some samples for allergy teas when I visited there, and the teas actually worked, even on days with a high pollen count."

The shop's stock also includes holy water, and its windows are filled with owner Connie St. Romain's fused glass designs.

"That is definitely one of the places I would recommend visiting in Grand Coteau," Hawkins said. "And in the Kitchen Shop, you can find lots of cute little kitchen items. They're also pretty famous for selling sweet dough pies, and they have this special dessert that you can't get anywhere else. It's called a 'Gateau Nana.' It's basically a pecan pie, but it's a pastry. All of this makes Grand Coteau a great place to go for a girl's day trip."

Still, not all visitors are day-trippers. Some are looking for overnight destinations. Grand Coteau's newly opened Train Wreck Inn is a fun option.

The inn, an Airbnb at 211 Chatrian St. is composed of retired train depot and ticket booth buildings and two refurbished train cars — all of which owners Ben Trant and Colin Grussing bought from the previous owner, Margaret Brinkhaus.

The inn offers four separate sleeping spaces with interiors inspired by inspired by filmmaker Wes Anderson with a mid century-Midwestern twists.

Each room is equipped with a small kitchen and dining area, which makes the Train Wreck Inn a perfect anchoring area for an expanded Acadiana visit.

"Grand Coteau is a great little meeting spot, because it's only 20 minutes from Lafayette and maybe 10 minutes from Opelousas," Hawkins said. "So, the Train Wreck Inn would be a great little satellite base of operations for an Acadiana visit."

Visit trainwreckinn.com for more information or to book a stay.

Finally, any profile of Grand Coteau would be incomplete without mentioning its status as the Sweet Dough Pie Capital of the State.

The Louisiana Legislature awarded this designation to the town in 2014, and it's annually celebrated on the fourth Saturday in October with the Sweet Dough Pie Festival.

Come October, visitors will find pies come in flavors of sweet potato, fig, blackberry and lemon.

For now, the town stands quietly in the heat of summer, surrounded by stately oaks, open fields and anchored by the promise of a miracle.

For more information, visit cajuntravel.com/destinations/grand-coteau.