We are excited to announce that Dr. Neil Odenwald has joined with Bocage Plantation to take us to a new level of landscaping that would not have been possible without him. We are delighted that he will be advising us as to the proper way of developing landscapes for a 19th Century Plantation.
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Bocage Plantation: Lodging where elegance and history meet
September 23rd, 2010
By: Jamie Rhein
When walking through the doors of the mansion at Bocage Plantation in Louisiana, “I do declare!” is an appropriate response. Here’s what an eye for elegance paired with money can do. Bocage, once a sugar cane plantation and now a bed an breakfast, is an architectural and historical gem that excudes classy luxury where even us common folk can feel comfortable.
Considered one of the best examples of American Greek Revival architecture in the United States, the Bocage mansion, built in 1837, is filled with gorgeous period antiques and art. The result is a splendid B & B that doubles as a tourist attraction. The pieces, collected by Bocage’s current owner Dr. Marion Rundell, a native Louisianan who lives in Texas, serve as the furniture and decor for guests to enjoy.
This splendor on the banks of the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans offers the opportunity to sleep in a bedroom fit for Scarlett O’Hara—-before all her woes.
Although most of the furnishings are circa mid-1800s, the private bathrooms are 21st century, as is the high speed Internet and flat screen TVs.
Rundell leaves Bocage’s brand of southern hospitality to staff who welcome guests with a glass of wine upon arrival, evening snacks and breakfast served on Limoges china.
Each of the four bedrooms have their own allure and private bathroom. During your stay, go upstairs for a view of the levee from the expansive porch balcony. Back in the day, when the fields were filled with sugar cane, there was a straight shot to the river that once bustled with trade. The levee was built to hold back floods.
If you can’t swing the hefty sticker price of an overnight stay, you can still tour the mansion for a $20 fee. The tour is an informative look at European art and furniture of the period and a chance to peek inside the lives of people with big money. Do mind your elbows and don’t sling a large bag around. That figurine on an end table is a collector’s piece.
Still, despite the finery, the ambiance says relax into the finer life. Make yourself at home. Plus, this is where spending days at a slower pace is clearly worth the effort.
If You Go:
Bocage Plantation
39050 Highway 942
Darrow, LA 70725
225-588-8000
info@BocagePlantation.com
Tours: Wednesday through Sunday, 12 – 5 p.m.
$20.00 per person, no charge for children under 12
Group Discounts Available
Call (225)588-8000 for appointment.
*I visited Bocage as part of a press trip courtesy of Baton Rouge Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. The mansion is truly, truly lovely. That is my opinion.
Photos courtesy of Jamie Rhein, member of Midwest Travel Writers Association.