The settlement of the German Coast of Louisiana in 1721.   Early pioneering families of Colonial Louisiana were recruited from Alsace, Lorraine, the Rheinland, and Switzerland by John Law to settle in what is today St. Charles Parish, Louisiana.   The community of settlers came from various regions of Europe.   As the modern country of Germany did not unify until the 1870s, these ancestors were from different countries -- kingdoms, duchies, and principalities, but were united under the common Germanic languages, each with their own local dialects.  

In Louisiana, the German language was soon replaced completely within 3 generations by the predominant French language of the time.  By the 1800s these “Germans” had mostly Gallicized names.  As their community grew and prospered their settlements soon extended upward to the Second German Coast and the establishment of a second church parish dedicated to St. John the Baptist.  The populations would soon encompass both the west and east banks of the river.   As the 19th century progressed 4th and 5th generation German coast families spread even further up the river into St. James, Ascension, Iberville, and even Pointe Coupée Parishes.  Others traversed the swamplands and established along Bayous in what is today Lafourche & Terrebonne Parishes.   And others even further west into the Attakapas region along the Bayous Teche and Vermilion and along the prairies of the Opelousas Post in the southwestern part of Louisiana.    The majority of people in South Louisiana today can trace their ancestry to a German Coast settler, if not many of the original settlers.     As genealogy became popular in the mid-20th Century up until it’s present boom in the 21st century, many scholars have traced the European origins of the settlers of “la côte des Allemands” and with this research, in mind, we intend to go back to these locals to enjoy the offerings of Europe and to visit the villages from which our ancestors hail.  

The itinerary is designed with travelers in mind.   Every attempt was made to minimize the change in hotels so we can enjoy more time visiting places than packing up each night.    We have incorporated many of the main families in the itinerary below, but if you’re coming and we overlooked a family you descend from let us know and we can make every attempt to incorporate it into the itinerary.  Likewise, if no one in the final group is descended from a particular family we’ll be eliminating those stops to maximize time elsewhere.

Cynthia Breaux Seitz owner of Heritages Tours by Seitz Travel is a genealogy buff and experienced tour director that has led many international “genealogy” oriented tours has partnered with Jay Schexnaydre, President of the German-Acadian Coast Historical & Genealogical Society to plan this trip.