Is he watching us as we are watching him?  We wondered this as we watched the huge bird perched at the very top of the tallest tree in the area.  It was a bare tree, dead, no leaves, yet tall as if it were there just for him.  Yes, no mistake about it, the white head gave him away – an American Bald Eagle.  He was a huge majestic creature and a rarity for us to witness.  As we watched, he flew off with his gigantic wing spread – we stood in awe. 

Montana, Idaho, Washington?  No, we were in Fontainebleau State Park in Mandeville, LA, for a long weekend camping with friends.  Fontainebleau is home to over 400 different species of birds and other animals, yet none more majestic than the Eagle!  We were fortunate to sight Eagles three times during the weekend.  Each time was as thrilling as the one before.  Even though most Louisiana residents rarely see an eagle, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Louisiana is home to approximately 284 breeding pair of eagles.

Eagles are exciting to witness, yet Fontainebleau has so much else to offer.  The park is built on the grounds of Bernard de Marigny de Mandeville’s sugar plantation, Fontainebleau, named for the forest near Paris that was a favorite recreation area for French royalty.  There are crumbling brick ruins of the sugar mill built in 1829.  It is said the plantation help to support Marigny’s lavish lifestyle in New Orleans.

The park is bordered on three sides by water – Bayou Cane, Bayou Castine and Lake Pontchartrain.  The park is composed of 2800 acres on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain where on a clear day you can see New Orleans and its surrounding communities as well as water craft of all shapes and types.  Running through the park is an old railroad bed which is now a Rails to Trails known as The Tammany Trace and covers approximately 40 miles from Slidell to Abita Springs.  The trace is open to cycling, hiking, and skating.

There are nature and hiking trails in the park that offer visitors sightings of the various species of birds and animals living in the park.  Boardwalks into the marsh give views of alligators, pelicans, ducks, and of course eagles.  The nature and hiking trails allows you to see the various foliage of the area.  If you camp, keep in mind that one of the species here are raccoons – remember to keep garbage and ice chest locked down.  The mornings are not a pretty sight after raccoons have enjoyed late night parties in the campsite area.

Not only is the park a wonderful recreation area, the surrounding communities offer a showcase of local attractions.  Abita Brewing Company in Abita Springs offers tours and tastings.  Abita Beer’s first brewing of 1500 barrels of beer was 1986.  Today, Abita brews over 109,000 barrels of beer and 6,000 barrels of root beer per year.  Abita bottles seven flagship brews, five seasonal brews, three harvest brews, three big beers, and root beer.  If you are a seasoned cyclist, the Tammy Trace runs from Fontainebleau to Abita Springs.

On Saturday’s, Mandeville offers a Farmers Market, at the Mandeville Trailhead Cultural Interpretive Center.  The offerings range from fruits and vegetables, prepared food, crafts, and local specialties.  The market is open rain or shine with most of the vendors under cover.  The Tammy Trace runs alongside the market allowing cyclist to ride from Fontainebleau.

Once again the weekend came to a close too soon.  We are now planning our next adventure!

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