Fontainebleau State Park

Located just a short drive from New Orleans by taking a nice drive across the 24 mile long Lake Pontchartrain Causeway Bridge. You can see the Fontainebleau State park to the right when your a mile from the end of the bridge. You will see the rental cabins that are on the waters edge of the lake plus the fishing pier sticking out. There is also a pier close to the bridge which is part of Sunrise Park. The 3rd pier about 2 miles from the bridge is the one for the State Park. The Mississippi Gulf Coast and their Casinos are just a 45 minute drive from this park giving you a great day trip. This State Park makes for a perfect base point because it is in the middle of so much this area has to offer. The Mandeville/Covington area is at your front door with great restaurants serving some of the best seafood in the south.  The Old Downtown Covington has an area with many antique shops. You also have great antiques in Ponchatoula, Ole Town Slidell and Denham Springs Antique Village. The Mandeville Lakefront is coming alive with coffee shops and many small family restaurants that give a great view of the lake. A short drive up the road is Abita Springs where there is a local brewery and that home town feeling. There is also Global Wildlife Center where you can ride in covered wagons and roam the range of 1,000 acres where you see and feed animals in their natural settings. You get up close and personal with the animals when they come up to the wagons to get feed.

Fontainebleau State Park Information:

Entrance Fees: $1 per person; Free for Seniors (62 and older) and children age 3 and under

Directions to Park - Three Different ways to get there.
From I-12, take US 190 (exit 63-A) south toward Mandeville. Continue east on US 190; the park is approximately 4 miles east of the city. GPS Coordinates: N 30.34523; W 90.02269.

From I-12, take exit 65. Drive south 3.5 miles on Hwy 59 to the intersection with Hwy 190 (Florida St.). Turn left onto Hwy 190. Drive east 2.5 miles to the Park entrance.

From the Causeway Toll Bridge, take Hwy 190 east. Drive approximately 5 miles through Mandeville to the main Park entrance on the right.

Fontainebleau State Park Links Below

Visitors Center | Camping | Group Camps | Beach | Trails | Alligators

Blue Crabs | Mandeville Events-Attractions | Pictures | Local Links

Old Sugar Mill
The crumbling brick ruins of a sugar mill built in 1829 by Bernard de Marigny de Mandeville, founder of the nearby town of Mandeville, suggest an interesting history for this site, and indeed there is. The wealthy Marigny developed this area across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans as a sugar plantation until 1852. The plantation income helped support his lavish lifestyle. He named his large land holding Fontainebleau after the beautiful forest near Paris, a favorite recreation area of the French kings.

Nature-Perfect Setting

The 2,800-acre park is located on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain. On a clear day, visitors can see the lake dotted with multi-colored sailboats of all sizes and types. The sandy beach also is a delight for sunbathers. An old railroad track that runs through the park has been converted into the Tammany Trace as a part of the Rails to Trails program. It is a wonderful route for cycling, hiking and in-line skating.

The park's nature trail is a favorite of nature lovers. Interpretive signs along the trail will help you identify many of the common trees and shrubs. Always be on the lookout for birds and other animals. Over 400 different species live in and around Fontainebleau. The Fontainebleau Birding Guide is a good resource for enthusiasts to identify the numerous species of birds found in the area. Bordered on three sides by water--Lake Pontchartrain, Bayou Cane and Bayou Castine--and characterized by a convergence of diverse ecosystems, it has a multitude of habitats for birds.

Nearby Louisiana State Parks
Fairview Riverside State Park - Madisonville, La - Just 4 miles away!
Bogue Chitto State Park Louisiana - Franklinton, La
Tickfaw State Park - Springfield, La

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Local Links - Fontainebleau State Park, Mandeville Louisiana