LAFAYETTE TO BREAUX BRIDGE

"ILS SONT PARTIS"

Thursday

“IL SONT PARTIS”

(and they’re off)

Thursday, April 4th

DAY 1

Main Route: 38 miles / 56km*
Long Route: 65 miles / 105km*

*4 miles before the ride finishes in Breaux Bridge, you can take a 9 mile side trip to Lake Martin for a swamp tour. There is a paved road to the lake (1.5 miles long) and there is a 5.5 mile gravel and dirt loop around the lake. Distances above includes the 4 miles out and back.

Lafayette - Broussard - NEW IBERIA - St. Martinville - Breaux Bridge

Breakfast Options: Breakfast is on your own. We recommend Cafe 20.3 on the Bayou (ZB$) and Hub City Diner (not a ZB$ participant)

Starting from Wildcat Brothers Distillery @ Gator Cove

2601 SE Evangeline Thwy, Lafayette, LA 70508

  • PARKING FOR BIKES & CARS:

    • You can lock your bike Wednesday night to one of our racks outside at Wildcat Brothers (Overnight security will be provided)

    • If you are staying in a Lafayette hotel every night, you can drive over Thursday morning and drop off your bike at Wildcat Brothers, and then drive back to your hotel to park your vehicle and catch the shuttle from one of our designated pick up locations to return to Wildcat Brothers.

    • If you are camping or staying at the designated local hotels in Breaux Bridge and need long-term parking, you can park your vehicles at at Community Honda future location next to Wildcat Borthers. Be sure to have your parking pass clearly visible on the dashboard.

  • 7:30a - 10:00a: Shuttle service between Wildcat Brothers Distillery & designated Lafayette hotels SHUTTLE SCHEDULE HERE

  • 8:00a - 10:00a: Late check-in, packet pick-up, bicycle rentals & shipped bicycles pick-up. 

  • 7:00a - 9:30a Luggage trailers will be staged at Wildcat Brothers. If you are camping or staying at Microtel in Breaux Bridge or Holiday Inn Express in Henderson on Thursday and Friday nights, then please drop off your luggage during this time only. If you are staying in a Lafayette hotel Thursday night, we suggest packing a small "day bag" with a towel and a change of clothes to put on the luggage truck. All luggage will be delivered to St. Bernard School in Breaux Bridge, the staging area for Thursday afternoon.

  • 8:30a - 10:30a: OPENING CEREMONIES Pre-ride jam and invocation with Father Brown.

  • 10:30a: Allons Rouler - Let's Ride Y’all!

10:30 aM: This is the only mass start for Cycle Zydeco AND is escorted by police. all riders must be together at Wildcat Brothers distillery.

The Main & Long routes will travel together to Broussard and after mile 16 the routes will separate. The routes will be well marked with paint & some vertical signage.  The Long route will travel to New Iberia then meet the Main Route in St. Martinville.

BROUSSARD (~10:45 am):

Originally named Côte Gelée (Frozen Hills) because of its hilly ridge area and the severe winter of 1784, Broussard, La., was founded in 1884. It was named after Valsin Broussard, a prominent local merchant, who formed the first vigilante committee when his own store was robbed. He was also a direct descendant of Joseph Gaurhept Broussard de Beau Soleil, one of the first 200 Acadians to arrive in Louisiana on February 27, 1765, aboard the Santo Domingo.

In 2012 Broussard proclaimed the title "Intergalactic Boudin Capital of Positive Infinity” after the Louisiana State Legislature designated Scott, LA as the “Boudin Capital of the World”. The last day of the ride will bring you through Scott, LA where the Boudin Festival is taking place this weekend. You will have plenty of opportunities to judge numerous purveyors of boudin over the next few days. Check out Billeaud’s Meat & Grocery in Broussard for some great boudin.  Let us know who made the best Boudin!

Zydeco Buck Options:

NEW IBERIA (11:30 AM to 02:00 PM) Long route only

According to James Lee Burke (famous novel writer), New Iberia, the Queen of the Teche, has the most beautiful downtown in America. The CZ water station is located at the museum and office of the antebellum home, the Shadows on the Teche. Take time relax and visit the mansion and its gardens (tours of the home are not avaiable in April). New Iberia is the birth place of Georges Rodrigue, the Blue Dog painter and creator. As a side note: Tony Bernard who has designed a couple of Cycle Zydeco jerseys in the past, was a student of Georges Rodrigue. Iberia Parish was also the birth place for Governor Kathleen Blanco, the first and only women Governor of Louisiana.

ST. MARTINVILLE (11:30 AM to 03:00 PM) ALL ROUTES

Nick named Petit Paris (Little Paris), St. Martinville was known as a cultural mecca with good hotels and a French theater, the Duchamp Opera House. It is the third oldest town in Louisiana and some of the attraction include the St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church, the “Evangeline Oak” featured in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem of the Acadian expulsion. Next to the Oak tree is the African American Museum and the Museum of Acadian Memorial ($5 entry fee). In the museum you will find a 12’ by 30’ mural by Robert Dafford, depicting the arrival of the Acadians in Louisiana with a wall of 13,000 names taken from the original manifests of the boars. Entry is $5 and museum is open 10:00 - 4:30. Enjoy live music and lunch under the Evangeline Oak.

Zydeco Buck Options: Robert’s Lounge (long time favorite of CZ riders), Kajun King Restaurant and St. John Restaurant

Sha Me Nu (11:30 AM TO 2:00 PM) at the evangeline oak

ROUTE WATER STATIONS :

  • 11:00a - 1:00p University of Louisiana Experimental Farm (Main & Long)

  • 12:00p - 2:00p Shadows on the Teche (Long only)

  • 11:30p - 3:00p St. Martinville Evangeline Oak tree with live music (Main & Long)

Thursday DESTINATION: Breaux bridge

Ville de Pont-Breaux was founded in 1829 by Scholastique Picou Breaux. In 1799 Agricole Breaux built a footbridge across the Bayou Têche to ease the passage across for his family and neighbors. When traveling directions were given, residents would instruct people to “go to Breaux’s bridge.” Breaux Bridge and crawfish have a long history. Restaurants here were the first to offer crawfish on their menu and is the place were crawfish etoufee was created. In 1959 the Louisiana House of Representatives designated Breaux Bridge as "La Capitale Mondiale de l’Écrevisse," the Crawfish Capital of the World. Breaux Bridge hosts the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival held on the first weekend in May.

SHOPPING: Downtown host several antique, craft and art venues. Walk around and explore the shopping opportunities. Check out Once Upon a Wing (scavenger hunt) across from Tante Marie.

2:00p - until:  Shower trucks, day bags and luggage will be available for you at St. Bernard School.

3:00p - 11:00p Shuttle Services between St. Bernard School, Microtel, Wilderness RV Campground, and Lafayette hotels..

2:00p - 5:30p   Cycle Zydeco Bar at St. Bernard School.  Bring your CZ Gift Card included in rider packet!

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Zydeco Dance Lessons by Moriah Istre Hargrave

6:00p - 9:00p - Live music @ St Bernard School Rockin Dopsie Jr. & Zydeco Twister

Dinner:  Riders are on their own for dinner. Enjoy one of the many restaurants in downtown Breaux Bridge.

Zydeco Bucks Participating Restaurants: 

Other option and sites: Teche Center for Arts and visit Cajun Market Donuts for breakfast.