Fontainebleau Cabins
Quick Facts
Why Mandeville & Lake Pontchartrain
Fontainebleau State Park spreads across 2,800 acres on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, the site of an 1829 sugar plantation founded by Bernard de Marigny, whose crumbling brick mill ruins still stand among moss-draped live oaks. The park is a recognized birding hotspot with over 400 species recorded, and the Tammany Trace, a 31-mile rails-to-trails path, runs right through the property for biking, walking, and skating.
This is a genuinely peaceful state park cabin stay with real Lake Pontchartrain sunset views, less than an hour from New Orleans. One honest caveat from reviews: summer weekends can get loud with other visitors nearby, so weekdays are the quieter bet.
What Makes It Special
- Location: Mandeville, on Lake Pontchartrain
- Setting: Genuinely peaceful, historic plantation grounds
- Site type: State park cabins, over-water
- Amenities: Lake Pontchartrain views, rocking-chair porch, full kitchen, near New Orleans
- Recreation: Beach access and wildlife viewing
Pro Tips for Booking
Visit on a weekday if quiet matters most. Summer weekends can get loud with other visitors nearby, so weekdays are the quieter bet.
Explore the sugar mill ruins. The 1829 brick ruins, draped in Spanish moss, are one of the most photogenic historic sites in the state park system.
Bike the Tammany Trace. This 31-mile rails-to-trails path runs right through the park, connecting to downtown Mandeville and beyond.
What to Do Around Here
- Swimming and sunbathing on the Lake Pontchartrain beach
- Biking or walking the Tammany Trace
- Birdwatching, with over 400 species recorded in the park
- Exploring the historic sugar mill ruins
- A short drive into New Orleans, less than an hour away
