G 



rande Pointe 



P('ri(|iK' is thrown on tlic east \rdnk of tlie Mississippi 

 Ri\(M above New Orleans in a small area in St. James 

 Parish near the little French towns of Paulina, Belmont, 

 GrammercN, Reniw Lutcher, Convent and Grande 

 Pointe. Nearhv is a triangular area running along the 

 river for about ten miles or so, extending its point for 

 about three miles into swampland believed to be partic- 

 ularU suited for this pungent tobacco. This bit of land, 

 known as the vachcrie of Grande Pointe is, as the name 

 implies, an island raised about four or five feet above 

 the surrounding swamp. The soil of the vacherie is a 

 calcareous loam, chocolate in color and of great fer- 

 tilitv. It has long been found best suited to the pro- 

 duction of Perique. 



A 



family project 



Producing Perique tobacco is no easy task. Some of 

 the methods of production ha\e changed slightly over 

 the \ears witli tlie help of mechanization, but, gener- 

 all\ , it is a time consuming task of hand labor essen- 

 tialK the same as it was two centuries ago. 



Perique was once a relati\ ely large, thriving industry 

 that was spread out all o\er St. James Parish. Today, 

 with the introduction of sugar cane and heavy industr\- 

 into the area, man\ would-be tobacco farmers have 

 abandoned their tobacco trade for more lucrative occu- 

 pations. Nonetheless, the crop is still har\ested year 

 in and Near out. 



