Located along Interstate 10 in Cajun country, Lafayette has a population of approximately 190,000. The city is situated about two hours from New Orleans, three and one-half hours from Houston, and 35 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico.

It is the major city in Acadiana, an eight-parish, 600,000-person area that is Louisiana’s Cajun Heartland. Lafayette is renowned for its fresh-from-the-water seafood, its frequent festivals, and its Zydeco and Cajun music.

Most of Lafayette’s residents are descended from Acadians who were forced to leave Canada in 1755. French-Canadian customs remain today, including language and the Catholic religion, and a fun-loving spirit, a commitment to work, and an ability to live well off the land.

Lafayette’s economy is based in oil and gas, tourism and education. It is home to the state’s second-largest university, the 16,000-student University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

For more information about living in Lafayette, visit the following Web sites:

• www.lafayettetravel.com
• www.lafchamber.org
• www.acadiananow.com