HEART OF LOUISIANA: Autumn Cypress
BREAUX BRIDGE, La. (WAFB) - Fall is a time when nature enthusiasts head to the northeast or the mountains to experience brilliant fall colors. But more photographers and nature lovers are discovering a late autumn treat in Louisiana cypress forests and swamps.
Bryan Champagne, of Champagne’s Cajun Swamp Tour, says when people come to Lake Martin near Breaux Bridge, they never know what they’re going to see.
“Don’t expect to see things and whatnot because every tour I do over the last 28 years, every trip we go on is different,” he said.
Champagne is a longtime boat tour guide of Lake Martin. He also rents canoes and kayaks for people wanting to explore this south Louisiana gem.
“Like other states. They have all these pretty colors and everything else, but Louisiana has the same thing,” said Champagne.
South Louisiana has fall colors, but it doesn’t last long.
“If you’re not here at the right time, you don’t see it like right now. It’s there. Tomorrow it might be gone. Who knows?” said Champagne.
Louisiana is gaining interest in a different type of fall color that appears in November on the bald cypress trees. Shades of red, brown, and orange are mirrored in our lakes and bayous. There is interest in people from all over the world who come to take autumn pictures of colored leaves in south Louisiana.
“Like yesterday, I had a group from Russia then I had a group from Japan this morning. You know, we have people from all over the world, and I never dreamed when I started this years ago, I would meet these people from all over the world. Who would think, oh, it’s a swamp. You know, we got some colors on the trees on it. Who would come see this?” said Champagne.
He agrees that people take the autumn in the cypress for granted.
“We do. Why we go on vacation to see things, you know, but then again, we drive hours or fly hours away to go somewhere to see things. What we don’t realize what we have in our own backyard,” said Champagne.
For more information, visit Heart of Louisiana’s website.
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