Natchitoches, Louisiana is a small town located in western central Louisiana. The town is located fifty miles from Alexandria and 250 miles north of New Orleans. Home to a little more than 17,000 residents, Natchitoches is located in the Chestnut Salt Dome which gives the area a mixture of sandy soil and red clay.
Natchitoches experiences a steady, warm climate, receiving heat from Texas and humidity from the Gulf. It rarely snows in Natchitoches, only twice about every decade or so. The average temperatures for the year run from the upper fifties to the mid nineties.
Natchitoches has a regional airport that serves cities throughout the area. The town is also a hub for the forestry industry, and if you enjoy pecans, Natchitoches is home to a 400 acre pecan plantation.
The town has kept much of its European history through its architecture. There are very few high rise buildings in town; European architecture is the mainstay here. Natchitoches is also home to quite a few old plantations that were built near the river, which is now the Can River Lake.
Natchitoches had the honor of being named one of the tops six places to retire in the United States by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine.