Ste. Genevieve: Tourism site calls it Missouri's first permanent European settlement, established by 1750 (NPS says the same). Below are 6 places to visit, each read on its own official or visitor-bureau page.Facts read October 30, 2026 from the pages linked beside each one. Hours and prices change; confirm before you drive. Region is our own county grouping.
- Southeast MissouriRegion
- Ste. Genevieve CountyCounty
- 6Places to See
- 2Place Pages Here
Why Go to Ste. Genevieve
- Tourism site calls it Missouri's first permanent European settlement, established by 1750 (NPS says the same). (nps.gov)
- 27 surviving French Colonial vertical-log buildings, three of them built in the rare poteaux-en-terre style. (visitstegen.com)
- Green Tree Tavern dates to 1790; the site says Masons met there in 1807, the first lodge west of the Mississippi. (visitstegen.com)
- Route du Vin Wine Trail links several local wineries and vineyards. (visitstegen.com)
- A small ferry links the town to Modoc, Illinois, and its operator calls it the only Mississippi crossing between Chester and Columbia, IL. (stegenmodocferry.com)
See and Do
| Place | What It Is | Hours or Price as Printed |
|---|---|---|
| Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park | National Park Service unit tied to the town's French Colonial story; tours of the Jean Baptiste Valle House are usually daily per the page. | Hours not stated; fee amounts not stated on page |
| Felix Vallé House State Historic Site | 1818 American-Federal style house furnished to the 1830s, at 198 Merchant St. | Visitstegen lists Wed-Sun 10 am-4 pm; admission not stated; state page gives no hours (lists phone 573-883-7102) |
| Bossier-Shaw House (site office/interpretive center) | Interpretive center for the Felix Valle site complex at 200 Merchant St. | Wed-Sat 10 am-4 pm, Sun 12-5 pm, closed Mon-Tue (as listed); price not stated |
| Sainte Genevieve Museum Learning Center | Museum with dinosaur replicas, ancient cultures and local history galleries, and a Missouri dinosaur dig site. | Hours not stated; admission not stated (non-member admission mentioned) |
| Ste. Genevieve-Modoc Ferry | Mississippi River ferry to Modoc, Illinois, about a 10-15 minute crossing; takes cars, bikes and walkers. | Wed-Sat 6:00 am-5:30 pm, Sun 9:00 am-5:30 pm; standard vehicle $20 one way ($10 return), pedestrian $5, bicycle $5 (rates effective May 1, 2025). visitstegen page prints different, older-looking rates ($15 car one way, $2 pedestrian). |
| Route du Vin Wine Trail | Trail of local wineries, among them Charleville, Chateau Sainte Genevieve, Brix Urban Winery, The Terrace at French Village and Weingarten. | Chateau daily 11 am-6 pm; Charleville closed Mon-Tue, Wed/Thu/Sat 11-6, Fri 11-8, Sun 11-4; others vary; tasting prices not stated |
Place Pages on This Site
A Little History
- French Canadians settled the area around 1735; the settlement moved about three miles northwest after the 1785 flood. (visitstegen.com)
- Control passed from France to Spain in 1763, back to France 1800, and to the US via the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. (visitstegen.com)
Events in Ste. Genevieve
- King's Ball / La Guiannee: first weekend of February (home page); event directory gives no date (visitstegen.com)
- French Heritage Festival: not stated (visitstegen.com)
- Rural Heritage Day at Felix Valle House: listed for Saturday Oct 24, 10 AM-4 PM on a post dated 2025; verify (visitstegen.com)
- Deja Vu Spirit Reunion (Memorial Cemetery): said to happen once a year; listed Oct 24, 4:30-7 PM (visitstegen.com)
- Pecanapalooza, Holiday Christmas Festival, Garden Walk, County Fair: named on the event directory, timing not stated (visitstegen.com)
Coming Up Near Ste. Genevieve
Nothing on our checked calendar yet. We list only events whose dates an organizer has published. See all Missouri events.
Getting There
- About an hour south of St. Louis (printed); no interstate or route numbers printed. (visitstegen.com)
- Ferry to Illinois Route 3 side at Modoc; Missouri landing 8205 Little Rock Rd. (stegenmodocferry.com)
- Trolley with all-day wristband to county wineries ($20 per that page). (visitstegen.com)
Plan Your Visit
| Visitor Information | visitstegen.com |
|---|---|
| Phone | 1-573-880-6970 (top of site, not labeled as visitor center) |
| Drive Times | Missouri drive times |
| Events Nearby | Southeast Missouri events |
More
What We Could Not Verify
Not confirmed
- Population figure (census.gov and api.census.gov returned 403 / key error; stegenevievemo.gov did not resolve)
- Visitor center street address
- Hours/fees on NPS and state park pages (pages link out)
- Interstate route numbers
- Our region grouping is not an official designation.
Questions People Ask
What is Ste. Genevieve, Missouri known for?
Tourism site calls it Missouri's first permanent European settlement, established by 1750 (NPS says the same).
How do I get to Ste. Genevieve?
About an hour south of St. Louis (printed); no interstate or route numbers printed.
Where can I find visitor information for Ste. Genevieve?
The visitor site we read is visitstegen.com.
What are the main things to see in Ste. Genevieve?
Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park, Felix Vallé House State Historic Site, Bossier-Shaw House (site office/interpretive center), Sainte Genevieve Museum Learning Center are the first four on the list above.
Sources
- visitstegen.com, read October 30, 2026
- nps.gov, read October 30, 2026
- mostateparks.com, read October 30, 2026
- visitstegen.com, read October 30, 2026
- visitstegen.com, read October 30, 2026
- stegenmodocferry.com, read October 30, 2026
- visitstegen.com, read October 30, 2026
- visitstegen.com, read October 30, 2026
- visitstegen.com, read October 30, 2026
Checked October 30, 2026 by It’s Missouri. Cite this page: Ste. Genevieve, itsmissouri.com (https://itsmissouri.com/destinations/ste-genevieve-missouri/), checked 2026-10-30. Free to quote with a link.