Drives Louisiana Louisiana and Mississippi
Bayou Lafourche: Donaldsonville to Thibodaux
LA 18, LA 308, LA 1 · Donaldsonville → Thibodaux
The drive
Bayou Lafourche was once a distributary of the Mississippi, and its name means "the fork" in French. Today a string of small towns lines both banks, and the bayou has been called the longest main street in the world. This drive follows it from Donaldsonville, where it leaves the river, south to Thibodaux, using LA 18 and LA 308 along the east bank with the water beside the road.
Along the way are Belle Rose, Paincourtville, Plattenville and Napoleonville, then Labadieville and Thibodaux. The road is flat and gently curving, with the bayou beside the road and speed zones in the towns, so it is a slow 33.9 miles that takes about 45 minutes. LA 308 runs parallel to LA 1 on the opposite bank, and the east side is the less populated one.
In fall the roadside is sugar cane country. The harvest in this part of Louisiana runs from roughly September into December, and cane trucks and tractors share the roads.
Along the way
- Donaldsonville
- Napoleonville
- Thibodaux
Good to know
- During the sugar cane harvest, expect slow cane trucks and tractors, mud on the road and morning fog.
- Speed limits drop often in the small towns along the bayou, and the road is flat with few places to pass.
- LA 308 continues south of Thibodaux toward Golden Meadow, but this drive ends at Thibodaux.
- Parallel LA 1 on the west bank is the alternative if LA 308 is slow.
Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check Louisiana 511 (LADOTD).
Questions about this drive
How long does Bayou Lafourche from Donaldsonville to Thibodaux take?
The Bayou Lafourche drive from Donaldsonville to Thibodaux is 33.9 miles and takes about 45 minutes, allowing for the speed zones in each town.
Is LA 308 along Bayou Lafourche twisty?
No. LA 308 and LA 18 along Bayou Lafourche are flat and gently curving. The draw is the bayou, the small towns and the cane fields, not the bends.
Why is Bayou Lafourche called the longest main street in the world?
Towns line both banks of Bayou Lafourche for most of its length from Donaldsonville toward the Gulf, with LA 308 on the east bank and LA 1 on the west, so the road runs from one settlement to the next.
When is sugar cane harvest on Bayou Lafourche?
Harvest in Assumption Parish and nearby parishes usually runs from about September to December. Drivers on roads such as LA 308 should expect slow cane trucks and farm equipment.
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More drives near here
Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.