Located in Fontainebleau State Park in Mandeville, Louisiana, this beach is one of the most beautiful in the Lake Pontchartrain basin. Fontainebleau State Park is surrounded on three sides by water: Lake Pontchartrain, Bayou Cane, and Bayou Castine. The park is 2,800 acres in size and was once the site of a sugar cane plantation and brickyard.

The wealthy Bernard de Marigny, founder of the nearby town of Mandeville, developed this area across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans as a sugar plantation until 1852. The crumbling brick ruins of the mill, built in 1829, remain today and can be seen as you drive through the park.

The park has cabin rentals and RV access, miles of hiking and nature trails, picnic and playground areas, and the beach and fishing pier. An old railroad track that runs through the park has been converted into the Tammany Trace as a part of the Rails to Trails program. It is a wonderful route for cycling, hiking and in-line skating. The miles of nature trail are perfect for bird watching, with some 400 species frequenting the park.

It is accessible all year long through the State Park, which requires admission.

The description above was copied from or heavily based on Swim Guide, with permission.

More Information

• Official Website
• Swim Guide - Weather and water quality for Fontainebleau Beach Pier and 8,000 other beaches.
• Wikipedia
• Google Maps