Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, USA

Abbeville is a city and the seat of Vermilion Parish in south-central Louisiana, on the Vermilion River. The community grew from land purchased in 1843 by the Rev. Antoine Désiré Mégret and was incorporated in 1850. Its early plan followed the form of a French provincial village, with a church and public square at its center. Magdalen Square and the parish courthouse remain prominent features of downtown. Acadian settlement and Cajun food traditions have shaped the city’s cultural identity.