Welcome to the heart of Cajun Country, Ville Platte, Louisiana. Rich in its French traditions and cultural influences, this colorful city, located 80 miles west of Baton Rouge, is a progressive family-friendly community, where the love of good food, good music and good fun abound.

The Hospital
Mercy Regional Medical Center is a 102-bed acute care facility that serves as the primary health resource for Evangeline Parish and surrounding communities. The hospital offers a comprehensive range of healthcare services, delivered by a skilled team of physicians, nurses and support personnel. Among its many services, Mercy Regional Medical Center offers a full-service health and wellness facility and a radiology department which features bone densitometry for osteoporosis detection and a fully accredited mammography department. The hospital recently opened a state-of-the-art, eight-bed, Intensive Care Unit. The hospital also has a new Emergency Department, which features a triage center, a large waiting area, state-of-the-art trauma rooms, and seven private exam rooms, including dedicated gynecologic and orthopedic rooms. Other new facilities have recently been built for Surgery/PACU, Respiratory Therapy, Medical Records and Clinical Laboratory as well as a new lobby/entrance, Pharmacy and Admitting and Administration areas. Construction is ongoing with completion of the massive project set for fall of 2005.

The Community
Ville Platte (French for "flat town"), the county seat of Evangeline Parish, is accessible by Interstate 49, U.S. 167 and 190, and nine Louisiana state highways. The parish boasts an excellent public school system, as well as several top private schools to choose from. Also, four universities and colleges offer higher education opportunities to parish residents. In keeping with its Cajun heritage, Ville Platte is the host for numerous festivals throughout the year. Each October, the city hosts the Louisiana Cotton Festival and Le Tournoi (Tournament) de la Ville Platte, which features the ancient tradition of jousting. The last full weekend in June is Smoked Meat Festival, with cooking contests and plenty of music, from rock-and-roll and Cajun to rhythm and blues. Additionally, the city of Ville Platte hosts the Louisiana Cajun Gumbo Festival. The city of Ville Platte has been officially recognized by the Louisiana Legislature as the "Swamp Pop Capital of the World."

Recreation
Louisiana is known as the "Sportsman's Paradise," and Evangeline Parish is no exception. Ville Platte is home to Chicot State Park, 6,400 beautiful acres of lakes and woods, perfect for camping, fishing, swimming, picnics and hiking. Record catches of largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and red-ear sunfish are not uncommon from the park's 2,000-acre artificial lake. The park also features an Olympic-sized pool, a boathouse, three boat launches and boat rental facilities. Adjacent to the park is the 300-acre Louisiana State Arboretum, home to over 150 species of plant life native to Louisiana. Nearby Atchafalaya Basin is one of the great ecological wonders of the United States. The basin, which abounds in all types of wildlife, extends north from Morgan City to past Lafayette. It is comprised of a maze of bayous, lakes, ponds and cypress swamps. Avid birders and photographers may spot over 300 known species of birds.