French Quarter

The French Quarter is the historic soul of New Orleans, the oldest neighbourhood, laid out by the French and built up under the Spanish into a warren of pastel Creole townhouses hung with iron-lace balconies. Jazz drifts from its bars, Creole cooking fills its restaurants, and the raucous length of Bourbon Street parties late into the night.

Background

Its other name, Vieux Carré, means Old Square, after the central square around which the city grew once Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville founded New Orleans in 1718. The royal engineer Adrien de Pauger drew up the street plan in 1721. Fires in 1788 and 1794 wiped out 80% of the city's buildings, so almost all of the Quarter's buildings are from the late 1790s or later, from the years of Spanish rule or the first half of the 19th century. The whole district became a National Historic Landmark on December 21, 1965. It covers 0.66 square miles and had 3888 residents in 2010.

Source: Wikipedia, "French Quarter"

Highlights

• Jackson Square - the historic heart with St Louis Cathedral and artists.
• The iron-lace balconies - the Creole townhouses of Royal Street.
• Bourbon Street - the raucous strip of bars and music.
• Live jazz - the clubs of Frenchmen Street just beyond the Quarter.

When to go

The cooler months from autumn to spring for comfortable walking; February for Mardi Gras and its parades, though crowded and wild. Summer is hot, humid and hurricane season.

Things to know

Bourbon Street is loud, boozy and touristy, so the Quarter's real charm is on the quieter streets and, for music, Frenchmen Street beyond it. Summer heat and humidity are intense. Mardi Gras is a spectacle but overwhelming and booked out.

Nearby

The Garden District, the streetcar lines and the Mississippi riverfront are around; the bayous lie beyond the city.

Key facts