Unspecified/General

The French Quarter, known to locals as the Vieux Carré, is the historic heart of New Orleans and one of the most atmospheric districts in the United States. Laid out in 1718 by French colonists, it is the city's oldest neighbourhood, and despite its name much of its surviving architecture is Spanish, the legacy of devastating fires in the late eighteenth century that swept away the original French buildings during a period of Spanish rule. That layered colonial past gives the Quarter its distinctive look, a tight grid of narrow streets lined with stuccoed townhouses, hidden courtyards and the lacy cast-iron galleries that drape so many balconies. At its centre lies Jackson Square, framed by the triple steeples of St. Louis Cathedral, one of the oldest active cathedrals in the country, and flanked by historic government buildings now serving as museums. Music and food are inseparable from the experience. The sound of jazz, born in this city, spills from clubs and street corners, while Creole and Cajun kitchens serve gumbo, jambalaya, po-boys and the sugar-dusted beignets that draw queues at the old French Market. Bourbon Street offers raucous nightlife, while genteel Royal Street is lined with antique shops, art galleries and elegant restaurants. The neighbourhood is also the stage for the city's most famous celebrations, above all the riotous parades and masked revelry of Mardi Gras, alongside a near-constant calendar of festivals, second-line processions and live performances that keep its streets animated year-round. Best explored slowly on foot, the French Quarter rewards wandering, with a sense of faded grandeur, a whiff of history and the promise of music around the next corner. For many travellers it is the soul of New Orleans, a place where European heritage, Caribbean influence and distinctly American invention have mingled into something wholly unique. Because it is compact and largely flat, the district is easily covered on foot, and horse-drawn carriages, walking tours and the historic streetcar lines nearby make exploration simple. From the riverfront promenade along the Mississippi to the hidden courtyards behind its townhouses, the Quarter rewards curiosity at every turn, day and night alike.

Type: Tourist Attraction

Address: French Quarter, New Orleans, United States