NEW ORLEANS

New Orleans is nestled in a curve of the Mississippi River, with Lake Ponchartrain to the north and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its historic center, called the Vieux Carré or the French Quarter, can be discovered by strolling the district’s narrow streets with their rectilinear layout and characteristic facades (which, ironically, reflect Spanish architectural influence). While the city is easily discovered on foot, you can also board one of its iconic streetcars or dream of time gone by aboard a paddlewheel boat cruise. The boats leisurely explore the mythical Mississippi River and offer themed excursions such as jazz cruises. But don’t hesitate to leave the Vieux Carré and let yourself be seduced by surrounding neighborhoods. The industrial buildings of New Orleans’ Warehouse District have been rehabilitated to house major museums and art galleries. Along Magazine Street, small boutiques, dealers of second-hand goods and art galleries delight shoppers. The city’s iconic streetcar leads to the Garden District. This neighborhood owes its name to the many parks and gardens that frame its antebellum and Greek Revival mansions. The FaubourgMarigny, close to the Vieux Carré, is a trendy neighborhood with a bohemian spirit where youth and artists gather. Frenchmen Street, the neighborhood’s main thoroughfare, is known for jazz clubs including Spotted Cat, DBA and Snug Harbor. (From New Orleans’ streets to its jazz clubs, Louisiana’s French-Cajun mantra, “Laissez les bons temps rouler,” is always à propos, and the clubs are an essential way to experience the spirit, musical heritage and deep talent emblematic of the city.) In fact, nearby Tremé, the oldest African American neighborhood in the U.S., is considered to be the birthplace of jazz.

The oldest cathedral in the United States is located in New Orleans’ Jackson Square: St. Louis Cathedral. Other cultural attractions in the city include the Old Mint Museum, New Orleans Museum of Art, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art and the National WWII Museum. For something different, visit the city’s Voodoo Museum, Mardi Gras World (a colorful collection of parade floats), the Edgar Degas House, the New Orleans African American Museum in Tremé or the New Orleans Jazz Museum.

New Orleans thrums to the rhythm of festive annual events including Mardi Gras, which lasts several weeks, and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, one of the most famous music festivals in the United States.

Getting There

The Plantations Of The Old South

For visitors who wish to step back into the antebellum period and get a glimpse of what life was like for rich planters and enslaved people, Louisiana offers an immersion. Discover the eventful history of this “Old South” state, the triangular trade and daily life on a plantation when you travel the Great River Road along the Mississippi River. Between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, majestic mansions rise in an array of architectural styles, from Georgian and Federal to Greek and Gothic Revival. Among the most popular to visit are Oak Alley (circa 1839), famous for its iconic avenue of oaks; Laura Plantation (circa 1805), a rare Creole plantation that offers daily tours in French; Nottoway (circa 1859), nicknamed the “White Castle;” Houmas House (circa 1828), with its fascinating gardens; Destrehan (circa 1787), the oldest remaining plantation; and the Whitney Plantation Museum, dedicated exclusively to telling the stories of the slaves who made plantation life and industry possible.

Plantation Road leads to Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana, where you can visit the Louisiana State Capitol, the Old State Capitol and the Louisiana State

GATEWAYS:

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)

Dallas/ Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)

DOMESTIC FLIGHTS:

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)

Alexandria (AEX)

Baton Rouge (BTR)

Lafayette (LFT)

Lake Charles (LCH)

Monroe (MYR)

Shreveport (SHV)

University (LSU) Rural Life Museum & Gardens, an open-air collection of 20 buildings interpreting 19th-century life on a reconstructed sugarcane plantation.

Cajun Country

The first French Canadians arrived in Louisiana in 1764 after leaving Acadia (Nova Scotia) to escape persecution by the English. These francophones refused British assimilation, sought to preserve their French language and their Catholic religion and called themselves Cajuns. Cajun Country upholds their rich cultural heritage. In Lafayette, Vermilionville and the Acadian Village are authentically recreated Acadian villages that immerse visitors in mid-19th-century daily life. For an even better understanding of Cajun history, visit the Acadian Cultural Center.

The towns of Houma and Thibodaux are located in the heart of bayou country, a land of sugarcane and fishing villages. Discover Cajun Country through its waters, getting lost in the marshes and admiring how willow and cypress trees draped with Spanish moss create a mysterious forest. The bayous can be discovered by boat, hydrofoil or even kayak. Lake Martin and Atchafalaya Basin, both near Lafayette, are good starting points, and you will likely see alligators, turtles and up to 300 species of birds. The Louisiana wilderness can also be discovered along the Creole Nature Trail near Lake Charles, a 290-km panoramic road that reveals marshes, beaches and the largest concentration of alligators in the country.

This region is best explored on weekends, when the area is alive and beating to the rhythm of Cajun and zydeco music concerts and dance parties, nicknamed Fais Do Do. You can also time your visit with signature events: the International Louisiana Festival at the end of April and the Acadian and Creole Festival in mid-October. Both are held in Lafayette and present an opportunity to discover the Louisiana gastronomy and its dishes prepared with crawfish, shrimp, alligator and Andouille, all spiced with the famous Tabasco® sauce, produced on nearby Avery Island.

Practical Information

POPULATION: 4.649 million

CAPITAL & MAIN CITIES: Baton Rouge (capital), New Orleans, Shreveport, Lafayette, Lake Charles

TIME DIFFERENCE : -7h

CLIMATE: Subtropical climate with very mild winters, pleasant midseasons and hot and humid summers.

WHEN TO GO? Mild weather encourages visits in winter, spring and fall, though spring and fall may stand out to some visitors for the vibrant festivals they promise. Temperatures grow hotter later in the summer, especially August and September, so use caution or think twice about planning a late-summer trip.

LOCAL TIP: International tourists benefit from tax-free shopping in Louisiana thanks to the Tax-Free Shopping Program, unique to the United States. This is a great opportunity to stock up on souvenir gifts and clothing while enjoying American-style shopping malls.