If you are French speaking, if you like good music and if you have always dreamed of discovering the United States, we can only advise you to go to Louisiana, to New Orleans! One of the most emblematic places in the United States.
With a population of just over 1,240,000, New Orleans is the main city in a state that, with a little luck or gumption, could have been part of France! Indeed, the city was definitively sold to the United States, along with Louisiana, by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1803.
A long time ago but which makes this city a unique place in the USA, with a colonial architecture specific to the city, a black-American music scene of incredible quality and a famous district named after France: the French Quarter.
If you want to discover the incredible culture of Louisiana, don’t forget to apply for an ESTA authorization that will allow you to visit the former French city legally for a maximum period of 3 months. Once you have obtained your permission, you are free to discover the different poles of attraction that we will mention below.
New Orleans and its famous French Quarter!
The French Quarter is the historic center of a city that was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville. It is a unique place in the United States because it has preserved the architecture that was already in use more than 200 years ago, a fact that is extremely rare in the country of Uncle Sam.
All the houses in the neighborhood are classified and are pampered by their often wealthy owners. During the Civil War, this part of the city was fortunately spared from destruction as the locals decided not to fight. Much later, in 2005, during the terrible hurricane Katrina, the neighborhood was also spared: built at 1.5 meters above sea level, only the lower neighborhoods, often poor, were really affected.
During your visit to the French Quarter, you can admire the St. Louis Cathedral of New Orleans, the oldest surviving church in the United States (founded in 1718), Bourbon Street and its typical houses, as well as Royal Street, a nightlife spot for tourists from around the world.
Jazz, blues, New Orleans and its music-loving side
A visit to New Orleans would not be complete without a look at the music lover’s side of this beautiful city. Many famous artists came from there: Louis Armstrong, Fats Domino, King Oliver, etc. The list is long!
If you want to live a not too touristy experience that will bring you closer to what must have been the crazy music nights in New Orleans at the beginning of Jazz and Blues, we advise you more than ever to go to the Spotted Cat! This legendary jazz music bar located on Frenchmen Street offers delicious craft beers, to be enjoyed (in moderation) in front of one of the many musical shows that take place daily on the premises. Unforgettable!
When to visit New Orleans?
Once you have obtained your ESTA authorization for legal entry into the United States, you can finally discover the city that the locals call NoLa. To do this, we strongly recommend that you come between October and May, which are outside the rainiest and windiest months.
Outside of this period, the city is unfortunately known to be very fragile to the assaults of Mother Nature. During its history, the city has been devastated 27 times (!) by weather disasters. We bet that outside the months of June, July, August and September, you won’t be at any risk.