Maps and Orientation

 

The 1764 map "Cours du Fleuve Saint Louis" ("Course of the St. Louis River", the

earlier French name of the Mississippi) published in Paris in 1764,  46 years

after  the founding of "Nouvelle Orleans" by  Pierre LeMoyne, Sieur de Bienville, a French Canadian adventurer (Click to download).

In 1719, the city of New Orleans was founded by French Canadian aristocratic adventurers who settled on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River, the area now known as the French Quarter (the "Vieux Carré"). That spot was chosen since it was the highest ground between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain to the north.

Following their loss in the European conflict known as the Seven Years War, France was forced to cede Louisiana to Spain in 1763. Following Napoleon's victories, Spain was forced to give it back to France in 1803, who sold it to the United States a couple of months later in the Louisiana Purchase.

New Orleans is where it is for a very good reason: There had to be a major port at the mouth of the Mississippi River, the river that moves the commerce for half of the North American continent. That's why it's been called the "inevitable city on an impossible site."

 

Which Way Is Up?

 

New Orleans is laid out with streets parallel to and perpendicular to the Mississippi River. Unfortunately, the river meanders around and so do the streets (St. Charles Avenue, for instance, runs south, east, and then north). So in the Crescent City, the cardinal directions don't mean much. Instead, we refer to:

 

Map of Greater New Orleans. (Click to Download)

 

Direction

What it Means

Lake Side

Toward Lake Pontchartrain, generally north

River Side

Toward the Mississippi River, generally south

Downriver/Lower

The direction the river flows, generally east

Uptown/Upriver/Upper

Up the river, generally west

 

A 300 year-old city wasn't designed for mass transit and automobiles. So it is a good idea to get your bearings before you attempt to navigate around. It will save you time, money, and lots of confusion. Word to the wise: If you plan on traveling in the City, make sure you keep a map handy. You can purchase pocket maps everywhere, or print out the ones on this page.

 

 

 

The French Quarter

 

  

Map of the French Quarter, Central

Business District, and the Warehouse

District up to Lee Circle. (Click map

to Download)

  

In 1718, the French Quarter was founded in a fetid swamp, swarming with Indians, mosquitoes, snakes and alligators. But the French are a brave and intrepid group, and they soon had laid out a nice rectangular street grid, dug drainage ditches, created a bureaucratic government, and imported nuns to reform the pirates, criminals, paupers, and other degenerates who made up the majority of the people who migrated here. 

 

In 1763 the French were forced to give Louisiana to Spain. However, no one told the Louisianans about this, so when the Spanish governor arrived in New Orleans they put him back on the boat and sent him home.  Later, another Spanish governor arrived (the preposterously named Alejandro O'Reilly) with lots more soldiers who demonstrated his authority by promptly executing anyone who said otherwise. He stayed, but the francophile New Orleanians ignored him as much as possible.

 

By that time,  the French had made real progress. The French Quarter was still a fetid swamp swarming with mosquitoes, snakes and alligators, but there were lots more imported nuns trying (and mostly failing) to reform the hordes of pirates, criminals, paupers, and other degenerates that continued to swarm ashore. Sadly, most of the Indians had died from disease brought by the nuns, the pirates and etc.

 

When the Americans arrived (after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803) they settled 'Uptown', on the west (upriver) side of the French Quarter. The established Creoles in the Quarter wanted nothing to do with the newly-arrived Americans (and vice versa), so the two cultures didn't mix much except on Canal Street. This is the widest street in the United States, and still divides the upriver side of the "Vieux Carré" from the Americanized Central Business District ("CBD").

In fact, the Americans would not even use the same street names as the established French Quarter inhabitants, and to this day the same streets have two different names on either side of Canal Street. For instance, Bourbon Street in the French Quarter is called 'Carondelet' upriver of Canal Street, Royal Street in the Quarter is St Charles Avenue uptown, and so on.

 

As you can see from the map (click above), the French Quarter is bounded by Canal Street (upriver), Rampart Street (lakeside), Esplanade Avenue (downriver), and the Mississippi River.


 Outside the French Quarter
 

Visitors are advised not to to travel outside of the French Quarter and CBD on foot unless you know were you are and what the neighborhood is about.  Most of New Orleans is perfectly safe, but if you don't know where you're going, you had better inquire before you go or take a taxi (they're cheap insurance).

 

The Central Business District and the Warehouse District

Upriver from the Quarter (past Canal Street) is the Central Business District ("CBD") to Poydras Street. Further upriver from Poydras Street is the "Warehouse/Arts District" to Lee Circle. Both of these areas contain some of the very best restaurants that New Orleans has to offer, such as Emeril's.

 

Further upriver from there is the residential district known as "Uptown", which includes the famous "Garden District" where the rich American merchants built their mansions which you can see today on Garden District tours or from the St Charles Avenue streetcar.

The Marigny

Downriver from the Quarter (across Esplanade Ave.) is the "Faugourg Marigny". This is a bohemian section of town and has many famous jazz clubs and some really excellent eclectic 'neighborhood' restaurants. If you want to hear authentic jazz as well as its descendents and variants, then the clubs in the Marigny are the place to go.

Tremé

On the lakeside of Rampart Street (around the cemeteries and Louis Armstrong Park) is a neighborhood that has recently become famous, Tremé. It is the oldest "suburb" of New Orleans and was settled and developed by free black persons during the 18th century. Also along Rampart is a public housing project adjacent to the cemeteries that visitors are warned to avoid.

 

By the way, you cannot visit the cemeteries except on a tour, and then only in the daytime. However, the death rituals and burial customs in New Orleans are fascinating and unique. A cemetery tour is definitely worth your time!

 

Across the River

Algiers is across the river from the French Quarter. You can take the ferry from the foot of Canal St. for a FREE ride across the river (and a free ride back too!).