Jazz, Creole cooking, plantations and bayous: Louisiana has a soul of its own in the United States, with a strong French and Cajun heritage.
New Orleans
Start with the French Quarter, its wrought-iron balconies, Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral. In the evening, head to Frenchmen Street for live jazz in the clubs. The Garden District and its mansions, reached by streetcar, complete the visit. And try beignets, gumbo and jambalaya.
The plantation road
Along the Mississippi, the River Road leads to former plantations such as Oak Alley and its famous avenue of oaks. Some, like Whitney Plantation, are dedicated to the memory of slavery: an essential visit to understand the history of the South.
The bayous
A boat trip into the bayous lets you watch alligators, herons and bald cypress trees draped in Spanish moss. The Atchafalaya Basin is the largest swamp in the United States.
Cajun Country
Around Lafayette, Cajun Country carries on the heritage of the Acadians deported from Canada in the 18th century. Cajun and zydeco music, dances and local French are still very much alive.
When to go to Louisiana?
Spring (February to May) and autumn (October and November) are the most pleasant. Summer is very hot and humid. Mardi Gras, in February or March, and the Jazz & Heritage Festival in spring draw big crowds.
Extending the trip
Louisiana combines perfectly with the Blues Highway to Memphis, a Mississippi cruise or Florida. Our specialist builds your trip through the Old South.
