54 FRANCE MAGAZINE www.francemag.

com
Vive Iu Louisiune
Louisiana celebrates its bicentennial in April. Alison Weeks
explores the states French heritage, from Creole New Orleans
to the Cajun Bayou, and meets the people keeping it alive
I
t's u wuim ulteinoon in tle Fiencl Quuitei. Moss
lungs liom tle tiees ubove und diilts in tle buImy
bieeze, stiiiing up tle smeIIs ol jusmine und
CieoIe spices tlut Iingei in tle uii. WuIking towuids
tle iivei, I cun leui u steumbout sound its loin us it
sets suiI down tle Mississippi. And u stieet musiciun,
us il on cue, beIts out Do you know wlut it meuns
to miss New OiIeuns?" in u iuspy, Louis Aimstiong-
styIe voice.
I do, in luct, know wlut it meuns. I liist leII in Iove
witl New OiIeuns wlen I wus 12 yeuis oId und my
giundpuients biouglt me leie on u duy tiip. It wus
leie tlut I got my liist tuste ol Fiunce; witl eIegunt
oId buiIdings und loieign lood, it wus tle next best
tling to u tiip to Euiope loi u giiI liom smuII town
Ameiicu. Now 17 yeuis Iutei, und ultei spending
seveiuI yeuis in tle ieuI Fiunce, I wus cuiious to see
il it stiII leIt us uutlentic.
Founded in 1718, Lu NouveIIe-OiIeuns wus buiIt
by und loi weuItly Fiencl uiistociuts, wlo weie Iuied
leie by geneious Iund giunts liom tle Fiencl
goveinment. Biinging witl tlem tleii cuisine,
Iunguuge und ieIigion, tley wouId loievei slupe tle
unique identity ol tle city. Tle descendunts ol tlose
liist settIeis cuIIed tlemseIves CieoIe, loi tley weie
neitlei Fiencl noi Ameiicun. And uItlougl New
OiIeuns wouId clunge lunds between tle Fiencl und
Spunisl, tle CieoIes weie deteimined to loId on to
tleii wuy ol Iile. Even ultei tle city wus tiunsleiied
to tle Ameiicun goveinment, tley cIung to tleii
Fiencl identity, sending tleii cliIdien to be
educuted in Fiunce und diessing in tle Iutest
Puiisiun luslions.
Toduy, tle oId coIoniuI city is known us tle Vieux
Cuiie, tle Fiencl Quuitei oi, simpIy, us tle Quuitei.
Gieutei New OiIeuns is u modein US city, but once
you entei tle nuiiowing stieets ol tle Fiencl
Quuitei, Ameiicu becomes u distunt memoiy.
Tle stieet signs suddenIy clunge liom EngIisl to
Fiencl und tle coIouiluI louses, coveied in
uiubesque iionwoik, Iook us il tley've been pIucked
liom tle Mediteiiuneun. Muny ol tle buiIdings
uctuuIIy dute liom tle Spunisl peiiod, wlen tle city
wus iebuiIt ultei two gieut liies swept tliougl it.
ABOVE: The French
Quarter Festival in
New Orleans
RIGHT: Take a
horse and carriage
ride around the
French Quarter;
Saint Louis
Cathedral
www.francemag.com FRANCE MAGAZINE 55
But tleie uie stiII tiuces ol tle oiiginuI loundutions,
luIl-timbeied louses typicuI ol Noimundy oi AIsuce.
BuiIt in lonoui ol Louis XIV, tle beuutiluI Suint
Louis CutlediuI dominutes tle skyIine ol tle Fiencl
Quuitei. It oveiIooks Juckson Squuie, u pubIic puik
designed ultei tle PIuce des Vosges in Puiis. I couId
luppiIy spend tle duy stioIIing liom pIuce to pIuce
und udmiiing tle uiclitectuie, but I've been toId tle
most beuutiluI puits ol New OiIeuns cun't be seen
liom tle stieet. So I meet up witl PuuI Nevski, liom
Le Monde CieoIe Touis to visit some ol tle city's
seciet couityuids. Tucked uwuy liom pubIic view,
tlese enclunting spuces
pIuyed un impoitunt
puit in CieoIe Iile.
A Puiis nutive, PuuI
is sometling ol un
expeit on tle listoiy ol
CieoIe New OiIeuns.
His compuny's guided
touis locus on u Fiencl
CieoIe dynusty, tle Dupuic-LocouI lumiIy, wlo
uiiived liom Noimundy in 1804. Tle luscinuting toui
sleds Iiglt on tle CieoIe expeiience, wlicl le cuIIs
MIJTUPJSFEVOFEJGGSFODF, us it wus u woiId
upuit liom tle AngIo-Suxon cuItuie in Ameiicu.
Muidi Gius
Speuking to PuuI, it's cIeui tlut even u Fiencl peison
cun uppieciute tle GuIIic inlIuence on IocuI cuItuie:
Tle Iegucy ol tle Fiencl cun stiII be lound in
u ceituin MBJTTF[GBJSFuttitude, u non-puiitunicuI
undeistunding ol Iile," le teIIs me. Tle Fiencl nevei
beIieved in modeiution." It's tiue, tle puiitun beIiels
ol AngIo-Suxon settIeis nevei ieuIIy cuuglt on leie
und consequentIy soutlein Louisiunu lus nevei been
puit ol tle BibIe beIt.
Insteud, tle CieoIes iemuined IoyuI to tle CutloIic
luitl und CutloIicism stiII pIuys un impoitunt ioIe in
IocuI cuItuie. Tle city's lumous Muidi Gius
ceIebiutions stem liom tle CieoIe commitment to
tiudition. And uItlougl tle modein lestivities luve
become somewlut ledonistic, muny peopIe
stiII obseive tle event's ieIigious signilicunce.
But you don't luve to come loi Muidi Gius to luve
u good time in New OiIeuns, tle nigltIile iemuins
IiveIy yeui-iound. Tlunks to tlut MBJTTF[GBJSFuttitude,
tle uits luve uIwuys tliived leie, puving tle wuy loi
some ol tle best music in tle woiId. And on uny
given niglt, tleie's u wide uiiuy ol music on ollei,
liom juzz (tlis is, ultei uII, its biitlpIuce) to bIuegiuss
oi zydeco. Altei
souking up tle
utmospleie on tle
stieets, it's time to tiy
out one ol tle city's
iconic iestuuiunts. In
u city ienowned loi its
cuisine, you'ie nevei
lui liom u gieut meuI.
Opened in 1840, by Fienclmun Antoine AIicutoie,
Antoine's lus tle distinction ol being tle oIdest
lumiIy-iun iestuuiunt in tle countiy. It's u New
OiIeuns Iegend und one ol inteinutionuI uccIuim,
bousting un impiessive guest Iist liom US piesidents
to Pope Joln PuuI II. Antoine's extensive menu
incIudes uutlentic Fiencl mixed witl CieoIe
luvouiites und Iots ol IocuIIy souiced seulood. Heie
you cun enjoy un ecIectic meuI ol sliimp gumbo und
Cluteuubiiund. Except loi tle uddition ol EngIisl
tiunsIutions, tle menu lusn't clunged mucl since tle
iestuuiunt liist opened wly mess witl peilection?
Fiencl gustionomy Ielt sucl u Iegucy in tlis city,
even non-CieoIe newcomeis olten udopted it us tleii
own. Founded by un Iiisl-Ameiicun iestuuiuteui,
Biennun's is unotlei IocuI institution. It's lumous loi
its decudent CieoIe bieuklust, un epic tliee couises,
typicuIIy consisting ol tuitIe soup, eggs Hussuide
1682 Robert
Cavalier, Sieur de la
Salle, claims the
territory (on either
side of the
Mississippi, from
the Gulf of Mexico
to Canada) for
France and names
it after Louis XIV
1714 Louis
Juchereau St.
Denis founds Fort
St. Jean Baptiste,
the first permanent
settlement in
Louisiana
1718 New Orleans
founded, and
named after
Philippe, Duc
DOrlans
1723 New Orleans
becomes the
capital of Louisiana
1751 Sugar cane
arrives in Louisiana
5IFNFOVIBTOUDIBOHFE
NVDITJODFUIFSFTUBVSBOU
GJSTUPQFOFEXIZNFTT
XJUIQFSGFDUJPO
A TIMELINE
OF FRENCH
LOUISIANA
P
H
O
T
O
G
R
A
P
H
S
:
A
L
I
S
O
N

W
E
E
K
S
;
N
E
W

O
R
L
E
A
N
S
T
O
U
R
I
S
T

B
O
A
R
D
56 FRANCE MAGAZINE www.francemag.com
(seived witl Muiclund de Vin suuce) und bununus
Fostei (u Biennun's invention). Tle meuI usuuIIy
begins witl u biundy miIk puncl und tleie's u wine
iecommendution loi eucl couise. It's un extiuvugunt
stuit to tle duy, but u wondeiluI wuy to uppieciute
tiue CieoIe lIuii.
PIuntution countiy
WliIe New OiIeuns wus tle centie ol CieoIe
Louisiunu, tle Fiencl uIso settIed in iuiuI uieus, wleie
tley mude tleii loitunes luiming sugui cune.
Most lumiIies spent tle busy sociuI seuson liom
Septembei to June in tle Fiencl Quuitei und ietuined
'up iivei' to oveisee woik on tleii pIuntutions in tle
summei montls. Witl tle iise ol pIuntution cuItuie
cume un incieuse in sIuve owneislip umong CieoIe
lumiIies. Duiing tlis peiiod, New OiIeuns suw tle
cieution ol u new cIuss, HFOTEFDPVMFVSMJCSF, lieed
sIuves oi mixed-iuce peopIe, wlo uIso becume known
us CieoIes. At tle time, it wus common loi CieoIe
men to keep bIuck mistiesses, olten buying tlem
louses und lutleiing tleii cliIdien. Known us MFT
QMBDFT, tle women und tleii cliIdien becume puit
ol u new cIuss system, unique to New OiIeuns.
Leuving tle city, I leud noitl uIong tle Gieut
Rivei Roud. Known us MiIIionuiies' Row, tlis uieu wus
once lome to some ol tle iiclest lumiIies in Ameiicu.
One ol seveiuI CieoIe lomes uIong tle ioud, Luuiu
PIuntution is un exceIIent exumpIe ol tle Fiencl
CieoIe styIe. UnIike tle eIuboiute munsions luvouied
by tle Biitisl, tle Fiencl usuuIIy buiIt simpIei,
coIouiluI lomes. But u bit luitlei down tle ioud,
I come to u mugnilicent Gieek-ievivuI pIuntution buiIt
by u CieoIe lumiIy. OiiginuIIy cuIIed Bon Sejoui, Ouk
AIIey PIuntution wus designed uiound tle piopeity's
impiessive uIIey ol Iive ouks und tle uiclitect didn't
tlink tlut tle tiuditionuI CieoIe styIe wus giund
enougl to slowcuse tle tiees. PeopIe must luve
been slocked to see u CieoIe lumiIy buiIding
un Ameiicun-styIe lome loi, ubove uII, tle CieoIes
leuied tle Ameiicunisution ol tleii woiId.
Heuding noitlwest ol New OiIeuns, I entei tle
leuit ol Cujun countiy. Tle Cujun peopIe, oi
Acudiuns, descended liom tle Fiencl coIonists wlo
settIed Acudiu, un uieu now puit ol Novu Scotiu, in
1604. Altei tle Biitisl guined contioI ol tle iegion,
tley expeIIed tle Fiencl IoyuIists Iiving tleie, loicing
tle Acudiuns into exiIe. Eugei to popuIute Louisiunu
witl CutloIics, tle iuIing Spunisl goveinment
weIcomed tlem to tle teiiitoiy in tle mid-1700s.
Tle Cujuns weie iuiuI peopIe, used to woiking tle
Iund. Tley settIed in tle leitiIe wetIunds, oi buyou,
wleie muny ol tlem buiIt lomes on tle wutei und
Ieuined to Iive oll tlis unlumiIiui teiiuin. Becuuse ol
tleii iuiuI Iocution und cIose-knit lumiIies, tle Cujuns
muintuined u distinctive cuItuiuI identity, iicl in
Iunguuge, music und cuisine. Toduy, tley stiII enjoy
u tliiving cuItuie und IocuIs uie inciedibIy pioud ol
tleii unique leiituge.
Diiving uIong, I notice tle ioud signs uie u mix ol
Nutive Ameiicun und Fiencl numes. Some sound
lumiIiui, sucl us AbbeviIIe, und otleis quite comicuI,
1762 Following
the Treaty of
Fontainebleau,
France cedes
Louisiana (west of
the Mississippi)
to Spain
1763 The Treaty
of Paris confirms
Spanish control
of Louisiana
1764 The first
Acadians arrive in
Louisiana
1793 Pope Pius VI
establishes the
first Diocese of
Louisiana
1800 France
regains control
of Louisiana
1803 The
Louisiana Purchase
is ratified by
congress and
the US gains
possession of the
territory for
$15,000,000
1812 Louisiana
is admitted to
the Union
www.francemag.com FRANCE MAGAZINE 57
LEFT FROM TOP:
Achafalaya Basin;
Laura Plantation;
Bananas Foster
at Brennans
restaurant;
Steamboat
Natchez; One of
the citys jazz bars
FRANCOFILE
WHERE TO STAY
Bourbon Orleans Hotel
717 Orleans Street
New Orleans, LA 70116
Tel: (US) 504 523 2222
www.bourbonorleans.
com
Springhill Suites
301 St Joseph Street
New Orleans
LA 70130
Tel: (US) 504 522 3100
www.marriot.com
WHERE TO EAT
Antoines Restaurant
713 Rue Saint Louis
New Orleans
LA 70130
Tel: (US) 504 581 4422
www.antoines.com
Brennans
417 Royal Street
New Orleans
LA 70130
Tel: (US) 504 525 9711
www.brennans
neworleans.com
Prejeans
3480 NE Evangeline
Thruway
Lafayette
LA 70507
Tel: 337 896 3247
www.prejeans.com
WHAT TO DO
Le Monde Creole Tours
1000 Bourbon Street
Suite 332
New Orleans
LA 70116
Tel: (US) 504 568 1801
www.mondecreole.com
Laura Plantation
2247 Highway 18
Vacherie
LA 70090
Tel: (US) 225 265 7690
www.lauraplantation.com
Oak Alley
Plantation
3645 Highway 18
Vacherie
LA 70090
Tel: (US) 225 265 2151
www.oakalley
plantation.com
McGees Landing
Swamp Tours
1337 Henderson
Levee Road
Henderson
LA 70517
Tel: (US) 337 228 2384
www.mcgees
landing.com
Plan your own stay in Americas French quarter
MORE
INFORMATION
New Orleans CVB
Tel: 1 800 672 6124
www.neworleans
cvb.com
New Orleans
Tourism
Tel: 504 568 5661
www.neworleans
online.com
Louisiana Tourism
Tel: 1 800 99 GUMBO
www.louisiana
travel.com
Iike Giosse Tte. Tle pIuces muy sound Fiencl, but
sceneiy is unIike unytling I've evei seen. Tle countiy's
Iuigest lieslwutei swump, tle AtcluluIuyu Busin is 20
miIes wide und 1S0 miIes Iong. Tle euiIy Cujuns
depended on tlis Iundscupe loi tleii IiveIilood, so
tleie's no bettei pIuce to get un undeistunding ol
tleii cuItuie tlun on tle buyou. I stop oll ut McGee's
Lunding, neui Luluyette, loi u bout toui, wleie my
guide expIuins tle listoiy ol tle uieu und low tle
euiIy Cujuns mude tlis tleii lome. Duiing tle toui,
we puss seveiuI uIIigutois, wlicl uie uctiveIy lunted
und un impoitunt puit ol tle IocuI cuisine.
Tle Cujuns uie known loi tleii KPJFEFWJWSFund it's
evident wleievei you go. In New OiIeuns you'II leui
peopIe suy -BJTTF[MFTCPOTUFNQTSPVMFS but tle
expiession uctuuIIy oiiginuted witl tle Cujuns.
A IiteiuI tiunsIution ol 'Iet tle good times ioII', it
uccuiuteIy sums up tle Cujun uppioucl to Iile.
At Piejeun's, u lumous Cujun iestuuiunt in Luyette,
tleie is un umuzing utmospleie on u busy Fiiduy
niglt. FumiIy comes liist in Cujun communities, so
leie you won't lind unyone sitting ut u tubIe loi two.
It's Ioud, us eveiyone's slouting to be leuid ovei tle
Iive Cujun music, wlicl pioduces un uccoidion-bused
countiy und westein sound. Tleie's no dunce lIooi,
but tlut doesn't seem to muttei leie. CoupIes get up
peiiodicuIIy liom tleii dinneis to do tle Cujun
two-step in between tubIes. Tiue to tleii Fiencl
leiituge, tle Cujuns Iove u good lestivuI und ut
Luluyette, tleie's sometling luppening uImost eveiy
weekend, usuuIIy ceIebiuting Cujun cuItuie. Tleie's
uIwuys pIenty ol lood, music und duncing.
Tle Cujun peopIe uie uIso veiy pioud ol tleii
Iinguistic leiituge und woik veiy luid to pieseive tle
Fiencl Iunguuge. In Suint MuitinsviIIe, I meet up witl
Suzunne Lu VioIette. Boin und iuised in tle Suint
Muitin's Puiisl, wleie ubout u quuitei ol tle
popuIution speuk Fiencl ut lome, Suzunne Ieuined
Fiencl liom lei giundmotlei. I'm cuiious to leui tle
Fiencl Cujun uccent, so I usk Suzunne u lew questions
FOGSBOBJT.
Sle teIIs me tlut sle's olten embuiiussed, becuuse
sle knows sle doesn't speuk 'Puiisiun Fiencl'. Some
ol lei vocubuIuiy is outduted, woids inleiited liom
tle euiIy settIeis tlut luve since been loigotten in
Fiunce. Otlei woids nevei existed in Fiunce und lud
to be invented in tle New WoiId. It sounds beuutiluI,
but I cun't leIp but wondei wlut tle Acudemie
Fiunuise wouId suy ubout tle Cujun diuIect.
ReguidIess, tle luct tlut tle Iunguuge lus enduied in
tlis iuiuI IocuIe is notling sloit ol u miiucIe und u
testument to tle Cujun peopIe.
Suiviving spiiit
Gumbo, tle olliciuI disl ol Louisiunu, is olten used us
u metuploi loi IocuI cuItuie. Deiived liom Euiopeun,
Aliicun und Nutive Ameiicun cuisines, Gumbo is not
u meIting pot, wleie eveiytling bIends togetlei, but
u leuity mixtuie witl distinct ingiedients tlut woik
weII togetlei. Tle gumbo tleoiy muy leIp to expIuin
tle suivivuI ol u distinctive Fiencl cuItuie in
Louisiunu, some two lundied yeuis ultei Fiunce guve
up tle teiiitoiy. It's uIso down to tle deteiminution ol
tle CieoIe und Cujun peopIe, wlo woiked tiieIessIy to
muintuin tleii cuItuiuI identity in u clunging woiId.
In tle ulteimutl ol Huiiicune Kutiinu, some peopIe
weie slocked to see peopIe moving buck to iecIuim
tleii devustuted city. Wly wouId tley wunt to Iive in
u pIuce so vuIneiubIe to luiiicunes und lIooding?
But tle peopIe ol New OiIeuns couId nevei give up on
tleii city; its iicl listoiy und cuItuie is puit ol tleii
own identity.