THE HEART OF THE CITY

In 1682, the French laid claim to a huge chunk of North America and named it ‘La Louisiane’ in
honor of young Louis XIV. Nearly two decades later, the French founded New Orleans for its
prime position on the Mississippi River and
the Gulf of Mexico.

As the thriving capital of New France, King

Louis XV passed New Orleans to his Spanish
cousin Charles III in 1762, primarily to keep
the city out of the hands of the British. The
Spaniards ruled New Orleans for four turmoil-
filled decades, and after the French
Revolution, Napoleon sold it all to the United
States in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase.

Although New Orleans has become one of America’s greatest cities, its soul is still uniquely
French. The fleur de lys was the emblem of French kings since the 12th century, and now it’s
synonymous with Louisiana. The symbol adorns everything from the New Orleans city flag to
the Saints’ football helmets. Indeed, New Orleans is steeped in French history.

Although known as the French Quarter or Vieux Carré, the oldest part of New Orleans was built
primarily during Spanish rule. However, the Quarter’s street names are nods to France.
Bourbon, Dauphine, Chartres, Burgundy, and Orleans are just a few that harken back to French
nobility.

Despite which country was officially in charge when the French Quarter was developed, the
architecture is a blend of French, Spanish, Creole, and even American influences. Intricate iron
balconies, reminiscent of Haussmann’s Paris, appeared on New Orleans’ buildings after the
mid-1800s when Micaela Almonester, Baroness de Pontalba, added them to her row of
apartments on Jackson Square, which are the oldest apartments in the country. (…)

Once known as Place d’Armes, Jackson Square dates to 1721 when it was a trading post and
parade ground for the French military. The square was originally modeled after Paris’s oldest
square—Place des Vosges. Once the location of public executions, Jackson Square is now
home to musicians, artists, fortune tellers, tourists, and locals. Jackson Square is saturated in
French history and is the quintessential postcard of the city.

Over the last 3.5 centuries, New Orleans has morphed from France’s American colony to
standing on its own as one of the world’s best cities. This former swampland has survived
colonialism, slavery, the Civil War, fires, and hurricanes. It’s given birth to jazz and inspired a
legion of authors and artists.
Where to find French history in New Orleans, Leah Walker (2017) from leahtravels.com
 Vocabulary:
bustling: animé(e)
laid claim : revendiquer, réclamer
chunk : costaud, gros morceau
thriving : florissante, prospère
exciting
steeped in: imprégné(e) de
turmoil-filled = full of agitation
architecture
an emblem = a symbol
a swampland: une région marécageuse
to adorn = to decorate
to be a blend of different cultures
to be modeled after = to imitate
to found: fonder
to rule = to govern
to stand on one’s own = to be independent