The Area                                                                                                                 

River House is located on one of the nicest streets in the Faubourg Marigny (the French word "faubourg" roughly translates to "neighborhood"), just three blocks--less than a five-minute walk--from the French Quarter.  We are two blocks from the Marigny's own "restaurant row" (on Frenchmen Street), two blocks from the Mississippi Riverfront and streetcar line, and one block from historic Washington Square Park.  Click here for maps.

The Neighborhood
The residential continuation of the French Quarter and the first "suburb" of New Orleans, the Faubourg Marigny is, according to Travel & Leisure (April 2002), one of the four trendiest neighborhoods in the country, while Where Magazine writes "...popular with French Quarter expatriates looking to escape the crowds, this hip district is the nightlife center of town for locals, and Frenchmen Street swings with live music clubs, casual restaurants, and other hangouts."  Frenchmen boasts more than 20 music clubs and restaurants, including the world-renowned Snug Harbor jazz club (www.snugjazz.com) and the new Cafe Rose Nicaud, named for a Creole slave who bought her freedom in the early 1800s by selling hot coffee from a portable stand in the French Market ("her coffee is like the benediction that follows after prayer," one loyal patron proclaimed), beginning a tradition of portable coffee stands and public coffee houses in New Orleans, such as Cafe du Monde.

Although it still has an offbeat, artsy feel, the Faubourg Marigny is experiencing a wave of gentrification that has seen residential property values soar in the last five years.  At the same time, like most historic New Orleans neighborhoods, the Marigny still has its share of homes that have seen better days, although these are rapidly being bought up and restored in accordance with the historical restoration requirements of this area.

Safety
River House's location in the Marigny is as safe or safer than most areas of the French Quarter, partly due to its close proximity to "the lower Quarter" (the quieter residential end of the French Quarter closer to the border street of Esplanade Avenue).  Nevertheless, caution is advised when traveling by foot after dark anywhere in New Orleans, including in the French Quarter, and taxis are generally recommended.

Parking
One of the things locals like about the Marigny is the abundance of free, on-street parking.  For our guests, there is almost always a spot directly in front of River House apartment, just a few steps from the door to the apartment.  Alternately, there is a secure parking lot on the corner of Elysian Fields and Chartres (one block away) with reasonable daily rates.

Need more info?  Please call us toll-free
at 866-945-8142, or email to info@riverhouseneworleans.com

A Brief History
Dating back to the 1700s, The Faubourg Marigny is located on the former site of the actual structures of the plantation of the Bernard de Marigny, which ran the length of the Mississippi River from Esplanade Avenue to Franklin Avenue.  The first houses were built around 1810, and the neighborhood today includes a wide range of architectural styles, from Creole cottage and southern "shotgun" to Greek Revival and early Victorian.  Spanish, French, Free People of Color, Italians, Germans, and Irish were among the first to live in this area, which is still home to a uniquely diverse mix of people.  If you appreciate great architecture, you may find yourself not wanting to leave the French Quarter, the Faubourg Marigny, and New Orleans in general, which is often described as the most European of all American cities.

Transportation
When vacationing in New Orleans, a car is a luxury, not a necessity.  By far the best way to explore the Marigny and the French Quarter from River House is on foot.  New Orleans also has a good public transit system of busses and streetcars.  The scenic Riverfront streetcar line, which runs along the Mississippi River to key points including Cafe du Monde, Jackson Square, Aquarium of the Americas, Riverwalk Mall, and Harrah's Casino, and which also connects with the St. Charles Ave. ("Uptown") and City Park (Carrollton Ave.) streetcar lines, stops just three blocks from River House approximately every 15 minutes.  For jaunts a bit further afield, such as to the plantations or swamps, many local tour operators provide frequent, door-to-door pick-up and drop-off services.

Driving Distances

• 20 minutes to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.

• 5-10 minutes by car or streetcar to Central Business District (CBD) and Convention Center

• 10 minutes to City Park/Mid-City

• 15 minutes to Lakefront 

• 15 minutes to Audubon Park and Tulane and Loyola Universities.