Frenchmen Street

Frenchmen Street is where many visitors and locals go to hear live music in New Orleans without the crowds and noise of Bourbon Street. The best-known section is a three-block stretch in the Faubourg Marigny, the neighbourhood just downriver from the French Quarter. The area was once the plantation of Bernard de Marigny, a wealthy Creole politician who began dividing it into building lots in 1806, and many of the houses date from the 19th century.

The street is said to be named after six Frenchmen who were executed after leading an uprising when France ceded Louisiana to Spain following the Seven Years' War. Its role as a music district is more recent. From the 1980s, as Bourbon Street became more oriented towards tourists, Frenchmen developed as a place where locals went to hear bands. Because it sits on some of the city's higher ground, it came through Hurricane Katrina relatively lightly, and during the recovery the city designated it an official arts and entertainment district. It also featured in the HBO series Treme.

The appeal is the concentration of small venues, where a single evening can take in traditional jazz, brass bands, blues, funk and more. Some clubs have a cover charge or a drinks minimum, while others ask for tips for the band, so carry some cash. Some jazz clubs sell tickets for set times, while smaller bars let you wander in and out. Most music starts in the evening, and the street is liveliest late on Friday and Saturday nights.

Frenchmen suits couples, groups of friends and solo travellers who want to hear music. Under-21s will find some venues off limits, and some clubs check ID at the door. As with any nightlife area, keep an eye on your belongings, stay on well-lit streets and use a taxi or ride-share late at night.

Music listings change nightly, so check the venues' own websites or social media pages during the afternoon to plan which bands you want to catch.

From the French Quarter it is a short walk downriver into the Marigny. A good evening starts with dinner in the Marigny or the Quarter, then a slow walk along the three blocks, listening at the doors before choosing where to stop.