French Market, New Orleans

After stopping by Cafe Du Monde, this is an interesting place to wander around. Within the market, there are a number of independent little places to shop - you'll see groceries, food, knick-knacks, etc. Basically, it's a large open-air flea market with lots of local color. I made the mistake of trying some sort of voodoo hot sauce - it blew apart the inside of my face for the next few hours :)

While we didn't find anything to buy (outside of gatorade to soothe my aching cheek), there was plenty of neat stuff to look at - recommended if you're at all into shopping locals items.

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This popular market dates back to 1791. If you happen to visit some museums or go on a historical tour of the French Quarter, you're pretty much sure to hear stories about how people would walk over to the market on a daily basis to buy fresh baguettes (most houses in the French Quarter didn't even have a bread oven because of how convient it was to get it at the market). Today, the focus of the French Market isn't so much on fresh produces anymore, but it's still lots of fun to walk though the stalls of this huge market (it covers about five blocks along Decatur Street) and soak up the atmosphere. You can buy souvenirs at the flea market, stop for a drink or lunch at one of the cafes, and enjoy some live jazz music. To be honest, I didn't get much shopping done at the market, but I did enjoy having a drink on the outdoor patio at the Market Cafe where a really cool band was playing. You can even hear some of it in the short video I've uploaded!

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At the south eastern corner of the Quarter, between Decatur and Peter’s streets, the French Market is a very pleasant area to visit, early morning or at late evening.
This former native trading post became what we see today with many changes during time and is considered the oldest public market of the United States.
Today, it is still a market, but mainly an entertainment area, a place whereyou can listen to jazz, buy souvenirs and eat crawfish! (picture 4)
Souvenirs of all sorts (pictures 2 and 3), and sitting on a terrace on Decatur Street you can watch people walking in front of the market (picture 5). There is a nice atmosphere there.

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I would have thought that this might have been an actual flea market type of things where one might buy antiques or other funky used items. It is billed as an

open-air shoppers' paradise in the French Market's Community Flea Market. Handmade clothing as well as fine silver and jewelry can be found in this eclectic setting open 7 days a week

But what it really is IMHO is nothing but institutionalized souvenier stands. It is interesting to see once, but I didn't buy anything here, except Pralines from the Farmer's Market in the next block.

Post Katrina: The French Market is open for business!
To date, Café du Monde, Aunt Sally’s Creole Pralines, What’s new, Head to Toe, Bijouterie Gift Shop, The Little Toy Shop, All that Jazz, and Café Gumbolaya restaurant, are all open and more will be ready in the next few weeks.

The Flea Market is seeing the return of more vendors each week.

Very busy bustling market with a lot of the junky flea market things you find in every large city. I thought they were a bit over priced for what was being offered. It was a great spot to people watch.

the french market is a historic site located just north of jackson square on decatur street in the french quarter. today it is a collection of stalls with vendors selling local crafts and flea market junk. there are a couple of venders that sell worth while souvenirs and crafts but most of the stalls sell flea market items. the french market is still an interesting place to wander through when in the french quarter.

JOIN US FOR THE FIRST ANNUAL

SAINT JOAN OF ARC PARADE

TWELFTH NIGHT JANUARY 6, 2009 AT 6:00 P.M.

IN THE FRENCH QUARTER


December 16, 2008---On Tuesday, January 6, 2009, a.k.a. Twelfth Night and Joan of Arc’s birthday, admirers of the Maid of New Orleans will gather at Woldenberg Park at 5:30 p.m. and at 6:00 p.m. walk up Conti Street , then down Decatur Street to the St. Joan statue at St. Phillip Street in the New Place de France. The parade will honor of the life and death of Jeanne D’Arc, born January 6, 1412, in Domremy , France , who was burned at the stake at age nineteen, two years after her success at the Battle of Orléans, France.



This first annual parade will feature three Joan of Arcs, in addition to artists, musicians, and revelers of all ages in medieval/Renaissance costumes. The parade will be lit by processional candles carried by 50 participants, and parade participants will sing a Joan of Arc marching song, put to an ancient French melody.

-Caye Mitchell of the New Orleans Posse, a riding club whose members participate in many New Orleans parades, including the Lady Godivas in Muses, will play Joan as a soldier, riding on a white horse carrying a replica of Joan’s standard (created by local artist Susan Gisleson) and will be flanked by two knights in armor on horseback bearing torches. One of these knights will be her husband Fred Mitchell, portraying the Bastard of Orléans, one of Joan’s most loyal comrades.

-Kelly Faucheux, one of the owners of Renaissance Publishing—whose company logo happens to be the image of the Joan of Arc statue in the French Quarter—will ride on a horse as the beatified Joan, wearing a halo and covered in gold as a symbol of Joan’s redemption and immortality. Kelley shares a birthday with Joan of Arc, and is particularly excited to celebrate her 40th in this truly New Orleans fashion, surrounded by members of Renaissance Publishing Company dressed as angels.

-Australia James, an honors student at Helen Cox High School and a NOCCA theatre student, will portray Joan as prisoner. She will perform a monologue from George Bernard Shaw’s play Saint Joan at the statue at St. Phillip Street , giving voice to Joan just before her execution. Before the parade, she will stand at the John Scott sculpture Ocean Song at Woldenberg Park , which with its mirrored shapes resembling flames foreshadows her fate.

COMMEMORATIVE THROWS

A highlight of the parade will be the limited edition gift boxed commemorative imported Italian Saint Joan of Arc medallions and necklaces that Rob Clemenz, owner of SaintsforSinners.com, will offer fortunate parade-goers. Additional throws include more reverent and unique items such as Joan of Arc prayer cards, as well as somewhat irreverent items like Atomic Fireball candies. Parade participants will toast Joan below her statue with Goldschläger, a cinnamon schnapps containing tiny flakes of gold, generously provided by Glazer’s of Louisiana .



SAINT JOAN OF ARC CATHOLIC CHURCH AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS

Additional key participants include: Rev. Fr. James M. West of Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Church in New Orleans, who will say a prayer before and after the parade in Joan’s honor; Julie Wallace, a local artist and art teacher who is creating various large-scale art pieces for parade members to carry, including puppets of Joan’s “voices”; cardboard flames; and butterflies, rumored to have surrounded Joan’s horse when she entered Orléans; Susan Gisleson, arts educator, costume designer and the events coordinator for Press Street, a literary and visual arts collective located in the Bywater, will create Joan’s standard and St. Joan of Arc Krewe parade banner; and Helen Gillet, a classically trained cellist who performs French chansons and musettes, original compositions and jazz with her band Wazozo and is a member of Musica de Camera (medieval music), will play French period music at the St. Joan of Arc statue at New Place de France.



WHY A JOAN OF ARC PARADE?

Considered the Patron Saint of New Orleans, Joan of Arc represents many things to many people, among them: female warrior, faithful servant of God, follower of her voices (St. Michael, St. Margaret, St. Catherine), and rescuer of France. Although not its original intention, the parade has come to represent to some a call to Joan to help “save New Orleans ”. As one participant said, Since she saved the old, why not the new? She is a courageous figure that inspires hope, faith, awe and conviction in all who learn about her short but remarkable life.



The fact that Joan was born on Twelfth Night, the night that kicks off Mardi Gras season, gives us yet another reason to create an event celebrating The Maid of Orleans and all things unique to our city.



OPEN CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS



Followers and fans of Saint Joan from around the New Orleans area and around the country have come forward to offer their support and talent to this first annual event. Given the enthusiastic reply, we expect to have additional musicians, actors, jugglers, jesters, knights and fair maidens joining us. All interested in walking with us may participate as long as they are dressed in some interpretation of medieval/Renaissance garb and are willing to carry an instrument, candle, sign, or art piece.



In future years we look forward to growing this into a Joan of Arc festival, complete with film, theater, musical performances, costume contests, and Renaissance Fair style events reflecting the times in which Joan lived.



Please visit www.stjoankrewe.blogspot.com or email stjoankrewe@yahoo.com for additional information.

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The French Market has existed at this site for over 200 years (1791). Native Americans were the first to recognize that this spot, on the banks of the Mississippi River, would make a grand trading post.

Following the years of Spanish and French control, it became of prime importance in the purchase of the Louisiana territory by President Thomas Jefferson

African-Americans brought calas (a type of fritter), caffeine and pralines to the early market; while the Choctaws, traveling from north of Lake Pontchartrain, offered herbs, spices and handmade beads.

As it evolved, Gascon butchers, Italian and Spanish fruitsellers, German vegetable women and Moors bringing trinkets from the Holy Land helped to create the CULTURAL GUMBO it is today.

pic #2 Entrance denoting the French Market
pic #2 Joan of Arc statue, welcoming one and all

I thought it was interesting to note that even in the mid-1800's coffee drinking was a favorite thing to do here. In fact, Cafe du Monde, where you can grab a cafe-au-lait and sugary beignet, is the oldest tenant in the French Market.

In the mid-1800's a Bazaar Market was built; grocery goods were sold in Red stores and in 1924, a farmers market with stalls was added. This rich heritage of commerce grew into what is now a 'cultural, commercial and entertainment treasure'.

*For more info. on The French Market, go to the website below where you'll find a detailed history of this site

What began as a Native American trading post, historians have made the claim that the French Market is the oldest public market in existence in the U.S. Struggles between cultures, changes in government, and natural phenomenon have tested the resilience of it's vendors. The official site says:

"As for the confusion of tongues in the market, it was simply delicious. French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch and "Gumbo" contended with each other for supremacy" ..." There are Gascon butchers, and the Italian and Spanish fruit vendors, and the German vegetable women; there are Moors, with their strings of beads and crosses, fresh from the Holy Land . . . Chinese and Hindu, Jew and Teuton, French and Creole, Malay, Irish, and English, all uniting in an ceaseless babble of tongues that is simply bewildering."

Others who frequented the early market included African-Americans selling coffee, pralines and calas, the rice fritter popular in 19th century New Orleans, and the Choctaw from north of Lake Pontchartrain who brought varieties of herbs, spices and handmade crafts.

1. Designer-inspired purses, wallets, sunglasses.
2. Framed and/or matted New Orleans prints
3. "I've been to New Orleans" t-shirts and the like
4. Candles
5. Jazz CDs and cassettes
6. Feather Boas
7. Mardi Gras beads
8. Hot sauce
9. Postcards
10. African and African-inspired home decor
11. Oil and acrylic paintings
12. Bourbon Street street signs
13. Artists to draw a caricature of you and your friends
14. Other things "New Orleans" to hang on your wall.
15. Cookbooks

As of April 29, 2008 the Farmer's Market is under renovation but once it opens you'll find locally grown produce, prepared meats, sauces, etc.