French Market

Located on Decatur Street toward Esplanade Avenue from Jackson Square

Not unlike most old buildings and institutions in New Orleans, the French Market is French in name and spirit, but Spanish/American in construction and design. And though the Market has a long and rich history, the actual buildings have been constructed and re-constructed so often that it is really the concept of the place that attracts so many people rather than the actual physical structure.  

One of the most popular sections of the Market is the 24-hour Farmer’s Market, which offers visitors an array of fresh produce, meats, and seafood, in addition to tourist-oriented items such as hot sauces, Cajun and Creole mixes, and snacks (we recommend the “gator on a stick”). In addition, the Flea Market is optimum if you’re looking for strange articles of clothing or funky jewelry at bargain prices.  

Also located at the French Market is the world famous Café du Monde, where you can sit on the patio and watch all the action on bustling Decatur Street while listening to street musicians fill the open-air café with jazz as you gorge yourself with beignets (pronounced ben-yay) and café au lait. Open 24 hours, Café du Monde should be a definite stop  when visiting the French Market; or, rather, when visiting New Orleans.

Nevertheless, the French Market is and stands on one of the oldest and most interesting pieces of property in New Orleans. An open-air marketplace has been situated just downriver from the Place d'Armes (Jackson Square) in the French Quarter since the 1790s. The location of the French Market and of New Orleans dates back to the Choctaw Indians, before the Europeans settled the New World. The Choctaw Indians used this natural Mississippi river levee location to trade their wares to the river traffic. The early European settlers came by boat to this location to sell produce and dairy products. 

After a series of fires and at least one hurricane pummeled the city during the 1700s and early 1800s, city government decided to construct a more permanent marketplace structure to replace those that had been damaged or destroyed. The first such building was the Halle des Boucheries, or the Butcher's Market. Then the Halle des Legumes (Vegetable Market) was constructed about a block away in 1823, which was followed by the Red Stores in 1833 (although they weren't really part of the market, per se). The “gap” between the Butcher's and Vegetable Markets was filled in 1870 with the construction of the Bazaar.

Consequently, the location of the French Market left the buildings extremely vulnerable to weather damage throughout its 200-plus-year history. By the 1930s, the original buildings were either destroyed or dilapidated. Eventually, the Project Works Administration stepped in and the entire French Market was re-designed and renovated in 1937-38. The colonnaded buildings we now know as the Market date from this renovation. The French Market received another major facelift in the 1970s, patching up the some of the weathering that time and hurricanes like Betsy had inflicted over the years. A new Red Stores building was added at this time as well (the old ones having been destroyed by storms), and the Cusine Market building was also added to the Market complex.  

 - By Frances Vance

Below we have listed French Market Shopping according to building:

Butcher's Market

All That Jazz -- CDs, Posters, T-shirts
Aunt Sally's Praline Shop -- Pralines and souvenirs
Cadeau Expres, Inc. -- Gourmet confections and specialty foods
Cookery N'Orleans Style -- Cajun spices, recipes, cookbooks, etc.
Evans Creole Candy -- Pralines, assorted chocolates, etc.
Quilt Shop in New Orleans -- Patchwork Quilts, pillow covers, etc.

Bazaar

Art to Wear -- Handmade and hand-painted fashions.
Bijouterie -- Jewelry, charms, collectibles, etc.
Cotton Cabana Club -- Cool 100% cotton casual wear for men and women.
Head to Toe -- Accessories for men and women.
It's Our Secret -- Beaded epaulets, baseball caps, t-shirts, etc.
The Little Toy Shop -- European toys and collectibles.

Cuisine Market

Bella Luna Gourmet Kitchen Shoppe -- Fancy food items, kitchenware, etc.

Farmer's Market – produce, meats, etc.

Produce and Cooking Supplies, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.

Community Flea Market  -- miscellaneous.