What is the French quarter?

Answer 1

The "French Quarter" is another name for the Vieux Carre(old quarter), the oldest part of the city of New Orleans. New Orleans has been the economic center of Louisiana since its days under French and Spanish rule.

Adjacent to the Mississippi River bank, the French Quarter is the highest part of the city, built up by centuries of river overflows that deposited thick layers of silt. It is almost entirely above sea level, and escaped the flooding that accompanied the failure of levees during Hurricane Katrina (2005). High levees also keep out the waters of the Mississippi during spring flood season.

The oldest buildings in New Orleans date from the 18th century, before the US purchase of Louisiana in 1803. The picturesque narrow streets are a popular tourist destination.