THE BADLY BEHAVED WOMEN WHO MADE NEW ORLEANS TOUR
French Quarter Walking Tour
Small group tour, customized for you
Bar break at Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop
Exciting history & hilarious scandal
In the years surrounding our city's founding in 1718, hundreds of women were falsely arrested and shipped to the frontier colony of New Orleans with no resources and no hope. They survived and became our city's founding mothers.
Later, at the turn of the century, brothel queens decked in diamonds lived in palaces of marble and mahogany -- and the early pioneers of jazz music entertained in their bars. There was even a circus brothel, with onstage performances!
We'll also discuss a other famous women who broke all the rules, like the Baroness Pontalba, Voudou Queen Marie Laveaux, and more!
We share laughs and answer the group's questions. Our tours bring these incredible time periods to like with fun extras like a book of visuals, a take-home Polaroid of your group, & more!
CALENDAR
"Spectacular tour full of many details. This tour was one of the most engaging and enjoyable tours we’ve ever taken. The stories were detailed and exciting. Our guide had numerous supplementary images to supplement and place into context the stories of these remarkable and powerful women. Our stops were well planned. Overall, I can’t say enough about this well thought out tour."
TOUR ITINERARY
Part One
We begin at a convent, and hear how our early French king Louis XV became a human trafficker: arresting and exiling women to "the islands".
We'll see a brothel reported to be the House of the Rising Sun, and hear of the dangerous dives in the French Quarter's past.
You'll hear the epic story of the Baroness Pontalba, who survived four bullets and went on to rebuild the heart of the French Quarter.
1 Hour
Cocktail Break!
We'll visit three bars along the way, two with suggested historic cocktails like the Vieux Carre and Sazerac!
10 Minutes
Part Two
See old Basin St., where our first madams hung red lanterns outside of old wooden shacks in the French colonies. Blocks away, see Storyville, our turn-of-the-century red light district, where Madams ruled like queens, in palaces of marble, walnut, and mahogany. They made millions and lived above the law.
You'll also hear of Marie Laveaux, our mysteries Voudou Queen of many faces, and other women the history books left out (basically, they left them all out).
It's an unforgettable history, with all the scandalous bits included!
1 Hour
