Hugging the bank of the huge, swiftly moving Mississippi River and lying barely above sea level is the Vieux Carré [view-ka-ray], or French Quarter, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Buildings crowd each other and the narrow streets. Cast-iron and wrought-iron balconies overhang the sidewalks, providing shelter from hot summer sun or sudden downpours. Cool, inviting courtyards can be glimpsed down narrow alleys or carriageways, and the smells of shrimp remoulades and seafood gumbos waft from hidden kitchens. Cathedral bells, jazz trumpets, and ship horns serenade residents and visitors.

The Quarter is the heart and soul of modern New Orleans and serves as a continuous reminder of the citys Creole, colonial past.
Source: http://www.cr.nps.gov