Louisiana – Texas
Enjoy a combination of these two states to traverse the astonishing byways of the Southern USA: Louisiana and Texas, two regions where cultures cross and mingle, and whose blended identities have no equal 😊…
✈ Arrival in Louisiana
Strange and mysterious territory of mixed Indian, European colonial, Acadian, and Creole heritage, Louisiana’s bayou country intrigues and astonishes visitors with a history shaped by encounters and exchanges from elsewhere.
Here, time goes back on the banks of the Mississippi: in the old days, King Louis XIV sent his men to these swampy, hostile lands, convincing them that the soil teemed with gold and precious stones… their encounter with the Houmas Indians, settled on the delta, already marks the beginnings of a South at the crossroads of peoples. Then comes the splendor of plantations and the WASP society that settles there, not forgetting slavery and the freedom finally regained. Then arrive the Cajuns, this group of individuals from France, who first immigrated to Canada in Acadie, then were driven out and now settled in the Louisiana bayous, where their culture blends with that of the local Indian tribes.
Thus these lands welcome a lively mix of immigrant histories and peoples that has left an incredible cultural wealth: heirs of plantation WASPs, Acadians from the bayous, Houma Indians, and Creole and African-American communities, all together shaping Louisiana’s distinctive identity. The famous blues and jazz music, born from this blending, shapes the atmosphere of the clubs on Frenchmen Street, while a delectable Creole and French cuisine, colorful and spicy, mixing French, African, Spanish, and Indigenous influences, awaits you in New Orleans!
Here, time goes back on the banks of the Mississippi: in the old days, King Louis XIV sent his men to these swampy, hostile lands, convincing them that the soil teemed with gold and precious stones… their encounter with the Houmas Indians, settled on the delta, already marks the beginnings of a South at the crossroads of peoples. Then comes the splendor of plantations and the WASP society that settles there, not forgetting slavery and the freedom finally regained. Then arrive the Cajuns, this group of individuals from France, who first immigrated to Canada in Acadie, then were driven out and now settled in the Louisiana bayous, where their culture blends with that of the local Indian tribes.
Thus these lands welcome a lively mix of immigrant histories and peoples that has left an incredible cultural wealth: heirs of plantation WASPs, Acadians from the bayous, Houma Indians, and Creole and African-American communities, all together shaping Louisiana’s distinctive identity. The famous blues and jazz music, born from this blending, shapes the atmosphere of the clubs on Frenchmen Street, while a delectable Creole and French cuisine, colorful and spicy, mixing French, African, Spanish, and Indigenous influences, awaits you in New Orleans!
Onward to Texas
Head out into the stars with a visit to NASA.
Stroll along the welcoming River Walk in San Antonio, a true cultural crossroads where the Mexican influence is felt at every step: Tex-Mex cuisine, mariachis, colorful markets, and Hispanic architecture mingle with Texan heritage.
Discover the show of real cowboys: cattle ranchers rope and lasso in Dallas, in the pure tradition of rural Texas.
Enjoy a true Texas-style barbecue steak!
Hear the story of the wealthy Texan landowners through J.R. Ewing, the powerful character from a TV show with its ruthless universe, who embodies the other face of Texas: that of grand land-owning fortunes inherited from WASP traditions, today in constant dialogue with the Mexican culture that pervades this territory.
Stroll along the welcoming River Walk in San Antonio, a true cultural crossroads where the Mexican influence is felt at every step: Tex-Mex cuisine, mariachis, colorful markets, and Hispanic architecture mingle with Texan heritage.
Discover the show of real cowboys: cattle ranchers rope and lasso in Dallas, in the pure tradition of rural Texas.
Enjoy a true Texas-style barbecue steak!
Hear the story of the wealthy Texan landowners through J.R. Ewing, the powerful character from a TV show with its ruthless universe, who embodies the other face of Texas: that of grand land-owning fortunes inherited from WASP traditions, today in constant dialogue with the Mexican culture that pervades this territory.
Before: Georgia – Tennessee – Mississippi
Deepen your Deep South journey by starting with the history of the blues and the civil rights movement: Atlanta, the hometown of Martin Luther King; Nashville, the cradle of American country music; Memphis and its historic music studios; the mystical towns of Tennessee and Mississippi, home to some of the greatest blues artists who marked music history: Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Sam Cooke…
After: Florida
Fancy some fun and beaches? Let’s go for the Florida extension. From a 3-night stay in Miami Beach to a full 7- or 8-night circuit to complete your exploration: EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE!
