Louisiana, New Orleans

Explore Louisiana by car 3^*

Arrive at New Orleans airport and pick up your rental car. You'll get your first taste of this lively city, where different cultures meet and intermingle. We particularly recommend the French Quarter.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Continue exploring the city. Among the many districts to visit, don't miss the Art District, and the Garden District, where you can take the actual streetcar named desire.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Set off for the plantation route. We particularly recommend Oak Alley Plantation, a superb mansion with shady lanes and centuries-old oak trees, and Nottoway, an impressive building that bears witness to the opulence of the region's economy before the Civil War. Discover Louisiana's capital, Baton Rouge,** famous for its Capitol, and its famous Louisiana State University, which plays a major role in the local economy and is home to the Rural Life Museum. This open-air museum features houses and equipment typical of the early 19th century.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

In the morning, set off for Saint Francisville to visit a magnificent plantation in the region, Rosedown, and its gardens inspired by those of Versailles. Continue on to Natchez, in the neighbouring state of Mississippi, a charming Southern town that has retained all its historic character. The town's 19th-century mansions have been magnificently preserved.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Discover the Atchafalaya Basin and explore the marshes and their abundant wildlife on board a flat-bottomed boat. Visit Lafayette, including the cathedral and the Vieux Chêne. We recommend the typical "Fais Dodo" dinner. You can enjoy Louisiana specialities in a relaxed atmosphere, accompanied by Cajun music. After a few dance steps on the dance floor, all you have to do is "let the good times roll".

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Set off for Saint Martinville, nicknamed "Little Paris" in the 19th century, a rare example in the United States of a very European style village structure. Leave for Avery Island. A trip to the exotic garden and its famous Jungle Gardens and Bird Sanctuary, home to many birds, alligators and even raccoons. You can also visit the world-famous Tabasco sauce factory. On the way to Houma, you will pass through Morgan City, known as the shrimp capital of the world.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Start the day with a classic boat tour of the surrounding marshes, the famous bayous, where you might come across a few alligators. Then it's off to Thibodaux, a landscape filled with meadows and sugar cane fields. Continue through the marshes of Terrebonne. Set off for New Orleans. If you haven't already done so, take a stroll around the Vieux Carré. Discover the French market, Saint-Louis Cathedral and the Cabildo, a remarkable 18th-century Spanish building. It's also a great opportunity to enjoy the local cuisine, some of the most famous in North America, and the culture, particularly the music. With or without jazz playing as you sail, a cruise on the Mississippi is an excellent way to end your trip.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Depending on your flight schedule, drive to the airport to return your rental car and catch your flight home. End of your stay.

Your stay includes the hire of an intermediate category 5-seater car.

The vehicle will be an ICAR Toyota Corolla or another vehicle in the same category.

Car hire includes:
- Unlimited mileage
- Theft and accident insurance (LDW)
- Third party liability (LIS)
- Taxes

Car hire does not include:
- Fuel
- Tolls and parking charges
- Optional extras (GPS, child seat, additional driver, young driver)
- Fines
- Additional insurance (PAI)
- Abandonment fees
- Fee for picking-up the vehicle outside of the car hire branch's opening hours
- Cleaning costs may be claimed by the hire agent if the vehicle is not returned in the condition it was in on collection.
- Everything that is not mentioned in the "Car hire includes" section
- A vehicle in a higher category (check with us)

DRIVING LICENCE:
A national driving licence valid for at least the past 2 years is required.

WARNING:
The main driver must have a credit card in his/her name (not a debit card; the word "credit" must appear on the card).
Once you arrive at the counter, the hire agent will have you sign a contract.
We cannot be held responsible for any additional charges added during the signing of the car hire contract.

SURCHARGES:
Any surcharge paid on arrival is subject to local taxes.

VEHICLE TYPE:
The model on this page is an example and can in no way be guaranteed. Similar models may be provided.

The suggested visits mentioned in the programme are not included.

For your information: you can purchase the America The Beautiful Pass on site for $250. It exempts you from the $100 surcharge per park and grants up to four adults travelling in the same vehicle access to certain national parks. If you are travelling in multiple vehicles, you must purchase a pass for each car. You can purchase your pass at the entrance to the first park you visit or at the visitor centre of that park. Please note that the pass is not valid for certain parks, such as Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon, or for parks managed by the Navajo Indians. You will be asked to pay a specific admission fee upon arrival in these cases.

From 1 January 2026, an additional government fee of $100 will be applied to each non-resident visitor (aged 16 and over) entering the following 11 U.S. national parks: Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion.

This measure is intended to help fund and preserve the national parks, the admission prices of which have not increased significantly in several years.

Hotels may apply 'resort fees', which are mandatory service charges payable on site.

Please note: If you have booked the 'hotel only' option (without an international flight), please provide your flight details via the contact form in the 'Help and Contact' section at the bottom of the page as soon as possible, so that we can arrange your transfers.