La France Suite

Welcome and vive la France

Every heart beats true to the red, white and blue, or, as the French prefer to say, to the blue, white and red.  We took some photos of La France Suite this afternoon.  The ceilings, doors and trim are purest white.  The sitting room is royal blue.  The bedroom is the red of patriots who believe in liberte, egalite, and fraternite!  It is located on the second story.

As with the other suites, antique furnishings predominate.  There is a bust of Emperor Napoleon, and a statue of St. Joan of Arc on the mantles in each room.  There is even a fainting couch if you are overcome with emotion after walking in.

First, a closer look one corner of the sitting room:

There is nothing sad about Bourbon blue

It is an antique marble top table (please don't sit on it) and the dresser is intricately carved.  The chair, the the lamp, the little porcelain statuettes on the dresser, all are antiques.

The opposite corner...

The craftsman wrote his signature inside

The last time they built a wardrobe like this was the last time they built a house like La Belle Esplanade bed and breakfast.  Benjamin Harrison was president.  

Between the two corners is the (non-working) fireplace mantle, topped with chrysanthemums, the statue of St. Joan of Arc, and a portrait of liberty reminding us that the fruits of victory is abundant food.  This is a sentiment near and dear to every New Orleanian's heart, as well as to their soul...

A rose between chrysanthemums

Let's get a close up of St. Joan:

The Maid of Orleans

January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany, is also the memorial day of St. Joan of Arc.  It is also the first day of the Mardi Gras season.  The Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc holds a candlelit walking parade through the French Quarter to inaugurate the start of the festivities to follow.  As the most Gallic of American cities, the French nation gifted this fair New Orleans with a gilt statue of their country's patron saint.  She stands astride a charger, pennant waving in the humid breeze that blows off the Mississippi River in front of the French Market in the Quarter.  The locals call her Joanie on the Pony.  That is also the name of the fair maid chosen to lead the Krewe de Jeanne d'Arc parade.

Getting back to La France Suite, readers will be interested in the bed.  It is a full-sized antique, mahogany-and-burl affair that matches the majesty of the rest of this suites furniture:

Sleep better than a sans-colottes

La France Suite has its own balcony running along the side of the house that eventually overlooks the back garden.  It is a long high porch that runs longer than the length of the suite.  I took a picture of that today, too, and I included a figure for scale.  The woman on the balcony is 5'10" tall...

A sunny day on a New Orleans balcony

All the ceilings are twelve and a half feet high.  What did this lovely lady see when she looked down?  The fountain in back, of course.  Leda and the Swan:

The sounds of a fountain make every sunny day even more pleasant 

We almost have the reservation software ready to install and get our official website running.  The link will be at the right at the beginning of this post, the picture of La Belle Esplanade's beautiful facade.  Check back often and consider La Belle Esplanade when planning a trip to New Orleans you will never forget.

We will work to make your stay pleasant and memorable, in the best way.  The lady on the balcony will make sure of it.

Vive la France!  Vive la Nouvelle Orleans!