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Destrehan Plantation Tour from New Orleans

Destrehan Plantation near New Orleans

Destrehan Plantation near New Orleans

Take a tour of Destrehan Plantation - an antebellum mansion established in 1787 just outside New Orleans - and be transported to another time in Southern history. A costumed guide will lead you around the gorgeous property and educate you on the Destrehan Family legacy.

This beautiful plantation home overlooks the banks of the Mississippi River and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is the oldest documented plantation home in the lower Mississippi River Valley.

Jean Noel Destrehan and his brother-in-law Etienne deBore helped shape the South's economy when they perfected the process of granulating sugar. The Destrehan Plantation lost money on other crops until the family found their cash crop in sugar.

The plantation has a store, former slave quarters, a mule barn and artifacts on site to peruse. Located inside the home is the Jefferson Room, which houses an original document signed by President Thomas Jefferson that lists four men he hand-picked to form the Orleans Legislative Council. One of the four men was Jean Noel Destrehan.

Destrehan Plantation Tour from New Orleans
Length: Varies
Prices - including tax

Our Adult Internet Rate : $14.95
Our Adult Telephone Rate : $19.95
Our Child Rate
(ages 6-16): 		$4.95
Child - Free
(under 6): 		$0.00
Time: Tours available 9:00 am to 4:00 pm daily
Time on availability calendar is for booking purposes only  
Summary: 48 HOURS MINIMUM ADVANCE BOOKING REQUIRED. This tour does not offer hotel pick-up. Please reserve online, or call us toll-free at 800-301-3184. There is a $3.95 processing fee per order. This is a flat fee regardless of the number of tickets or tours purchased on an order.
There is a service charge per ticket. This charge will be reflected on your summary before you checkout. The total shown includes any and all taxes, fuel surcharges, and service fees. There are no additional charges.

Cancellation Policy: There are no refunds. All sales are final.

Change Fee Policy: If changes are allowed on a tour or activity, a $20.00 per reservation change fee will be applied for any change to a reservation. Please note that some tours and activities do not allow any changes. Date changes can be made only if we can confirm availability on the new date. While we cannot guarantee any changes can be made, all change requests must be submitted a minimum of 24 hours prior to the tour departure and must be handled on an individual basis through our Reservations Center.

As part of the plantation tour, you will be treated to demonstrations. A different demonstration is scheduled each day of the week.

Demonstrations Schedule

Open Hearth Cooking - Mondays
Open hearth cooking was done using various pots, kettles and Dutch ovens. An entire meal could be prepared with the use of a Dutch oven - a pot with a lid. A main fire was used to create hot coals or embers that were placed on the lid or under the pot to slow cook the food.

Bousillage Construction - Tuesdays
The method and materials used in the construction of the plantation house was bousillage entre'pateaux - mud between post. The bousillage is made of clay, river sand and moss to hold the mixture together. The bousillage is formed into a tache' - a loaf - and hung on the barreauxs - sticks between the cypress beams or posts - that form the walls. The bousillage formed a solid mud wall that was plastered and then painted. This formed a very effective insulation.

Indigo Dyeing - Wednesdays
Destrehan began as an indigo plantation. Indigo was grown, processed and exported from Destrehan Plantation to various parts of the world. Indigo is a type of plant that, when processed, is used to dye yarn or threads to be woven into fabrics. During colonial times, it was used mostly for soldier uniforms. It wasn't very profitable for the plantation, which is why sugar cane became the plantation's major cash crop.

Candle Making - Thursdays
Candle making was a part of everyday life for all households away from the cities. New Orleans candle makers, also known as chandlers, went from home to home to perform this task. Candles were made of flax suet (animal fat) and bees wax. They were sometimes scented with bayberry. Candles were hand dipped or made with molds.

African-American Herbal Remedies/Carpentry - Alternating Fridays
African slaves brought their customs, traditions and religious beliefs to the South, and that included their medicinal remedies. These cures were highly valued by the white population on the plantation. This demonstration shows how honey, cow manure, leeches, herbs and other products were used as remedies, some of which are still practiced today.

Construction methods of the 1780s are demonstrated with models and actual period tools. Tools include millsawn, hand hewn and the mortise and tenon joints. The demonstration compares these tools with their modern counterparts to show how improvements in technology impact building methods.

Trade Demonstration - Saturdays
Costumed artisans will demonstrate a long-forgotten skill that was a vital part of everyday life centuries ago.

This tour is not available on January 1, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, December 24, 25 or 31.

48 HOURS MINIMUM ADVANCE BOOKING REQUIRED. This tour does not offer hotel pick-up. Please reserve online, or call us toll-free at 800-301-3184.

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