If I say "US road trip," you'll almost certainly answer: "Route 66." Well, dear readers, I regret to inform you that you’re taking the wrong turn. Today’s article isn't about Route 66, but an equally iconic and fascinating route, though far more secretive and lesser-known to the general public. Ladies and gentlemen, I have the honor of introducing you to the "Blues Highway," also known as "Highway 61" in all its asphalt glory. I’m going to take you on a journey from end to end, with a road trip starting in New Orleans all the way to Chicago. We’ll pass through key American music cities like Memphis and Clarksdale, where music reigns supreme and time seems to have stood still, transporting us straight back to the era of Elvis Presley, the ultimate rock 'n' roll icon, or the legendary B.B. King, the quintessential bluesman.
So, what do you say? Are you ready for a 1,600 km (approx. 1,000 miles) trek along the Mississippi River? It’s more than just a musical pilgrimage; it’s a journey through history, from the lives of slaves on Southern cotton plantations to the era of segregation, and a trip through the "bigger than life" landscapes of the United States.
If you're in, I have one piece of advice: grab a reliable "hog" or a nice convertible, fill up the tank, and don't forget to pack your harmonica or your favorite playlist to keep you company on this beautiful, melody-rich road trip.
Personally, my partner and I opted for a big Harley Davidson with well-padded, comfy seats. I can tell you that with the wind in our faces and country music playing, we truly felt like we were at the gates of paradise throughout our entire journey!
1/ Stop 1: New Orleans.
Everything starts here, in a place that could be considered one of America's true splendors. This city is unlike any other in the US, collecting nicknames that go on forever, but the one that sticks is the "Big Easy," which perfectly captures the local lifestyle: relaxed and free-spirited. This Louisiana gem lives for food and music, especially jazz, which was born here and has echoed through every street corner and neighborhood ever since. This former French and Spanish colony became a melting pot for thousands of African slaves, as well as many Cajun and Caribbean refugees. In short, it's a wonderfully diverse city that completely charmed me: New Orleans is one of my favorite stops on this road trip!
My favorite part
Actually, one of the reasons I fell in love with this unique city is its unparalleled architecture. When I say architecture, I’m talking about those colorful houses with their exceptional wrought-iron balconies that look like finely chiseled lace; those old Spanish-style colonial homes you'll find, surprisingly, in the old French quarter, also known as the Vieux Carré or the French Quarter. It’s the city's historic center, an iconic and famous spot you absolutely cannot miss!
"Very famous," especially for "Bourbon Street," the most well-known street in the quarter for its wild, festive atmosphere. Once night falls, it becomes the playground for every party-goer and tourist in town!
By the way, it’s not recommended to walk down there at night with your kids, as debauchery and excess are definitely on display! But if you’re free of any parental obligations, don’t hold back. Let yourself be carried away by the intoxication of this wild street where music is everywhere, alcohol flows freely, and the words "complex" and "judgment" have no meaning. Having walked through it in the late afternoon, I can tell you that even Las Vegas, the "Sin City," looks like a lightweight in comparison!
But please, don't let this give you a bad impression of the Vieux Carré. It doesn't stop at that one street; it's actually packed with 120 blocks of colorful, sumptuous, and fascinating buildings. The bricks, private courtyards, patios, and fountains of these dollhouse-like homes show that Spanish influence far outweighs the French, even though the French presence remains in street names like Orléans Street, Toulouse Street, Chartres Street, Bourbon Street, and many others...
So, if I could give you one piece of advice: don't hesitate to wander, stroll, and dream in the delightful, exquisite streets of this old quarter. Plus, there’s very little chance of getting lost, given its perfectly gridded rectangular layout!
If you follow it carefully, it will lead you to beautiful landmarks like St. Louis Cathedral, its presbytery, or The Cabildo (the former seat of government where the Louisiana Purchase was signed in 1803, now a museum dedicated to the state's history). Not far from there, you'll also find Jackson Square, Plaza de Armas (the old parade ground), where musicians and painters delight the ears and eyes of amazed passersby every day. And don't forget the authentic mule-drawn carriages lined up on Decatur Street, which promise an unforgettable tour of the neighborhood!
Finally, don't leave New Orleans without taking one of its picturesque streetcars. The starting point is on Canal Street (another must-see street!), and they will take you to the banks of the Mississippi, or more precisely the Riverfront. There, another major surprise awaits: the historic and mythical steamboat, the "Natchez." You’ll have no choice but to be awestruck, and you can even board it for a magical, memorable cruise, a unique journey through time.
The journey truly begins the moment the Natchez leaves the port: when its copper bell starts ringing, its 25-ton paddle wheel begins churning the river water, and a calliope plays tunes from the Old South. It transports you straight back to the sweet, delectable scents of an era when cotton was king and New Orleans was a burgeoning port city that dazzled visitors with its vibrant Creole, African, American, and European culture!
This multicultural aspect is still very much alive today, especially through the various culinary specialties the city offers to any foodie willing to indulge. Personally, I didn't need any convincing! How could anyone resist a "po' boy," "jambalaya," "gumbo," or fresh, sugary beignets? These are the pride of the city and can be savored in any of the countless restaurants in the French Quarter. Having tasted these iconic dishes, I can guarantee that leaving the Big Easy without trying its cuisine would be a true heresy!
It’s on this delicious and colorful note that our first stop in New Orleans comes to an end. Its melancholic beauty captivated and enchanted us, and we’ll remember its unique quality: it belongs to no single style, yet it has made them all its own.
2/ Stop 2: Natchez
While it was emotional to leave the city that had amazed us so much, our sadness was quickly dispelled when we arrived, after a good three-hour drive, at the gates of the second city on our road trip: Natchez, where plenty of consolations awaited us.
First consolation, and certainly not the least: this is where my partner proposed to me!
Second consolation: for a lover of American homes like me, Natchez is overflowing with open-air treasures!
Local History
You can understand why this city is so dear to my heart and why I couldn't wait to show it to you. But first, let me give you a few historical details to better understand and appreciate the visit.
First of all, Natchez owes its name to the Natchez Indians, its first inhabitants. While this sun-worshipping tribe led a relatively peaceful existence for many years, their daily life was somewhat disrupted by the arrival of the French, who built Fort Rosalie in 1716 on the steep bank of the Mississippi (you can still see the remains of the ramparts from Bluff Park, the Natchez National Historical Park, a must-see, but more on that later...).
Up to this point, there were no apparent conflicts between the two "camps," and their relations were actually quite cordial. But this semblance of peace quickly deteriorated when, in 1728, the fort's commander decided to expropriate the Indians from their sacred land to create a tobacco plantation. Feeling threatened and seeking revenge, the Indians rose up against the French on November 29, 1729. This marked the beginning of a very deadly conflict, which ended with the Natchez tribe being completely decimated and the city taking the name "Natchez."
Sad irony of fate or a sincere tribute to the defeated tribe?
I'll leave you to judge... In any case, if you are passionate about Native American culture like I am, know that the "Grand Village of the Natchez Indians" awaits you on the outskirts of the city, illustrating this branch of Mississippi culture dating back at least to the 8th century. Dwellings have been reconstructed to show the Natchez tribe's way of life, and reenactments are held in season to fully immerse you in what their past life might have been like.
So, if you have the time and the desire, don't hesitate to take a detour to this site before or after admiring the splendid, magnificent mansions that fill the city, witnesses to a more prosperous and happier time. Because Natchez isn't just about that sad and dark massacre of the Indians of the same name. It was also one of the richest and most prosperous cities in the United States at the beginning of the 19th century, thanks to cotton plantations and trade, facilitated by steamboat navigation on the Mississippi River. It’s easy to see why Natchez once had more millionaires than any other city in the country, with the exception of New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, and why today we can admire the luxurious and sumptuous houses inherited from that prosperous era.
Know that Historic Downtown Natchez contains 300 of these old Southern mansions (often kept in the same family for over 150 years). About twenty of them, even though private, open to the public twice a year, in the spring and autumn, during the Natchez Pilgrimages. During these events, visitors can discover the Southern atmosphere of yesteryear, dreaming of the era of Gone with the Wind thanks to hostesses in costume, musical and theatrical productions, and lectures, making these events with their old-fashioned decor and ambiance true cultural "institutions"!
To my great regret, we couldn't attend because we weren't there during those periods. However, we were still able to marvel at these large residences of notables with their distinguished charm while touring the neighborhood. Our eyes also feasted on more modest wooden constructions that were just as charming, on old red-brick or immaculately white churches, on retro shops from another time, on red-brick houses, a symbol of the city's past as a former Spanish colony that will accompany us throughout our road trip as we head up the Mississippi, and finally, in those alleys where you can ride in a carriage and in that majestic park, Bluff Park, where the sweet scent of magnolias, the little gazebo with its lacy woodwork, and that breathtaking view of the immense Mississippi River confirm what every visitor will inevitably think: Natchez is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful Southern pearls!
With this short tour of Natchez finished, let's get back on our Harley and head to Vicksburg, just an hour and a half away, where other major surprises await us!
3/ Stop 3: Vicksburg
As we were riding along, relaxed and eager to discover the next stop, several details caught our attention and piqued our curiosity as we approached Vicksburg: graves, steles, cannons, and statues standing right there on the lawn, just by the side of the road... Wow, what a strange welcome and how unique for us French people, accustomed to our cemeteries being relatively remote and surrounded by long walls, as if to protect the souls of our deceased citizens! We decided to approach a sign to, perhaps, get more information, and there we discovered that we were actually at the entrance to the Vicksburg National Military Park!
But why "military," what happened here in the past?
Eager to find an answer to my questions, I quickly grabbed my phone and looked it up on the Internet. And suddenly, everything became clear. I learned, in fact, that Vicksburg was a fortress city perched on a cliff overlooking the Mississippi that was the scene of violent fighting during the Civil War (1861-1865), which pitted the industrial Northern states (the Union) against the slave-holding Southern states (the Confederates).
Personally, we didn't have the chance to venture into this park because we were pressed for time. But one thing is certain: while this somewhat cold and austere welcome might have pushed many to turn back, that was not our case! On the contrary, it piqued our curiosity even more and encouraged us to continue our route to the city center to see if the same state of mind reigned there... And what a surprise it was to discover this historic heart, beating between the upper and lower city, connected by sloping streets that offer hospitality to pretty, cozy little red-brick houses and superb colonial mansions, undeniably recalling the atmosphere of Natchez, even if it is true that there are fewer majestic residences in Vicksburg!
But there are still enough to fall under the charm of this city, such as Cedar Grove, Corners Mansion, George Washington Ball House, Mc Raven Home, Duff Green Mansion, etc., to name just a few of the most famous ones.
So you can imagine that for an architecture lover like me, simply contemplating them was a real delight, which continued when we arrived at what was for me the "icing on the cake" as any self-respecting Coca-Cola fan would say: the small Biedenharn Candy Company museum, housed in a very beautiful 1890 building and entirely dedicated to Coca-Cola!
By the way, this is where the precious beverage was allegedly bottled for the first time in 1894! Of course, the bottles have changed a lot since then, but the taste has remained the same and continues to attract fans for whom there is no shortage of opportunities to spend their money on all kinds of souvenirs in this little sugary paradise! It took superhuman strength for me to resist and not buy everything! That's why my partner and I preferred to leave and go refresh ourselves on the terrace of a small cafe right next to the museum with an irresistible charm!
Finally, it was time to break camp for other adventures, but as we were back in the saddle and ready to leave, the sight of a magnificent and extraordinary paddle steamer three times larger than the Natchez in New Orleans made us make one last forced stop, as if the city was holding us in its nets...
Look at that elegance and majesty! I don't think I had ever seen a boat of such beauty. This ship and the many treasures the city holds will make Vicksburg a city forever etched in my memories!
4/ Stop 4: Clarksdale
After a good three-hour drive from the fascinating and exciting Vicksburg, our backsides started to cry and ask us to stop! The small town of Clarksdale was therefore a timely arrival!
At first glance, we thought of a bad thriller like those you see on TV: not a soul in sight in this city that claims to be the cradle of the blues and to have known many musicians who were born there, lived there, or passed through.
For now, it would seem that the latter have definitely left it and that only their shadows continue to hover! But you know me, it wasn't this ghost-town appearance that was going to discourage me and make me move on. On the contrary, this kind of frozen scenery piqued my curiosity even more and pushed me to force my partner to take a tour of the neighborhood. And it was with enchantment that we discovered old shops but also old buildings, once again made of brick and some sporting very pretty colorful frescoes, giving us that pleasant impression of being in the heart of an authentic America!
Proof of this authenticity: Madidi, a restaurant owned by Morgan Freeman and left perfectly in its original state, or the Ground Zero Blues Club, owned by the same person and just as dilapidated, but apparently among the top 100 bars and nightclubs in America!
Who would have thought, seeing these lifeless facades?
We were literally bluffed, especially since according to the few inhabitants we met and with whom we exchanged a few words, just to understand what was happening in this petrified city, it seems that the calm and inactivity of the day give way to a completely different atmosphere in the evening, where the ghosts of the blues haunt the mythical "juke joints" of the city, including the famous Ground Zero Blues Club or even Red!
Thus, under its false airs of a "prude," it seems on the contrary that Clarksdale has more than one trick up its sleeve, especially when it comes to blues! This city is therefore an essential stop for all fans of the genre, whom I expressly invite to a mandatory stop at the entrance to the city, in front of the iconic sign erected at The Crossroads, the intersection where Robert Johnson allegedly sold his soul to the devil to obtain his virtuosity on the guitar and become the exceptional blues player we know...
Legend or true fact, the fact remains that Clarksdale deeply intrigued us!
Now heading to another state, that of Tennessee, where after having left the very green landscapes, the swamps, and the countless cotton fields typical of Mississippi, another flagship city of the blues awaits us, but I'll let you guess the name from these legendary lyrics sung by Eddy Mitchell:
I was listening to the disc jockey
In the car that was dragging me
On the road to Memphis
On the road to Memphis...
You all guessed it, it is obviously the unbeatable Memphis which promises us many surprises...
5/ Stop 5: Memphis
Among this batch of surprises mentioned above, I present to you precisely this legendary street and the number one tourist attraction in Tennessee, Beale Street, which deserves a night out at all costs. That's good because we arrived at night in Memphis! And, indeed, it would have been a shame not to see this abundance of neon lights with their striking and flashy colors and to hear this music echoing as if anchored in every nook and cranny of this street...
We were particularly drawn by a blues tune and a guitar sound coming from one of the courtyards of these beautiful buildings with retro facades behind which hide restaurants, clubs, and various shops in an atmosphere similar to Bourbon Street in New Orleans!
What a fabulous evening we spent in this little bar which, admittedly, didn't look like much but plunged us directly into the world of recording studios and the blues, soul, and rock 'n' roll music that made Memphis famous! As evidenced, moreover, by these sidewalks adorned with 150 great names of Memphis music, ranging from Robert Johnson and B.B. King, to Justin Timberlake!
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