Royal Street, New Orleans

Royal Street (Spanish: Calle Real; French: Rue Royale) is a street in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is one of the oldest streets in the city, dating from the French colonial era, and is known today for its antique shops, art galleries, and stately hotels. Royal Street is the best known street in the French Quarter besides Bourbon Street.

The street starts at Canal Street (above Canal Street, the corresponding street is Uptown New Orleans' St. Charles Avenue). It runs down through the French Quarter, Faubourg Marigny, Bywater, and Lower 9th Ward neighborhoods to the Jackson Barracks at the border of St. Bernard Parish. The Industrial Canal forms a gap in the street between the Bywater and Lower 9th Ward neighborhoods.

The portion of Rue Royale in the upper French Quarter (toward Canal Street) is known for its dozens of opulent antique shops and art galleries. The prices at its art shops and antique stores tend to be very high; indeed, it has been listed as one of the world's most expensive places to shop. The finer antique shops display not simply items that are old, but such rare items as pieces of fine furniture owned by royalty of past centuries. Although such pieces are beyond the budget of all but a few, window shopping along Royal Street is a popular pastime, especially for art lovers. The 700 block of Royal features the galleries of New Orleans-based artists Ally Burguieres and George Rodrigue.

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