Hotels near Bonfires on the Levee

On Christmas Eve, communities in St James Parish, about an hour upriver from New Orleans, light dozens of bonfires along the Mississippi levee. Local legend says the fires guide Papa Noël, the Cajun Santa Claus, along the river. Families spend weeks building the wooden structures, most shaped like tall pyramids and some like cabins, boats or riverboats, and the main lighting usually begins around 19:00.

The towns of Lutcher, Gramercy and Paulina have the highest concentration of bonfires. Earlier in December, the Festival of the Bonfires in Lutcher usually brings food stalls, live music and a preview lighting. Watching the fires on the levee is free, but River Road gets very congested on Christmas Eve, and fires can be postponed if a burn ban is in place.

Pro Tip: Arrive before 17:00 to find parking and walk the levee while the structures are still standing. Bring warm layers, since the riverbank gets cold and smoky after dark.