These two streets in Olde Town Conyers formed the show's primary French Quarter stand-in, hosting street scenes, parades, and festival sequences. Crews regularly redressed the district and used green screens to insert a New Orleans skyline. Today it remains a free, walkable historic district open to the public. The Conyers Welcome Center distributes a self-guided film tour brochure covering the show's locations, making this the easiest starting point for any visit.
The Short Answer
The Originals, which aired from 2013 to 2018, was mainly filmed in Georgia. Olde Town Conyers served as the primary French Quarter stand-in, with additional shooting in Madison, Macon, and Rome. Select exteriors and atmosphere shots were captured in New Orleans itself, including Buckner Mansion, Jackson Square, and Lafayette Cemetery No. 1.
The Originals tells the story of the Mikaelson family in New Orleans, but viewers watching the show should not expect to find those streets in Louisiana. Georgia's tax incentives and the adaptable architecture of Olde Town Conyers brought the production there for the majority of filming. Commercial and Center Streets were dressed with green screens so a New Orleans skyline could be added in post production.
That creates an interesting split for fans planning a trip. The recognizable bar fronts, pub interiors, and voodoo shop all sit in a walkable Georgia district, while a handful of genuine New Orleans landmarks appear in exterior and atmosphere shots. Both are worth visiting, and this guide covers every location, what was filmed there, and how to see each one today.
Location By Location
The exterior of Rousseau's Bar, the hangout at the heart of many episodes, belongs to The Sandwich Factory at 903 Commercial Street in Conyers. Unlike many filming locations that close or change hands, this remains an active business open for dining, so fans can eat inside a set location. Access is simple: it sits directly on Commercial Street within the walkable Olde Town district, a short stroll from the other Originals sites.
The Jardin Gris voodoo shop scenes were filmed at what is now Simply Naked Candle Co., located at 906 Center Street in Conyers. The storefront appears on screen as the mystical shop central to the show's New Orleans atmosphere. It is an active business today, so visitors can browse the candles and goods inside a recognizable filming spot. Access is free and it sits just around the corner from Commercial Street.
Gillespie's Pub, where Vincent and Marcel held several memorable conversations, is the Celtic Tavern at 918 Commercial Street in Conyers. It operates as an active Irish pub serving food and drinks, meaning fans can sit down for a meal in the same space where those scenes unfolded. No tickets or special access are needed. Its position on Commercial Street places it within easy walking distance of the other Olde Town locations.
These public gardens in Conyers provided the setting for the fight scene between Elijah and Klaus. Conveniently, the gardens sit adjacent to the Celtic Tavern, so visitors combining the pub with this location need only walk next door. Entry is free and the gardens are open to the public, making this one of the simplest stops on a Conyers film tour. It pairs naturally with the other Commercial Street sites nearby.
Jackson Square scenes were filmed not in New Orleans but at Madison Town Park in Madison, Georgia. The park's bandstand was designed to resemble a Victorian one specifically to match Jackson Square visuals. Today it remains a free public park where visitors can walk the grounds and recognize the layout from the show. Madison is a separate stop from Conyers, so travelers planning a full location tour should allow time for the drive between towns.
This National Historic Landmark at 934 Georgia Avenue in Macon served as the Mikaelson ancestral home in two episodes. Built in 1855, the Italianate mansion is impressive even without its screen history. Unlike most locations on this list, it requires a ticket. Guided tours run Wednesday through Sunday and reservations are recommended, so visitors should book ahead. Hay House offers the fullest interior experience of any Originals location.
The outdoor confrontation and bayou scenes were shot along these free public trails in Rome, Georgia, part of the ECO Greenway. Visitors can walk the same paths where the show staged its swampy, wooded stand-ins for Louisiana bayou country. Parking is available at the northern end of Kingfisher Trail, which makes a practical starting point. There is no charge and the trails remain open to the public year round.
The bridge scene featuring Klaus, Marcel, and Elijah in season three was filmed at Bob Moore Bridge on Rome's Silver Creek Trail. It is a free public bridge that anyone can walk across, recreating the confrontation at a leisurely pace. Since it sits on the same trail system as the bayou locations, visitors to Rome can cover both in a single outing. Parking at the northern end of Kingfisher Trail serves this spot as well.
The exterior of the Mikaelson compound belongs to Buckner Mansion at 1410 Jackson Avenue in New Orleans. It is a private residence, so access is strictly exterior only and visitors should view it from the street. Notably, all interiors of the compound were filmed elsewhere, so the mansion is purely a facade location on the show. It remains one of the most photographed stops for fans visiting the Garden District.
The real Jackson Square appears in the show for atmosphere shots and, most memorably, the benches scene in the finale. This public square, anchored by St. Louis Cathedral, is free to visit and sits at the heart of the French Quarter. Fans can sit on the benches and compare the view to the final episodes. Street performers, artists, and crowds keep the square lively throughout the day.
This historic public cemetery in New Orleans appears in cemetery and resurrection scenes on the show. It is a popular tourist site with free access, though its fame across several film and TV productions means it can get busy. The above-ground tombs give it the distinct look viewers associate with the series. Located in the Garden District, it pairs well with a stroll past Buckner Mansion nearby.
Marcel's house and party scenes from the pilot were filmed at Hotel Royal, a restored Creole townhouse at 1006 Royal Street in New Orleans. Unlike many private filming locations, visitors can enter and photograph the property, which makes it a rarity among Originals sites in the city. Its position on Royal Street places it in the heart of the French Quarter, easy to reach on any walking route.
The argument scene between Klaus and Elijah used Pirates Alley, a narrow public passage near Royal Street in the French Quarter. It is free to walk and often described as picturesque, with street musicians adding atmosphere. The alley's tight stone walls give it the moody feel the show favored. Because it sits steps from Hotel Royal and Jackson Square, visitors can cover all three in a short walk.
Where It Is Set Versus Where It Was Filmed
The Originals is set in New Orleans, Louisiana, but was primarily filmed in Conyers and other Georgia towns, with only limited exteriors shot in New Orleans. The reason comes down to production practicality: Georgia's tax incentives and the suitable architecture of Olde Town Conyers made it the base for the majority of filming. Commercial and Center Streets were dressed with green screens so a New Orleans skyline could be added, letting a Georgia downtown pass for the French Quarter. New Orleans locations like Jackson Square and the French Quarter alleys supplied establishing shots and select scenes.
Tours That Visit These Locations
Most of the Originals locations in Georgia are free, public, and self-guided, helped by the film tour brochure available at the Conyers Welcome Center. In New Orleans, however, a guided movie and TV tour covers filming sites across the city and gives context that independent walking rarely matches.
New Orleans Screen Locations Walk
New Orleans: Movie and TV Show Tour
A guided movie and TV tour of New Orleans for 30 USD, rated 4.8 from 125 reviews, pairing nicely with the real French Quarter sites that appeared in the show.
From$30Check availability
Frequently Asked Questions
Was The Originals actually filmed in New Orleans?
Only partially. The show is set in New Orleans, but the majority of filming took place in Georgia, mainly Olde Town Conyers, with additional work in Madison, Macon, and Rome. New Orleans contributed select exteriors and atmosphere shots, including Jackson Square, Buckner Mansion, and Lafayette Cemetery No. 1.
Why was the French Quarter filmed in Conyers, Georgia?
Georgia offered tax incentives and Olde Town Conyers had architecture suitable for standing in as the French Quarter. Crews dressed Commercial and Center Streets and used green screens to add a New Orleans skyline for many scenes.
Can you visit Rousseau's Bar from The Originals?
Yes. Rousseau's Bar exterior and scenes were filmed at The Sandwich Factory at 903 Commercial Street in Conyers, which remains an active business open for dining. Fans can eat at the location without any special arrangement.
Can you go inside the Mikaelson compound?
No. Buckner Mansion at 1410 Jackson Avenue in New Orleans is a private residence used only for the compound's exterior, and all interiors were filmed elsewhere. Visitors should view it from the street only.
Is there a self-guided tour of the Conyers filming locations?
Yes. The Conyers Convention & Visitors Bureau offers a self-guided film tour brochure of Originals locations, available at the Conyers Welcome Center. Olde Town is a walkable historic district, so the main sites can be covered on foot.
Where was the Mikaelson ancestral home filmed?
Hay House in Macon, a National Historic Landmark built in 1855, served as the Mikaelson ancestral home in two episodes. It is ticketed, with guided tours Wednesday through Sunday, and reservations are recommended.
A complete Originals trip splits neatly in two. Start in Olde Town Conyers, where the walkable district covers Rousseau's Bar, the voodoo shop, Gillespie's Pub, and the botanical gardens in a single afternoon, then add Madison, Macon, and Rome for the outlying locations. Finish in New Orleans for the real Jackson Square, Pirates Alley, and the Buckner Mansion exterior, ideally with a guided screen locations tour to tie the city's filming history together.
