When American Horror Story chose New Orleans as the setting for the 3rd season, they decided to go balls-out Southern Gothic, from slave-torturing immortal bitches to a coven of misfit belles trying to control their powers and wanton desires. Here are all the major filming locations for American Horror Story: Coven.
Miss Robicheaux’s Academy aka Buckner Mansion is located in the Garden District of New Orleans. It was built in 1856 by a major cotton magnate and served for many years as a prominent business school. The mansion is now privately owned... but you can rent it out for a mere $20,000.
The fraternity house (Tau Omega Alpha) where Emma Roberts is taken advantage of and quickly delivers some badass vengeance is actually Round Table Clubhouse across from Tulane University. The building has been a clubhouse since 1919 for members interested in literature, art and science. Today, you can rent it out for weddings.
The notorious, real-life Lalaurie Mansion is featured as Madame Lalaurie’s House of Horrors in the show. It’s a major stop on any French Quarter ghost tour. According to legend, one night in 1834, a fire broke out at the house and when rescuers entered the home they found the mutilated remains of slaves who were imprisoned in the attic... and one who was chained to a kitchen stove. A mob ransacked the mansion and Madame Lalaurie presumably fled the city and was never seen nor heard from again. Over the years the building has served as a barber shop, furniture store, girls school, and a music conservatory. Nicolas Cage even owned the home, until he had to give it up to pay back taxes.
The Gallier House served as the exterior for shots of Madame Lalaurie’s Mansion. This is where Nan hears Madame while on the witches walk. The house was built in the 1850s and is a National Historical Landmark. You can visit it today on a public tour.
The interior shots of Madame Lalaurie’s mansion were filmed here at the Hermann-Grima House. The 1831-era home is now a historic house museum and is open for tours.
This pre-Civil War plantation was the filming location for the New Orleans Adolescent hospital, where Kyle is brought back to life. The site served as a Marine hospital, a public health clinic and an adolescent hospital over the years. However, recently it has deteriorated and is home to many feral cats. It’s soon to be reopened as a children’s hospital, though!
Atchafalaya Restaurant is the joint where Fiona and Madison have brunch. It’s a gorgeous building with a fantastic reputation for classic New Orleans dishes. Try the duck hash or eggs Treme. Oh, there’s also a make-your-own Bloody Mary bar.
Maison Vitry served as the filming location for Marie Laveau’s Cornrow City Salon where Fiona visits for her immortality spell and Cordelia seeks out help with her fertility issues. It’s a gorgeous house in the Treme neighborhood of New Orleans. It was built in 1855 by a free African-American woman. It is available to rent for $350/night, with a minimum 3-night stay, or you could book a tour.
The Crescent City Connection is the bridge where Zoe drives Kyle to the swamp and gets a surprise visit from Misty Day in the backseat. It has also been featured in the film Deja Vu and the HBO series Treme. The Crescent City Connection crosses over the Mississippi River, and connects the east and west banks of New Orleans. However, don’t think crossing this bridge will take you directly to the bayou... you’re actually heading straight into strip-mall purgatory.
Cure is the hip bar is where Fiona goes to have a well-deserved martini. With artisanal cocktails and no sign outside, it’s obvious that this is a New Orleans hotspot. Try the White White cocktail next time you’re in the neighborhood.
BONUS: Royal Street
After Madame Lalaurie runs away from the coven in Episode 2, Fiona finds her sitting on the sidewalk along historic Royal Street. She must have felt right at home amongst the antique stores that line this avenue. Royal Street is parallel to Bourbon Street and is quite a posh area of NOLA.