The French Arpent
February 28, 2017
We have talked about the regular and irregular sections, today we will talk about the arpent. This information is taken directly from Wikipedia which my daughter tells me we are never to rely on, but I figure we are not doing a research paper we are reading trivia, so we are good. Lol An arpent is a unit of length and a unit of area. It is French and based of the Roman actus. Is used in Quebec as well as in some areas of the United States that were part of French Louisiana.
When used as a unit of length there were various standard arpents, the most common was the arpent used in North America. In Louisiana we say that 1 arpent equals 192 feet.
- In North America, 1 arpent = 180 French feet = about 192 English feet = about 58.47 metres
- In Paris, 1 arpent = 220 French feet = about 234 English feet = about 71.46 metres
Here in Louisiana, parcels of land known as arpent sections or French Arpent land grants pre-date the Public Land Survey System (PLSS), but are treated as PLSS sections.For more information on the PLSS see Daily Did ya Know from February 22. An arpent is a French measurement of approximately 192 feet (59 m), and a square arpent (also referred to as an arpent) is about 0.84 acres (3,400 m2).
French arpent land divisions are long narrow parcels of land usually found along the navigable streams of southern Louisiana, and also found along major waterways in other areas. This system of land subdivision was begun by French settlers in the 18th century, according to typical French practice at the time and was continued by both the Spanish and by the American government after the acquisition of the Louisiana Purchase. A typical French arpent land division is 2 to 4 arpents wide along the river by 40 to 60 arpents deep, while the Spanish arpent land divisions tend to be 6 to 8 arpents wide by 40 arpents deep.
This method of land division provided each land-owner with river frontage as well as land suitable for cultivation and habitation. These areas are given numbers just like standard sections, although the section numbers frequently exceed the normal upper limit of 36.
So, now you all know that the french arpent is 192 feet in length, 80 Arpent Road in Marrero would be how many feet from the river??? Anyone? Email me your answers
