The Village of French Settlement is located in the southwestern portion of Livingston Parish. In its earliest years, French Settlement residents depended heavily on the Amite River not only as their sole means of Transportation to other areas, but as a vital source of fish. Nearby swamplands yielded an abundance of quail, deer, turkey, rabbit, and squirrel. Originally known as Londell, the name of the community evolved into French Settlement after the name of a general store owned by Joseph Salassi, steamers from New Orleans bound for Salassi's store and cotton warehouse began calling their destination point "French Settlement."