louisiana () or french louisiana was an administrative district of new france. it was under french control 1682 to 1762 and 1801 (nominally) to 1803 when france sold it in the louisiana purchase. the area was named after king louis xiv by french explorer rené-robert cavelier, sieur de la salle. the area included most of the drainage basin of the mississippi river, and it went from the great lakes to the gulf of mexico, and it went from the appalachian mountains to the rocky mountains.