Petite France: Little France

La Petite France, the most picturesque district of Strasbourg

Welcome to La Petite France, the postcard of Strasbourg as you imagine it. With its white houses, its canals and its paved lanes, it is the most picturesque district of old Strasbourg. The Strasbourg audio-guided tour dwells here to evoke this emblematic area, a former district of the tanners.

The former tanners' district

In the Middle Ages, La Petite France, in Alsatian Französel, was the district of the fishermen, the millers and the tanners, who took advantage of the many arms of the Ill river. Its dazzlingly white half-timbered houses, its steep roofs and its canals make up one of the most photogenic ensembles of the city. With the Grande Île, the district is part of the remarkable historic heritage of Strasbourg.

What to see

Here you wander between half-timbered houses, canals, locks and paved lanes, in a setting worthy of a postcard. The Maison des Tanneurs and the covered bridges are among its jewels. It is the must-see stop of Strasbourg, ideal for strolling and photographing the old district along the water.

Practical information

La Petite France lies in the heart of the historic centre of Strasbourg, on the Grande Île, reachable on foot. It is a freely accessible public district, explored on foot along the canals and lanes; restaurants and shops have their own hours. Very busy, it is best savoured early in the morning or at the end of the day to enjoy the calm.

Why is the district called La Petite France?

It was in the Middle Ages the district of the fishermen, millers and tanners, on the arms of the Ill; in Alsatian, it is called Französel.

What is there to see in La Petite France in Strasbourg?

The white half-timbered houses, the canals, the Maison des Tanneurs and the covered bridges, in the heart of old Strasbourg.