Little France (Strasbourg)

Brief information

The name “Little France” sounds almost like an affectionate postcard, but it emerged from a hospital history: at the end of the 15th century, a hospice for people with syphilis was built on this island, and the disease was then called the “French disease.” This fact changes the tone of the quarter: what we have before us is not a period-style set, but a part of the city with a difficult and very everyday memory.

The quarter lies in the western part of the Grande Île, where the River Ill splits into several canals. In the Middle Ages, tanners, millers, and fishermen lived here, so water was not a backdrop but a working environment. Today, Little France is known as one of Strasbourg’s main attractions and is part of the Grande Île area, which was added to the UNESCO list in 1988.

What to notice first

The visit is easiest to read through the relationship between water, crafts, and streets. In the center of the quarter, on the northern bank of the Ill, stands the Maison des Tanneurs, the tanners’ guild house. It directly links today’s picturesque view with the craft for which the canals were part of the work, not decoration.

From Place Benjamin-Zix, Rue du Bain-aux-Plantes and Rue des Dentelles branch out, lined with half-timbered houses. It is worth comparing the wooden framework of these houses with the quarter’s water-based layout: together, the texture of the facades and the network of canals recall an old artisan district. Farther on, the direction of the streets shows how the quarter is connected to different urban nodes: to the east they lead toward Saint Thomas Church, and to the west toward the Covered Bridges and the old Saint Peter’s Church, where Protestant and Catholic churches occupy the same building.