Petite France

Lonely Planet review

Crisscrossed by narrow lanes, canals and locks, Grande Île's Petite France is the stuff of fairy tales. The half-timbered houses, meticulously maintained and sprouting veritable thickets of geraniums, and the riverside parks attract multitudes of tourists. However, the area still manages to retain its Alsatian atmosphere and charm, especially in the early morning and late evening.

Nicknamed 'The Venice of the East', this is Strasbourg's most picturesque area, and it is highly popular with tourists. Located on the banks of the Ill, it was once a quarter of tanneries, fishermen and millers. It is made up of a network of narrow alleyways, canals, locks and half-timbered houses that the sauntering visitor will have to crane his neck to see.

La Petite France is entered by covered bridges that date from 1200. A row of three bridges ending in tower-like structures span the branches of the Ill; they are all that is left of the old fortifications. Hour-long sight-seeing riverboat trips traverse La Petite France from the Vauban dam to the Palais de l'Europe. The trip begins at the Palais Rohan landing.