Strasbourg "Petite France" Lavoir
N 48° 34.837 E 007° 44.566
32U E 407274 N 5381599
Lavoir on the river Ill in the Petite France quarter of Strasbourg.
Waymark Code: WM13VJ
Location: Grand-Est, France
Date Posted: 01/06/2007
Views: 146
(Look for this lavoir when taking the scenic boat tour of Strasbourg. You pass right by it along the way.)
The Petite-France is the most picturesque district of old Strasbourg. Previously the fishers', millers' and tanners' district, it is a haven of peace at the heart of the city. The alleys of the Petite France offer a succession of half-timbered houses of the XVIth and XVIIth century, with vast interior courts, large sloped roofs, and open attic areas where the pelts were once dried...
It is located on the Grande Île (Main Island), where the river Ill splits up into a number of canals, and cascades through a small area of medieval half-timbered houses and baroque sandstone buildings.
The name "Petite-France" (Gerberviertel in German) was conferred by the former German inhabitants not for architectonical reasons, but because of the numerous prostitutes working there in the Middle Ages — prostitution used to be known in Germany as "The French Business". Also, syphilis often contracted in that specific area was then known as Franzosenkrankheit ("french disease").
Visit Instructions:
[EN] Post a picture of you at or near the posted coordinates. If you are alone, hold your GPSr up in front of the camera or try taking a picture of you from arm's length. Also, include a brief story of your visit. [FR] Telechargez une photo de vous a ou aux alentours des coordonnees donnees. Si vous etres seul, tenez votre appareil GPSr devant l'appareil photo ou essayer de prendre une photo de vous en tenant l'appareil photo au bout de bras. Ajouter aussi une description courte de votre visite.