Canal at Petite France Quarter in Strasbourg
The river Ill is the main body of water that flows through the city of Strasbourg. It essentially splits into two and then merging again on the other side to create an island Grande Île which is basically Strasbourg’s old city center. Most visitors would be spending most of their time at the Grande Île. For a city that is this far inland like Strasbourg, I was surprised how much water features prominently in the city. The Petite France quarter in particular includes the canals as one of the major features of the district. I think they did a very good job at incorporating the canals into the city.
Solitary House Along One of the Canals at Petite France
The canals serve as a natural defense line of the city center of Strasbourg. In fact, there used to be a covered bridge or Ponts Couverts which is part of the defense system of the city. The covers of the bridges are long gone and only a few of the the defensive towers are still there. It is just as well because it will let you see the canals that flow out of the city center. Curiously, there are some structures which are built on the fingers of land that are formed. I would like to think that these are now restaurants and I think they would make a great place to have a meal while appreciating the beauty of Petite France.
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