La Petite Venise, or Little Venice, is the district in the south of Colmar's old town where half-timbered houses line the banks of the Lauch river. It was once a working quarter of butchers, tanners, fishmongers and market gardeners who used the water for their trades, and the flat-bottomed boats that carried their goods now take visitors along the same stretch of river.
Little Venice at a glance
- Where: along the Lauch in the south of the old town, from the Fishmongers' quarter and the covered market down to the Saint-Pierre bridge and the Krutenau.
- Built: the houses date mostly from the late Middle Ages to the 17th century; the name Little Venice is a much later nickname.
- What it is today: a protected historic district of homes, restaurants and cafés, and Colmar's most visited corner.
- Time needed: one hour on foot, plus about half an hour if you take a boat trip.
A working river
The Lauch comes down from the Vosges mountains and flows through Colmar on its way to the Ill. In the Middle Ages its channels shaped whole districts: the butchers worked by the water, the tanners hung hides to dry in the high attics of their houses, and the fishmongers sold their catch on the quay. Further south, in the Krutenau, lived the market gardeners, who loaded vegetables onto flat-bottomed boats and brought them along the river to the town's markets.
Colmar came through the wars of 1870, 1914–1918 and 1939–1945 with its old centre largely intact, so this waterfront kept its houses, bridges and quays. In 1865 a covered market of brick and cast iron was built right over the Lauch, designed so that boats could unload into the hall. The working boats have gone, but small flat-bottomed boats still run tours from the Saint-Pierre bridge, and the district's postcard views earned it the name Little Venice.
What to look for
- The view from the Saint-Pierre bridge at the southern end, with old houses reflected in the river: the classic picture of Colmar.
- The Krutenau, the old market gardeners' quarter, where the streets still have a village feel.
- The covered market of 1865, built over the river, now a food hall with local producers.
- Window boxes and wooden balconies hanging over the water, especially colourful from spring to autumn.
- The Roesselmann Fountain by Bartholdi on the Place des Six-Montagnes-Noires, decorated with fish.
Why Venice?
There are no gondolas and no lagoon here: Little Venice is the Lauch and its side channels running between the houses. The nickname comes from the way the façades rise straight from the water and the boats glide past their doors. It is a modern name for an old working district, but it stuck, and today few people in Colmar call the area anything else.
Tips for your visit
- Come early in the morning or in the evening; between late morning and mid-afternoon the bridges are crowded.
- Take a boat trip from the Saint-Pierre bridge for a duck's-eye view of the houses and the gardens of the Krutenau.
- In the evening many façades are lit, and the reflections in the water are at their best.
- The houses are private homes: keep doorways and steps clear and keep noise down at night.
Nearby
- Fishmongers' quarter: the colourful guild houses on the Quai de la Poissonnerie, at the northern end of Little Venice.
- Koïfhus: the old customs house of 1480 with its glazed tile roof, a few minutes' walk north.
- Musée Bartholdi: the birthplace of the Statue of Liberty's sculptor, about ten minutes on foot.
- Champ de Mars: Colmar's large park with Bartholdi's Bruat Fountain, a short walk west.
See Colmar with World City Trail
Our Colmar scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 2 hours, with about 33 minutes of walking. Little Venice is one of the stops, along with the Fishmongers' quarter, the Roesselmann Fountain and the Musée Bartholdi. You can play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish or Dutch.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Colmar.
Play the Colmar scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Colmar →
Play the outdoor escape game in Colmar →
Facts checked in October 2026.