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Historic neighborhood · Colmar, Grande Leste
Quartier des Tanneurs
Former leather-tanners' district of Colmar, with tall half-timbered houses and attics open to dry hides, between the Koïfhus and the canal.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Quartier des Tanneurs
The Quartier des Tanneurs was Colmar's leather-tanners' quarter, whose workers needed the canal water to wash hides. The houses are tall and narrow, with exposed timber framing and attics with openings in the roof where the leather dried in the wind.
In the 20th century the neighborhood was heavily degraded and demolition was even planned. It was eventually restored from the 1970s onwards, as one of the first major historic-center rehabilitation projects in France.
Rue des Tanneurs leads down near the Koïfhus, the old customs house, the city's oldest public building, with a roof of colorful tiles. It was there that taxes were charged on the goods passing through Colmar. From the square around it, with the Schwendi fountain sculpted by Bartholdi, you can reach Petite Venise in a few minutes.
The neighborhood is small and can be crossed in a few minutes, but it is one of the best-preserved stretches of old Colmar.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
About 20 to 40 minutes, together with the Koïfhus and the Schwendi fountain.
Best time
Early in the morning or late afternoon, when the streets are quieter. In December, the square at the Koïfhus hosts one of the Christmas markets.
How to get there
It's located between Collégiale Saint-Martin and Petite Venise, about a 15-minute walk from Gare de Colmar.
Tip
Follow the route Collégiale Saint-Martin, Quartier des Tanneurs, Koïfhus and Petite Venise, in that order: it's a short, entirely flat walk.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Quartier des Tanneurs
What is the Koïfhus?
It's the old customs house of Colmar, where taxes were charged on goods. It's the city's oldest public building and sits next to the Quartier des Tanneurs.
Why do the houses have openings in the roof?
They were drying attics: tanners hung the skins there to dry in the wind.
Is the Quartier des Tanneurs far from Petite Venise?
No, they're a few minutes on foot. You can see both on the same walk.