The story
As you stand here in the heart of Little Venice, the water of the Lauch River reflecting the vibrant timber frames, you are stepping back into a world where aesthetic charm once met hard-edged industry. You are on the Rue de Turenne, a street that serves as a bridge between Colmar’s medieval past and its strategic military history. Look toward the stunning 15th-century Renaissance house that anchors this corner.
Its intricate woodwork and leaning walls have witnessed over five hundred years of life in the old tanners' quarter. Notice the unique architecture of the houses lining this street. Many feature exceptionally steep, multi-tiered roofs with open galleries just beneath the tiles.
These weren't designed for decoration; they were functional workspaces. This was the domain of the tanners. They would haul heavy, wet animal hides to these upper lofts, hanging them to dry in the breeze that swept through the open slats.
While the area is breathtaking today, back in the 1400s, it would have been a place of pungent smells and constant labor, with the river below used for washing the skins. But the street’s name tells a different story, shifting from the smell of leather to the smoke of gunpowder. It is named for Henri de La Tour d’Auvergne, better known as Marshal Turenne, one of France’s greatest military commanders.
If you had stood on this spot in the bitter winter of 1674, the atmosphere would have been electric with tension. During the Franco-Dutch War, Alsace was under threat from a massive Imperial army. While the enemy settled into winter quarters, believing the campaign season was over, Turenne executed a maneuver that remains a masterpiece of military strategy.
He led his troops on a secret, grueling march through the snow-choked passes of the Vosges Mountains, circling around the enemy’s flank. On the 5th of January, 1675, he descended upon the unsuspecting forces near Colmar. This surprise winter march resulted in the Battle of Turckheim, a decisive victory that effectively secured Alsace for the French crown.
When you walk this pavement, you are walking the ground where a medieval merchant town met the high stakes of European empire-building. Take a moment to look at the ground-floor stonework of the Renaissance house. These foundations have stood firm while the world around them changed from an industrial tanning hub to a quiet residential haven, and finally to the crown jewel of Alsatian tourism.
As you continue your stroll toward the river, imagine the tanners looking down from their lofts at the soldiers marching past, two very different worlds colliding on this single, historic street.