The historic town centre owes its name to a French hospital that is no longer in existence. This quarter, one of the best preserved in Old Strasbourg, was once occupied by fishermen, tanners and millers. The arms of the Ill, studded with locks, allow river shipping from the Rhine to come right up to the doors of the warehouses behind the stores. Half-timbered houses are reflected in the peaceful waters of the Ill, evoking a sense of timeless charm.