Colmar is a compact city that feels more like a large town, making it easy to explore in just a day. As I mentioned earlier, it's incredibly walkable, with everything from the charming half-timbered houses to the beautiful canals within easy reach.
Colmar is a wonderful town to discover on foot. In fact, we recommend that you take your time wandering through its hidden streets, as every nook and cranny holds its share of surprises.
Colmar has a large bus station, making the surrounding area easily accessible by coach. Stops are located at Colmar station or next to the municipal theatre. - Several times a day, a transnational service links Colmar to Freiburg in Germany. FLUO 68 network.
Colmar and Strasbourg each have their own unique magic, making it hard to go wrong with either choice. Colmar is perfect for those craving a serene, fairy-tale escape, while Strasbourg is much bigger with more variety and history to offer.
Colmar old town. This large pedestrian area is the heart of local life : museums, historical and religious monuments, restaurants, cafés, shops … Enjoy a walk through its cobblestone streets with half-timbered houses and interior courtyards hiding beautiful surprises.
Sauerkraut is undoubtedly one of Colmar's best-known Alsatian specialties. Always made with cabbage, broth and roasted pork, the Alsatian version also contains smoked bacon, sausages and potatoes. There's also a seafood and fish version called “Choucroute-de-la-mer”.
The city is known for its well-preserved old town, numerous architectural landmarks, its blend of French and German heritage and its museums, among which is the Unterlinden Museum, which houses the Isenheim Altarpiece.
Yes, many people in Colmar speak English, especially in the tourist areas. During our visit, our tour guides spoke both excellent English and French, which made the experience even more enjoyable. Alsatian is a regional language native to Alsace, a northeastern French region bordering Germany and Switzerland.
As in nearby Strasbourg, the best time to visit Colmar is spring and summer, when you can enjoy wine tasting in the beautiful weather. That said, autumn brings lovely foliage and a plenitude of wine harvest festivals.
The battle of the Colmar pocket was the last to be fought on French soil. Three whole months would pass between the liberation of Strasburg and the one of Colmar, with desperate German resistance holding up the Allied advance before finally collapsing. The operation was supposed to be done in a short period of time.
The only remaining German units west of the Rhine in the southern region were around the Alsace city of Colmar, in the French sector. This so called “Pocket” were 35 to 40 miles west of the Rhine. This German position were a serious threat to the rear of the Allies to the north and had to be destroyed.
Take the small streets and get lost (downtown Colmar is small, you shouldn't get lost for too long!). Allow half a day in total to visit the city center, taking your time (with even a snack break!).
A lot of visitors only spend a day visiting Colmar, but if you have time to spare it's worth staying at least one night. The best reason to stay overnight is that in the early mornings or at dusk you can almost have Petit Venice to yourself.
The Statue of Liberty in Colmar welcomes visitors entering the city, just like its prestigious elder in New York. Measuring 12 meters high, it was sculpted as part of the centenary of the death of Auguste Bartholdi, an artist born in Colmar to whom we owe the famous American statue of "Liberty Enlightening the World".
The distance between Colmar and Germany is 370 km. The road distance is 791.1 km. How do I travel from Colmar to Germany without a car? The best way to get from Colmar to Germany without a car is to train which takes 7h 52m and costs €65 - €180.
Auguste Bartholdi - Father of the statue of liberty. Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the most famous artist of Alsace of the 19th century, was born in Colmar in 1834.
If you are staying in Colmar as a home base and want to explore other towns in the Alsace region, I would recommend 3 – 5 days. If you are staying somewhere else in the Alsace region and just want to do a quick trip to Colmar, France, you could totally do it as a day trip. Just know that it will be a little bit rushed.
Grand Rue. The Grand Rue is one of the main streets in the old town of Colmar and runs from north (Rue des Clefs) to south (Rue des Blés). The Grand Rue is home to some of Colmar's important buildings, such as the District Court, the Koïfhus or the Église Saint-Matthieu.
We will mention just a few classic specialities: foie gras (invented in Strasburg in 1780), baeckaoffe (a dish composed of three types of marinated meat and potatoes in white wine), the inevitable sauerkraut, the matelote du Rhin fish dish, le coq au Riesling (chicken in wine), pain d´épices (similar to ginger bread) ...
Sauerkraut. Sauerkraut is the signature dish of Alsace, which consists of fermented white cabbage served with various types of meat, such as knacks, kassler and bacon. Fermented cabbage is considered to be rich in probiotics and vitamins, and is often served hot with potatoes. It is considered a comfort food in winter.
Without doubt, Lyon is most famous for its outstanding cuisine and culinary heritage. Back in 1935, revered French food critic, Curnonsky, heralded Lyon as the 'world capital of gastronomy' in recognition of the celebrated culinary fare served throughout the city.
Traditionally the storks would migrate from Africa, where they spent the winter, and come to Alsace in the summer. A variety of factors, from weather to power lines to hunting and eating them, led to their decline. In 1983 France started a program to repopulate the storks in Alsace, and it has been very successful.
