Colmar

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Colmar, Alsace off-the-beaten-path

A November 2001 trip to Colmar by rhiannon1968

petite veniseMore Photos

Colmar, one of those little towns I always remembered just as a general direction pointing to Switzerland while driving across France. It's really just off the border, yet it took an English friend's recommendation for me to go there.

  • 6 reviews
  • 6 photos

Colmar, Alsace off-the-beaten-pathBest of IgoUgo

Overview

colmar
Expect the unexpected... Colmar is just a Strasbourg on a smaller scale - equally charming but less crowded...there are lots of lovely and historic corners to discover...Colmar is Alsace at its best

Quick Tips:

There are frequent trains there from Strasbourg in France and Basel in Switzerland. It's possible to visit it on a day trip from each of these places, but if you can spend the night there you'll enjoy it so much more

Best Way To Get Around:

the historical center is very compact...walk, walk and walk...and get yourself a map from the tourist office, it's really good and has some interesting information too

La Maison des TêtesBest of IgoUgo

Hotel

La Maison des Têtes is one of those **** hotels you should really budget for... it''s located in Colmar''s most richly ornated house (tête means head - hence the decorations), the "Maison des Têtes", from the 17th century. There are only 18 rooms, so you should really book well in advance. Rooms are very large and bright - with nice furniture, colour TV, direct telephone, mini-bar and individual safe. Some rooms also have a private whirpool... if only I had known earlier.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by rhiannon1968 on February 4, 2002

La Maison des Têtes
19 Rue des Têtes Colmar, France
(0) 3892-44343

Maison des TêtesBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Carmen and Marc Rohfritsch are the owners of both this charming hotel and the restaurant. About the restaurant itself: you'll find period furniture, candles on the table and, what's actually the most important thing, food to die for. Here's just a few examples of what I remember from their menu: home made goose foie gras with Riesling, filet of beef with goose liver in a crust of Choucroute, roasted duck in spices. Of course, since you are in Alsace, there is a great wine selection to choose from: the best thing about it is that they are all great, so you can't really go too wrong.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by rhiannon1968 on February 4, 2002

Maison des Têtes
19 Rue des Têtes Colmar, France
(0)3 8924-4343

Little VeniceBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

petite venise
Little Venice... a very small area of Colmar - but one of many charms. Why the name? you only have one guess... if u have said the word canals, bingo! u r nearly right. The canals are in fact only one canal - nowadays - but a lovely one it is... with plenty of colourful half-timbered houses surrounding it and uncountable flowers. Originally, it was inhabited by boatmen and fishermen - now it's one of the "nice" places to live. There are guided boat rides on small boats - the price used to be of 35 francs (about 5 dollars).
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by rhiannon1968 on February 4, 2002

Little Venice
Quai de la Poissonnerie Colmar, France

Bartholdi MuseumBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

Bartholdi Museum - where France meets the United States of America

If there's a museum Americans should visit in France, it's this one. Not the Louvre, not the Musée d'Orsay... But the Bartholdi Museum. Why? Because Auguste Bartholdi, a Colmar-born citizen (1834-1904), is the man that created the Statue of Liberty. What would New York be without the Statue of Liberty? Would it be the same city? No, so it's due to pay homage to the man who gave America its symbol. The museum is located in the family house where he was born and contains works from his artistic career up to the creation of the Statue of Liberty.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by rhiannon1968 on February 4, 2002

Bartholdi Museum
30, rue des Marchands Colmar, France

Koïfhus - Old Custom HallBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Koïfhus"

Koïfhus
A long time ago Colmar was the richest and most important city of the whole Alsace region. The Koïfhus, which translates into the "old custom hall" was built in the 15th century in the middle of the (then not) old town. It's also called Salle de la Décapole (room of the 10 men ruling - more or less): it's where the ten most important Alsatian men of the middle ages - the representatives of the imperial towns of Alsace - used to meet and take all the most important decisions. Today this flower-covered building is still very important: it's the symbol of Colmar's former economical and political power - which neighbouring Strasbourg now holds. In the back streets of the Koïfhus you can visit the old tannery quarted and see the buildings where the people used to hang out the leather to dry.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by rhiannon1968 on February 4, 2002

Koïfhus - Old Custom Hall
Place de l'ancienne douane Colmar, France

About the Writer

rhiannon1968
rhiannon1968
locarno, Switzerland

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