Colmar is one of France’s many hidden gems. Known as “Le Petite Venice” or “Little Venice,” in the Alsatian countryside, this small medieval town full of half-timbered houses, looks like it is right out of a Disney fairytale. There’s plenty of things to do and see for a day or two during any trip to the Alsace wine region. Colmar is the biggest of the medieval wine towns in this valley and a great place to stay as a jumping off point if you want to visit a couple of its smaller satellites like Riquewihr and Eguisheim.
Where to stay
La Maison des Tetes – One of the few 5 star hotels in town
Le Colombier – Perfect location, in the heart of Petit Venise
Hotel Saint Martin – Another place with a perfect location, in the center of Colmar
Reflets Sur La Lauch Apartments – Fully furnished apartments in Colmar
Best Things to Do in Colmar
Visit Old Town and La Petite Venise
400 yearold, sherbert-colored, half-timbered houses right out of a Disney fairytale, line beautiful canals through cobblestoned streets. Just take out a map or your phone and head to this area of Colmar and walk around.
Take a Boat Ride on the Canal
Cruise the Canal on a flat-bottomed boat, gliding under willow trees and beneath the windowsill flowerboxes of le Petite Venise. Boats depart with 7-9 guests at the bridge Saint Pierre next to Restaurant Le Caveau Saint-Pierre. A half hour cruise runs about 6 euro per person.
Shop at the Covered Market
Consisting of about 20 merchants in an old warehouse on the edge of Little Venice. Besides cheese stands, olive oil shops and simply perfect produce, there are also several cafés where you can try their various dishes of the day. Canal-side seating is available where you can grab a bottle of Alsatian wine and some meat and cheese to enjoy for lunch along the canal.
Maison Pfister
Make sure to stop and check out Maison Pfister, Colmar’s oldest wooden building. Constructed by wealthy hatter Ludwig Shurer in 1537, this wooden balcony is a marvel of Alsatian renaissance architecture. The gorgeous frescos, the turreted spiral staircase, the wooden balcony, the corbelled wooden gallery, double bay window and the tiny store below are all stunning.
Musée Bartholdi
19th century sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, famous for the Statue of Liberty, the Lion of Belfort and the statue of Vercongetorix in Clermont-Ferrand, was born at the site of this museum to his works. Along with many of his sculptures you can see early stages of both his Lion of Belfort and Statue of Liberty.
Hike to local vineyards
Colmar along with the dozens of other smaller satellite towns of the Alsace region are situated along the foothills of the Vosges Mountains. The stunning vineyard and mountain landscapes of the region beg to be discovered on day trips from Colmar. Drivers can visit many of the quaint towns using their own personal vehicles, by following the Alsace Wine Route. Without a car, however, you can use the public bus to see more of the Alsace region.
North of Colmar, the towns of Riquewihr, Hunawihr and Ribeauville are nestled along the Vosges among hillside vineyards. Each of these historic towns boast a cluster of half-timbered houses, a church and about a dozen adorable little restaurants and wineries. The three towns are connected by a 5km path – allowing travelers without a car to take a hike through the vineyards from town to town.
There is a public bus that takes you from the main stop in Colmar straight to Riquewihr. You can take this bus to Riquewihr, have enough time to explore Riquewihr and even have lunch before heading up the hill towards the town of Hunawihr. Alternatively you could buy food in Riquewihr and bring it with you on your hike towards Hunawihr and have a picnic in the many hillside vineyards that provide stunning views of the valley below.
From Hunawihr there is a relatively easy trek to the town of Ribeauville. With it’s hillside castles perched above the valley, Ribeauville is the largest of these three northern satellite towns around Colmar. There are buses that can take you back to Colmar from Ribeauville. Check the daily bus schedule HERE. If you have extra time it is possible to hike from Ribeauville to the castle above. The hike takes approximately 1 hour.
Tips for Hiking from Riquewihr to Ribeauville
Buses 106 and 109 are the ones you will take to go from Colmar to Riquewihr to Ribeauville and back, should you choose to use public transportation. You can buy tickets from the driver for 4 euros each way. If you have any trouble using the website listed above, stop at the Colmar Tourist Office and ask for an explanation of the bus schedule and where the stops are located. They can answer all your questions. Not all bus routes are offered year round and there are no buses on Sunday…so keep that in mind.
South of Colmar is the wonderful town of Eguisheim. This tiny town has few tourists, plenty of places to eat and some of the best biking routes and vineyards to visit in the area. You can bike from Colmar to Eguisheim (it’s only about 7 km), take a bus, a cab or drive yourself as there is ample parking just on the edge of this tiny town.
Alsatian Wine Route
The Alsatian Wine Route Stretches for over 170 km. You can go by car, bike or tourist group, jumping from vineyard to vineyard, meeting wine-growers, visiting wine cellars and caves while tasting some of the regions finest white wines.
Colmar’s Best Resaurants
Restaurant JY’s – 2 Michelin Stars in the heart of Petite Venise
L’Atelier du Peintre (The Painter’s Workshop) – Modern French gastronomy in an appealing contemporary setting. Incredibly interesting small plate tasting menus.
La Maison des Têtes – An authentic brasserie inside a magical Renaissance building in the heart of the historic old town. Traditional cuisine with a modern fine dining flare.
Restaurant La Soi – Tiny restaurant serving the best taste flambée in town. Tarte flamée is the only thing on the menu
Le Caveau Saint Pierre – Great tarte flambée
Koifhus Winstub – Traditional Alsatian food
Brasserie Schwendi – Alsatian restaurant in the center of town offers rosti, tarte flambée and many other traditional Alsatian fare.
Aux Armes de Colmar – reservation required dinner restaurant serving Alsatian cuisine.
Le Palmyre – Great Lebanese and Syrian food if you’re tired of taste flambée.
Wistub Brenner – Typical Alsatian Winstub
Le Quai 21 – On the docks of Little Venice, this fine dining establishment provides expertly prepared contemporary plates in an elevated, modern bistro setting.
L’Épicurien – Traditional wine bistro close to Little Venice with an impressive wine list.
Saint-Nicolas Cheese Shop – A wonderful place to buy and taste local cheese
Maison Alsacienne de Biscuiterie – place to buy Bredele (small Alsatian cookies traditionally baked for Christmas)
Colmar’s Best Bars
Le Cercle des Aromes – One of the best wine bars in Colmar
Les 3 Singes – Standard pub for beer and standard drinks
Chez Moi – Small, intimate bar in an historic building
L ‘Un Des Sens – Cellar wine bar with fantastic sommeliers
L’Entracte Absinthe Bar – Colmar’s only Absinthe Bar
Sezanna – Small grocery-bistro boutique wine bar.
Colmar’s Best Cafés
La Libellue – Quaint tea and coffee house.
l’Essence du Thé – The essense of tea is a wonderful tea room.
Jadis et Gourmande – Known for their gourmet pies.
Au Croissant Doré – Tea Room with a spetacular exterior.
L’Entre-Pot – quirky tea room in a flower shop.
Un Monde de cafés – Alsatian coffee roasting company that serves coffee and bubble tea
Côté Four – bakery and coffee shop in the heart of downtown Colmar
