Planning a France Holiday? Make sure Colmar France is on your itinerary! A postcard perfect village in Alsace’s wine region is ready to be explored. Great food, great wine, great scenery, Colmar encapsulates everything there is to love about France’s Alsace region.
This is a guest post by Kate Storm
Disclosure: This Colmar France travel guide contains affiliate links. That means we earn a commission when you use the links on this site to book a hotel, buy your travel insurance, shop for travel essentials, etc.. You don’t pay anything extra. If you’d like to learn more about how this works, you can read more under our Disclaimer page.
***
Nestled in the Alsace region in the Northeast sits the storybook village of Colmar France. With a look that is part French, part German, and 100% fairytale, visiting Colmar France is a must on any Alsace itinerary.
Come here to wander adorable streets, admire beautiful canals, eat delicious food, and check out a particularly tasty wine region. Whether you’re a fan of history, food, architecture, culture, or all of the above, Colmar France is the destination for you.
Here’s why…
Colmar France is Objectively Adorable – Especially La Petite Venise
Colmar’s neighborhood of La Petite Venise is so picture-perfect that it wouldn’t be out of place in a children’s book or a particularly beautiful impressionist painting: complete with canals, half-timber houses, and adorable pedestrian bridges, it’s impossible not to smile when strolling through La Petite Venise.
If you’d like to admire the neighborhood from a unique angle, you can even take a boat ride–and it comes with a far less shocking price tag than a gondola ride in Venice!
Alsace is one of the nicest areas to visit in France, and Colmar in particular is a gem!
They Have a Statue of Liberty
Most Americans know that the Statue of Liberty that dominates the New York City harbor was a gift from France, but fewer people know that the sculptor, Auguste Bartholdi, hails from the small town of Colmar, France.
Though Auguste Bartholdi eventually emigrated to the United States, he kept his childhood home in Colmar throughout his life, and now it lives on as the Bartholdi Museum.
In honor of Alsace’s most prominent artist of the 19th century, a replica of the Statue of Liberty stands in Colmar, and can be visited during your time in the village.
Colmar may have inspired Belle’s “poor provincial town” from Beauty and the Beast.
It’s not everyday that you visit a town that may literally have inspired the setting of a movie–rumor has it that Colmar France inspired Disney’s design of Belle’s “poor provincial town”.
True, there are also several other French towns that vye for this designation, including the nearby Alsatian town of Riquewihr, but Colmar certainly looks close enough to the drawings of the Beauty & the Beast movie to make it clear where the rumor sprouted from.
The City Boasts Excellent Festivals Throughout The Year
From wine fairs to traditional Alsatian folklore events to weekend markets, there’s always something going on in Colmar to pique your interest while visiting.
One festival consistently dominates all the others in Colmar’s calendar, though: the Christmas Markets.
Colmar’s fairytale feel paired with snowy rooftops and the smell of gingerbread in the air is a recipe for an incredibly festive–and delicious–Christmas celebration.
Also Check Out Where to Stay in Paris
Colmar France is in the Heart of the Alsace Wine Region
Alsatian wine is an absolute treat – beautiful vineyards, tasty wines, and excellent food to accompany your tastings all make Alsace a wine lover’s paradise.
Like everything else in Alsace, you’ll find a mix of the Germanic and the French in the wine: grapes more typical to Germany are produced in a more French wine style, and the effect is delicious.
Colmar is ideally located to hitting the road on Alsace’s wine route (Route des Vins d’Alsace) and tasting to your heart’s desire–just make sure to bring or book a designated driver, of course.
Every Season Brings a Reason to Visit Colmar, France
Spring and summer bring sunny days and beautiful flowers to every window sill and bridge, fall brings changing colors and beautiful views on the wine route, and winter brings impressive Christmas markets: while all seasons have their pluses and minuses, and it is never a bad time to visit Colmar.
Colmar is the Perfect Base for an Alsace Road Trip
The Alsace region is home to incredible wineries, beautiful castles, endless quaint villages, the lovely city of Strasbourg and stunning mountain views: in other words, it’s the perfect place for a road trip.
Centrally located and neither too big nor too small, Colmar is an excellent base for a Alsace road trip–simply explore the countryside throughout the day and come home to a storybook village at night.
Colmar’s Food is Delicious!
Colmar is full of delicious food: from croissants, pretzels, and kugelhopfs (almond and raisin pastries unique to Alsace) beckoning you inside from bakery windows to the dark, cozy atmosphere of winstubs (think a German pub with a French twist), it is impossible not to eat well in Colmar.
Consider trying tarte flambee (kind of reminiscent of pizza or Hungarian langos, and delightfully tasty, backeoffe (hearty and delicious potato and meat casserole), and choucroute garnie (kind of similar to sauerkraut, served with meat and potatoes), among many, many others–and that’s not even getting to the wine, beer, and munster cheese!
If you’re interested in a foodie splurge during your trip to Colmar, there are a couple of Michelin Star restaurants in town that provide an incredible experience–just make sure you make time for at least one dinner in a traditional winstub, too!
Why Wouldn’t You Visit Colmar France?
Colmar is beautiful enough to belong in a fairytale, charming enough to captivate the senses, full of enough delicious food to keep you occupied for days, and surrounded by beautiful nature–why wouldn’t you visit Colmar?
Where to Stay in Colmar France
Top Colmar France Hotels
3-star hotels in Colmar France
- Hôtel Turenne – rated 8.7 on Booking.com (9.1 location score)
- ibis Styles Colmar Centre Hotel – rated 8.0 on Boooking.com (9.2 location score)
- Colmar Hotel – rated 8.9 on Booking.com (8.3 location score)
4-star hotels in Colmar France
- Novotel Suites Colmar Centre – rated 9.0 on Booking.com (9.2 location score)
- Hotel Le Colombier Suites – rated 9.0 on Booking.com (9.6 location score)
- James Boutique Hôtel – rated 9.3 on Booking.com (9.0 location score)
5-star hotels in Colmar France
- La Maison Des Têtes Hotel – rated 9.0 on Booking.com (9.7 location score)
Author Bio
Kate is busy traveling the world with her husband and documenting all the adventures on her blog, Our Escape Clause. When she’s not writing, you can normally find her on a hike somewhere gorgeous, swimming in a beautiful sea, wandering around a city, or planning one of the next thousand trips she plans to take.
Like This Guide? Pin It For Later!
