Colmar (Haut-Rhin, Alsace)

Colmar is a gem of a town in Alsace, south of Strasbourgh. It is big enough to have lots to do, and small enough to get around easily. Some say it is the prettiest town in France, or Europe even.

Colmar is built around a network of small canals with punt tours available during the summer months. The medieval centre of this historic town has fine overhanging timber-framed buildings, a dream for the keen photographer.

These ancient streets have numerous restaurants, cafes and artisan shops. During November and December it hosts one of the best Christmas markets to be found anywhere in Europe

Colmar takes its name from the Colombarium tower which was located in the center of the Carolingien domain. In the 12th century, the area became a fortified market town. In 1226 Frederic 2nd gave the city an imperial title with all the privileges that went with such a standing. In 1648, the Treaty of Westphalia confirmed the possession of Alsace by France.

Colmar escaped the destruction of the 2nd World War and today offers one of the most charming city centers of Alsace.

The narrow streets of Colmar are rich in immaculately restored, high-gabled, timber-framed houses dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. The central area is perfectly preserved.

Outstanding areas are the galleried Ancienne Douane (Old Custom House), and the Maison Pfister. The Krutenau district, Colmar's superbly restored 'Little Venice', is particularly picturesque. Also worth seeing is St. Martin's Cathedral with its gothic, Romanesque and Renaissance elements.

But Colmar's greatest treasure is kept indoors, in the chapel in the Musee d'Unterlinden. Here is the Issenheim Altarpiece, the masterwork of Matthias Grunewald. The folding panels of the altarpiece were painted around 1515 for the Prior of the Monastery of St. Anthony at nearby Isenheim. Its visionary evocation of the suffering in the Redemption of Christ still has the power to move; seldom has the agony of the dying Christ been more forcefully portrayed.

Apart from Orlier altarpiece by Grunewald's near-contemporary, Martin Schongauer, and the 24 panels of the Passion altarpiece attributed to his workshop, there are local collections of the 16th to 19th century decorative and traditional arts, and an array of modern French paintings (by Barque, Picasso, Leger, etc). Schongauer's work can be seen again in the Dominican church, where his Virgin in the Rose Bower has pride of place.

There is one more museum to see if you take a stroll through the old town: the Musée Animé du Jouet et des Petits Trains whose collection of toys and toy trains is fun for children.

Wine

Colmar has a sunny microclimate and is the driest city in France, with an annual precipitation of just 550 mm, making it ideal for Alsace wine. The Alsatian wine-growing industry and many important vineyards revolve around Colmar.

The vineyards are located on the western perimeter of the town and the nearby "Route Du Vin" is for those who wish to explore this region's extensive wine-growing area.

About the location

Colmar is located in the Haut-Rhin department of Alsace in France.

Public transport available

Air: Euro airport at Basel or Strasbourg are the nearest international airports.

Train: From Paris' Gare de l'Est station, there are three round-trip high-speed trains per day to Colmar.

Road: Colmar is situated on the A35 autoroute.

Tourist information website

http://www.ot-colmar.fr/

Tourist information contact email

info@ot-colmar.fr

Tourist information switch board number

+ 33 (0)3 89 20 68 92

Tourist information address

Colmar Tourist Office, 4, rue Unterlinden, 68000, Colmar, France

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