This town screams Alsace adorableness!
Colmar, France, was the place that most surprised me on this trip. I wasn’t expecting much, since I saw mostly pictures online of the same places. I figured that must be most of the Alsatian half-timbered adorableness. It wasn’t. There was much more.
Colmar is a larger Alsatian town, located about 10 mi (15 km) west of the French/German border. Alsace belonged to the Holy Roman Empire until the 17th century. It passed back and forth between France and German states for the three centuries. Many of the buildings in Colmar have a distinctive German feel, but others are definitely French. It’s an odd mixture, but it’s adorable.
Wandering Jana I had stayed in a fairly modern area of Colmar. It didn’t take long to start getting some half-timbered buildings.
Wandering Jana And it gets cute very fast.
Wandering Jana Look at this gem! The Maison des têtes (House of Heads). It was given this name because there are 106 heads carved into the 1600s facade.
Wandering Jana It just keeps getting cuter and cuter.
Wandering Jana Hmmmmm…. I wonder what this is about.
Wandering Jana A little stream flows through the center of town. It’s often hidden.
Wandering Jana Very, very cute.
Wandering Jana In the center of the city is the Église Saint-Martin (Church of St. Martin), a gorgeous Gothic church from the 13th century.
Wandering Jana View of the sanctuary (altar) area looking towards the nave (seating area).
Wandering Jana A gorgeous doorway into the church.
Wandering Jana Across the Place de la Cathédrale from the St. Martin’s (weirdly named plaza due to the fact that Colmar has never had an actual cathedral, just a giant church.) The building in the middle is the Ancien Corps de garde (Old Guardhouse), from the 16th century.
Wandering Jana Colmar just keeps getting cuter and cuter.
Wandering Jana The 16th century Maison Pfister.
Wandering Jana A closer look at that painted facade.
Wandering Jana Nearby, this cuteness.
Wandering Jana I think half the cuteness is just the fabulous color scheme of the historic center.
Wandering Jana Love this building.
Wandering Jana Ancienne Douane (Old Custom House) from 1480.
Wandering Jana How is this place so cute?!?
Wandering Jana Fontaine Schwendi on the Place de l’Ancienne Douane.
Wandering Jana I love this.
Wandering Jana Cuteness on overdrive.
Wandering Jana Quartier des Tanneurs. This district of Colmar was named for the tanners that resided and worked here.
Wandering Jana These buildings were giant.
Wandering Jana Buildings along La Lauch (river).
Wandering Jana One of the famous views of Colmar.
Wandering Jana Marché Couvert (Covered Market) from 1865.
Wandering Jana Just adorable.
Wandering Jana Painting, a cheaper way to a cheap facade.
Wandering Jana This very narrow street a few buildings with some fancy wooden details.
Wandering Jana That one is definitely on the older side.
Wandering Jana Even the non-half-timbered buildings here are adorable.
Wandering Jana I can see why this area of town is nicknamed Little Venice.
Wandering Jana That’s not a gondola, but close enough.
Wandering Jana Hôtel de Ville de Colmar (City Hall).
Wandering Jana Missing part of the first floor there.
Wandering Jana Love this, even though its not half-timbered. It’s still from the 17th century though.
Wandering Jana There’s that hidden stream again. It goes right under the plaza around the church.
Wandering Jana I’m curious about how uneven the floors in this building are.
Wandering Jana Gorgeous building.
Wandering Jana The only museum I ended up visiting in Colmar since I got distracted by all the cute.
Wandering Jana Musée Bartholdi, a museum dedicated to Auguste Bartholdi, a sculptor, in his former home.
Wandering Jana Well that explains the Statue of Liberty marker from above. Bartholdi was the sculptor of the Statue of Liberty. The markers lead you to this museum.
Wandering Jana A couple of rooms are decorated similar to what they were like when Bartholdi lived here. For some reason, ceramics are also embedded into the ceiling. He even put bottles up there.
Colmar is an excellent place to go in Alsace. I was worried that I would have enough to do that day, but alas, that was not an issue. You can walk through the streets of Colmar for ages.
Check out my next update where I head to Basel, Switzerland!
or
Start at the beginning of this European adventure!
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