All Malaysians know Colmar, we have a twin setup in Bukit Tinggi in Pahang. I have never been there, admittedly but I have seen pictures. The real Colmar is also not like Riquewihr (which I suspect is more what our Malaysian version is based on) – it is very much larger and having its own small airport as well. . This was our last stop in the “Alsace wine region road trip“. I found Colmar to be extremely pretty just like the other quaint towns we dropped in on but it has also the gritty feel of a lived-in city, which made it unique.
Sights in Colmar
We stayed about a kilometer away from the main area – with free parking and it was a pleasant walk to see the sights. The main sights in the city center was all within walking distance.
Place de l’Ancienne Douane
You can barely miss this majestic building with its glazed roof. This is the Koifhus at the Place de l’Ancienne Douanne , which was the old time customs building where tax was collected from import-export goods. Its no wonder they needed to make it attractive – otherwise no one would come!
In the square stands the Schwendi Fountain, designed by none other than Bartholdi. It definitely contributes to the overall charm of Colmar.
Place de la Cathédrale
People were apparently not very imaginative in naming the places here – so no prize for guessing what you find here. The big church of St. Martin- You would have to be kinda blind to miss something this big.
Maison des Têtes (House of the Heads)
Honestly I was expecting something macabre and eerie but it was nothing of the sort , just a building decorated with heads, many many heads. Don’t ask me why … I just figured since they are French and assumedly have chopped off plenty of heads, so why not make an art of it.
My photos of the Pfister House nearby unfortunately did not turn out well.
The main thing about Colmar I think is the walking around absorbing the atmosphere and admiring the preserved buildings.
Parc du Champs de Mars
After walking through the streets , we decided walking a little further and found the resident city park. Lots of people seem to hang out here. There is another Bartholdi statue/fountain here. All over the park are benches we could rest our tired feet on.
After a short refreshing trip to the Park , we went back to the main area.
“Little Venice”
I have come across many “Little Venices” in other countries. All have the same trademark that there is a canal and there are boats paddling on them. I personally think they should stop doing that because its not fair to Venice and also not fair to the actual place. Here in the Alsace region its about the architecture – and it so happens the Lauch flows through it, making it even more picturesque if that is possible.
The Market Hall view is my favourite. This is a covered marketplace which houses about 20 stalls and open daily.
We also managed to try the locally famous Tarte Flambee – its nothing I would write home about – only in my Blog 🙂 – but seriously I preferred actual Pizza but if you are there just try it.
Statue of Liberty
In doing the research of interesting places to visit , my attention was caught by the information that Auguste Bartholdi came from Colmar and there is a 12-meter-high replica of his most recognizable work which was dedicated to the original sculptor upon the 100th anniversary of his death. The original Statue of Liberty of course stands on Liberty Island in New York City and is a symbol of freedom.
Here it stands in the middle of a round-about and is about 4km away from the city center. We made a pit stop here before heading for home. After all its free and well worth the symbolic picture with Lady Libertas!
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I have to admit that I have visited the ‘Colmar’ inspired town up in Bukit Tinggi – to be honest, the real version that you are showing us looks so much better!!! What a charming place to visit. The Sunday Markets would be such a wonderful experience and a great way to learn more about the local culture. I love how charming the buildings are, and all the colors used to paint the buildings.
I’ve often wondered about people naming particular areas in different countries based on the people who inhabit it the most – Little India, Little Venice, Chinatown – and while sometimes I agree that we should stop doing that, at others I feel it brings about a sense of identity to the region. It’s obviously not the same as Little Venice in this case, however, the place looks spectacular and quaint. I didn’t know anything about Colmar before reading this, so it’s been quite informational and something to look forward to. Thanks
I was not familiar with Colmar, so thanks for bringing my attention to this quaint city. I love all of the colorful half-timbered buildings, and you’re right; the river running through it makes it even more picturesque. The Maison des Têtes definitely has an interesting design! I also would have imagined something far creepier due to that name! Good thing they’re just carvings 🙂
Colmar looks amazing. We visited Strasbourg last year and Colmar reminds me so much of our visit there. OMG those cupcakes look so yummy. I definitely want to visit Colmar after reading this post. How photographic are the half timbered houses! Thanks for sharing.
I wasn’t aware of Colmar before this. The old town with cobblestone streets look so beautiful. Also it’s early Renaissance buildings with the Gothic look are magical. I would love to spend some good time exploring Colmar and its church.
Love such quaint towns with so much history and hidden stroies of time. The gothic architect is so beautiful that represents the true local culture. It must be fun to walk around the streets on a quite afternoon or the buzzing evening with shops around the canal. Totally Totally love it and I usually look for such places on my travel. Thanks for sharing this and it goes straight into my bucketlist
I absolutely love Colmar, it’s one of my favorite towns in France. It’s the perfect place to end an “Alsace wine region road trip. Old cobblestone-street towns are always a good idea. Thank you for sharing this article, it brought back so many nice memories from my time in France