Dreaming Of France: Colmar

This town is the perfect place to explore Alsace's blend of French and German culture and history.

Quai de la Poissonnerie, Colmar

The northeastern town of Colmar is located in the Haut-Rhin (Rhine) department in the Grand Est of France, an area historically referred to as Alsace. Because Alsace was annexed by Germany after the 1870 Prussian War until the end of World War I, the Alsace region’s culture is a strong mix of its French and German heritage.

The old town is remarkably well preserved despite being at the center of three major wars between France and Germany. Visitors can walk its cobblestone streets and see colorful and classic timbered buildings that date from the Medieval and Renaissance periods. A series of canals feeding off the Lauch River crisscross the city center, which is now called la Petite Venise.

La Petite Venise. Photo courtesy of the Colmar Office of Tourism. Photo by Emmanuel Fromm.

At the heart of this section of town is the Quai de le Poissonerie (fishmonger's district, see main photo above), a once powerful economic force in Colmar. This is where most of the professional fishermen and boatmen of Colmar lived when they were a powerful economic force in the town. A massive renovation project 40 years ago has restored many of the most vibrant homes in this neighborhood.

Stroll out of Little Venice to see Saint Martin’s Collegiate Church, a Gothic wonder originally built between 1235 and 1365. It’s been ravaged by various fires over the centuries which were followed by restorations. The church has been considered the center of religious life here even though it does not have the official status of a cathedral.

Saint Martin Collegiate Church. Photo courtesy of the Colmar Office of Tourism. By Emmanuel Fromm

Comar’s other architectural landmarks include the Pfister house, a Medieval structure built in 1537 for a money trader. It features wooden framing, a turret, and murals that mix religious and secular subjects.

Pfister house