Colmar, France Travel Guide: What to See, Do and Eat in Alsace’s Prettiest Town

Colmar is one of the most beautiful towns in France. It is also one of the most overlooked by first-time visitors. Most travellers pass through Alsace on their way to Strasbourg and miss Colmar entirely. That is a mistake worth fixing. This Colmar France travel guide covers what to see, where to eat, when to go, and how to get there from Paris or anywhere else in France.

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Why Colmar Is Worth a Special Journey

Colmar sits in the Alsace region of northeastern France, about 450 kilometres east of Paris and 70 kilometres south of Strasbourg. The town has around 70,000 residents, but its old centre feels far smaller and more intimate — a compact maze of medieval streets, timber-framed houses painted in shades of yellow, red, and green, and narrow canals that earned one neighbourhood the name Petite Venise (Little Venice).

The city changed hands between France and Germany multiple times over the centuries. The most recent change came after the Second World War. That history shows in everything from the buildings to the food. Colmar is unmistakably Alsatian: neither purely French nor purely German, but something distinct.

It is also the birthplace of Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the sculptor who designed the Statue of Liberty, which adds a particular draw for American visitors.

What to See and Do in Colmar

Petite Venise

The most photographed part of Colmar is Petite Venise, a district of tanners’ and fishermen’s houses built along the Lauch river in the southern part of the old town. Flower boxes overflow from the balconies. Half-timbered façades lean gently over the water. You can walk the canal banks freely, or take a short boat tour (about 30 minutes) that shows you the area from the water.

Come early in the morning if you want photographs without crowds. By 10am on a summer weekend, the quayside fills up quickly. The best light is in the early morning or late afternoon.

The Unterlinden Museum

The Musée Unterlinden is Colmar’s most important cultural site and one of the most visited museums in France, with over 230,000 visitors each year. The centrepiece is the Isenheim Altarpiece, a monumental set of painted panels created by Matthias Grünewald between 1512 and 1516 for a monastery near Colmar.

The altarpiece is extraordinary — both in scale and in intensity. The crucifixion panel in particular stops most visitors in their tracks. Allow at least two hours for the full museum, which also contains a strong collection of Alsatian art and archaeological finds.

The museum is housed partly in a 13th-century Dominican convent and partly in a modern extension designed by Herzog & de Meuron (the architects behind London’s Tate Modern). Tickets cost around €15 for adults.

The Old Town and Maison Pfister

Walking the old town takes the better part of a morning. The main streets — Rue des Marchands, Grand’Rue, and the area around the Koïfhus (the old customs house) — are lined with buildings dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries.

The Maison Pfister, built in 1537, is one of the finest Renaissance houses in Alsace. It stands on Rue des Marchands and features an ornate painted façade and a distinctive wooden balcony running around the upper floors. It is privately owned, but the exterior alone is worth stopping to admire.

The Bartholdi Museum

Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi was born in Colmar in 1834. The house where he grew up is now the Musée Bartholdi, dedicated to his life and work. It contains models, drawings, and personal items related to his most famous creation — the Statue of Liberty — as well as other sculptures he produced throughout his career.

For American visitors, this museum has a particular resonance. Admission costs around €7 and a visit takes about an hour. Outside the museum on Place de l’Ancienne Douane, you will find a large fountain with a bronze lion that Bartholdi also created.

What to Eat and Drink in Colmar

Alsatian food is one of the great pleasures of visiting this region, and Colmar has excellent restaurants. The local cuisine reflects the Franco-German character of Alsace: hearty, seasonal, and built around good bread, good wine, and good pork.

Tarte Flambée (Flammekueche)

Tarte flambée is the dish to try first. It is a thin, crispy flatbread topped with crème fraîche, onions, and lardons — baked in a wood-fired oven. Every brasserie in Colmar serves it. It arrives on a wooden board and disappears fast. A full-size tarte costs around €10–12.

Choucroute Garnie

Choucroute garnie is the other Alsatian staple: a mound of braised sauerkraut served with a variety of pork cuts — sausage, smoked bacon, knack sausages — plus potatoes. It is a big, warming dish and a genuine local institution. Try it at one of the old winstubs (wine taverns) in the town centre.

Alsatian Wine

Colmar is at the heart of the Alsace Wine Route, a 170-kilometre trail of vineyards running along the foothills of the Vosges mountains. The main grape varieties are Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Muscat — all dry whites with strong character.

Wine tasting in Colmar itself is easy — the town has several wine bars and cave shops. For a wider experience, the villages of Riquewihr and Kaysersberg (both within 15 kilometres) offer tasting rooms and producers open to visitors.

Day Trips from Colmar

Colmar makes an excellent base for exploring the Alsace region. Several outstanding villages are within easy reach by car or by bicycle.

Riquewihr

Riquewihr is 13 kilometres north of Colmar and often described as the most beautiful village in Alsace. Its fortified walls and 16th-century houses have changed little in 400 years. The main street is lined with wine producers, many of which offer tastings. Visit on a weekday to avoid the weekend tour groups.

Kaysersberg

Kaysersberg is 12 kilometres northwest of Colmar, set at the entrance to a narrow valley in the Vosges foothills. Albert Schweitzer, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning physician and theologian, was born here in 1875 — his family home is now a small museum. The town also has one of the best Christmas markets in Alsace, held every December.

Strasbourg

Strasbourg is 70 kilometres north of Colmar and reachable by train in around 35 minutes. It is a larger city with a magnificent Gothic cathedral, a famous winding quarter called La Petite France, and the seat of the European Parliament. It makes a natural addition to a Colmar trip, particularly for visitors who want to spend more time in Alsace.

How to Get to Colmar from Paris and Beyond

Colmar does not have a TGV station, but getting there from Paris is straightforward. Take the TGV from Paris Gare de l’Est to Strasbourg (approximately 1 hour 45 minutes), then a regional TER train from Strasbourg to Colmar (around 35 minutes). Total journey time from Paris: approximately 2 hours 30 minutes.

Colmar also sits on the Alsace Wine Route and is well connected by road to Strasbourg in the north and Mulhouse in the south. If you are driving from Paris, expect around four to four and a half hours on the motorway.

From Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg airport, Colmar is about 35 kilometres south — roughly 30 minutes by car. The airport serves several European destinations and is a useful entry point if you are flying in specifically to explore Alsace.

When to Visit Colmar

Colmar is worth visiting in most seasons, but the timing affects what you experience significantly.

May and June offer warm weather, flowers in bloom, and fewer crowds than July and August. This is the best time for walking the old town and cycling between the wine villages.

July and August are the busiest months. Petite Venise fills up quickly, and popular restaurants need booking in advance. The upside is reliable sunshine and a full programme of local festivals.

September and October bring the grape harvest — the vendange — which transforms the surrounding villages. Wine producers hold open days, and the light in Alsace in autumn is extraordinary. This is arguably the best time to visit if you are combining Colmar with wine tasting.

December brings the Colmar Christmas Market, one of the oldest and most atmospheric in France, running across five separate squares in the old town. The town draws large crowds at this time, but the combination of fairy lights, mulled wine, and decorated half-timbered houses is genuinely special.

Where to Stay in Colmar

Staying in the old town puts you within easy walking distance of all the main sights. The most sought-after location is along the Petite Venise canals, where several boutique hotels have rooms with views directly onto the water.

For a wider choice of accommodation and lower prices, Strasbourg — 35 minutes by train — works well as a base for a day trip to Colmar. This is a practical option during the Christmas market period, when Colmar’s limited hotel stock sells out months in advance.

Budget tip: Colmar’s hotels are noticeably cheaper than equivalent options in Paris. A good three-star hotel in the old town typically costs €100–160 per night in summer, less outside peak season.

Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Colmar

How long do you need in Colmar?

One full day is enough to see the main sights — Petite Venise, the Unterlinden Museum, the old town, and the Bartholdi Museum. Two days gives you time to take a day trip to Riquewihr or Kaysersberg and explore at a slower pace. If you are combining Colmar with the broader Alsace Wine Route, allow three to four days.

Is Colmar easy to visit without a car?

Yes. Colmar’s old town is compact and entirely walkable. The town is well connected by train to Strasbourg and Paris. For day trips to nearby wine villages like Riquewihr, you can hire a bicycle in Colmar — the flat terrain and well-marked cycle paths make this a practical and enjoyable option. Several organised wine village tours also depart from Colmar if you prefer not to drive.

What is the best time to visit Colmar for good weather?

May through September gives the most reliable weather in Colmar. The town sits in a rain shadow created by the Vosges mountains, which means Alsace receives less rainfall than much of France — Colmar is actually one of the driest cities in the country, with around 500 millimetres of rain annually. September and October are particularly pleasant, with warm days, good light, and the harvest season in full swing.

Is Colmar worth visiting if you have already been to Strasbourg?

Absolutely. Colmar and Strasbourg are different experiences. Strasbourg is a European capital city with a cathedral, major museums, and an international character. Colmar is a smaller, more intimate town where the medieval architecture is extraordinarily well preserved. Many visitors who have already seen Strasbourg find Colmar the more charming of the two.

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Plan Your France Trip

Colmar pairs beautifully with a wider France itinerary. Start at our France trip planning hub for route ideas, regional guides, and practical advice for planning your trip from the US or UK.