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Christmas Market Sausages, Colmar, Alsace, France

France: The Alsace - Colmar

Colmar


A lovely town with medieval roots, prospering on the extensive Alsatian vineyards, with good food and a great Christmas Market.

 

Colmar
Colmar
Colmar

 

We have been to Colmar many times, it being in easy reach of Basel for shopping at the excellent outdoor Saturday market, or for lunch, and especially for the Christmas Market, one of my favourites in the Alsace.

It has grown and prospered since the 13th century through the produce of the vineyards which carpet the region. Like Strasbourg it has been intermittently a part of France and Germany, but I think is more obviously French.

Colmar
Little Venice
Colmar
Mushrooms from the mountainous area of the Vosges - Girolles, a golden chanterelle, and Pieds de Moutons.
Colmar
32 Rue de Peyerimhoff
Colmar
Munster - superlative cheese of the region.

Colmar
Colmar
Aux Deux Freres Charcuterie
Colmar
Café Au Croissant Doré
Lovely art nouveau facade.

 

Colmar
Colmar
La Maison des Têtes
Colmar

 

We have stayed a couple of times at La Maison des Têtes, built in 1609 for Anton Berger, a merchant who became mayor of Colmar in 1626, and now a hotel. It gets its name from the large number of carved masks and grimacing faces which adorn the facade.

Colmar
La Maison des Têtes
Colmar
La Maison des Têtes

 

On top stands a statue of an Alsace barrel-maker, made by celebrated local sculptor Auguste Bartholdi in 1902 and hoisted in position when the building was used as the Wine Exchange. Bartholdi is more famous as the designer of the Statue of Liberty.

Colmar

In September 2008 the vineyards were looking immaculate and the grapes very nearly ready for the vendange.

Seven different grapes are commonly grown here: sylvaner, pinot blanc, pinot noir (the only red varietal), riesling, muscat, pinot gris and gewurztraminer. My all-time favourite is muscat.

 

Colmar
Got to be pinot noir.
Colmar
Colmar
Colmar
Colmar
Possibly gewurztraminer but could be pinot gris.
Colmar
Colmar
Maison Pfister
A fine Renaissance home built in 1537 for hatter Ludwig Sherer.1 The name comes from the family who restored it and lived there in the 19th century.

 

The old parts of town down by the canal and Little Venice are very picturesque with beautiful half-timbered houses, a perfect setting for Christmas markets.

Colmar
Colmar
Colmar
Colmar
Colmar
Little Venice
Colmar
Colmar
Colmar
Traditional Alsace dress.
Colmar
Colmar
Colmar

 

Colmar

 

Colmar
Colmar
Colmar
Colmar
Colmar
The gothic church St Martin in the background.
Colmar
Colmar
Yum!
Colmar
Colmar

 

No doubt we will visit lovely Colmar a few more times while we're living in Switzerland.

 

Colmar

 

References

  1. Visit Alsace - Maison Pfister