A lovely town with medieval roots, prospering on the extensive Alsatian vineyards, with good food and a great Christmas Market.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
No doubt we will visit lovely Colmar a few more times while we're living in Switzerland.
