Christmas in Colmar

If Strasbourg is the capital of Christmas, then Colmar is … the Vatican? I’m not sure about the best analogy, but Colmar is intensely Christmasy in December, even more so than Strasbourg.

Strasbourg (population 287,000) is about four times bigger than Colmar (population 70,000). The two cities are just half an hour apart by train (10€-16€ each way). We left Strasbourg early, which was a mistake. The main thing to do in Colmar is to walk around and drink in the Christmas spirit and admire the gingerbread architecture. That is accomplished at a leisurely pace in a couple of hours, and December in Colmar was very cold. Colmar is best appreciated when the lights come on, so mid-afternoon is plenty early to see it in the light and to stay for nightfall (sunset is around 4:30).

Colmar is quainter and more old-fashioned than Strasbourg, which feels kind of fancy. I like quaint and I like fancy–no judgment here. Just pointing out the different vibes. Strasbourg has other things going on–universities, European Parliament–and its Christmas zone is concentrated in the oldest part of the city, which is about the same size as Colmar’s Christmas zone. Colmar feels more like you’ve woken up in a TV Christmas special. It goes without saying that both town centers are pedestrian only. Colmar claims to have one of the biggest pedestrian zones in Europe. It was indeed nice to stroll without having to look for traffic, not only from cars but also bikes and scooters.

The ski tree is clever, non?

Let’s go!

A river, la Lauch, runs through town, narrowing in places so that it looks less like a river and more like a canal–and in fact this part of Colmar is called “Petite Venise.” It’s extremely pretty, with willows bending over the water, which mirrors the multicolored façades lining the river.

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Les Halles, or the covered market, is on the left, and the Quai des Poissonniers (Fishmongers’ Quai) is on the right.

Quai des Poissonniers. The red are those damned “love locks.”

Venice meets Germany?

Various squares host Christmas markets with the usual fare of mulled wine, sausages, cheese and artisanal gifts. The Koïfus, or former customs house, built in 1480 (with a gorgeous roof), has stands indoors with more handcrafted items and art.

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Next to la Collégiale Saint-Martin, a big church built between 1235 to 1365.

Another view of Saint-Martin. Lots of decorated roofs like this one.

Lots of people … and more as night approached.

Quaint!

Colmar is incredibly well-preserved. A big fire in 1706 destroyed a bunch of houses along the Quai des Poissonniers, and most of the architecture is Renaissance.

This building, now home to a store that sells everything at 2€, is called Poêle des Laboureurs in French, or the Laborers’ Stove, but it means meeting hall. The name in German, Zunftstube der Ackerleute, translates to the Plowmen’s Guild Room. You can’t make out the carved inscription but it says “criticism is easy; art is hard.” So true.

A house in the Quartier des Tanneurs. The half-timbered houses were open on top, for drying out the leather.

Maison Pfister, built in 1537. A mix of stone and wood, with paintings of German emperors of the 16th century, Catholic eminences, Bible scenes and allegorical figures.

Maison Pfister at night.

Art Nouveau! The Golden Croissant….

We had lunch at Le Palmyre (The Palmira), an excellent Syrian restaurant with good vegetarian choices.

I love a combo plate–no pressure to choose just one thing. Hummus, baba ghanouj, falefel, tabouli, fatayers, samboussek, rhakat, all for 15€.

Finally, darkness fell and the lights came on. It really was magical.

The building lit in purple is Maison Kern, built in 1597.

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I have to admit that we didn’t go into the many museums–a mistake. It would have warmed us up, and we love a museum. There’s one for Auguste Bartholdi, who was born in Colmar and who created the Statue of Liberty. The Unterlinden museum has paintings and sculptures from the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, housed in a former Dominican convent from the 1280s. There are also museums focused on animated toys and minature trains; natural history; municipal factories and a watercolor painter known as Hansi. In the case of Hansi, the building looks even more interesting than any watercolors. We were so keen to explore the streets, and then, having explored them thoroughly, we just kind of wandered while waiting for dusk.

That said, Colmar was well worth a trip, and certainly not to be missed if you’re in the region. In looking up the names of some of the buildings, I saw photos from summer, and it looks picture-perfect then, too. Those Colmariens go as crazy for flowers as they do for Christmas decorations. Which is not a criticism at all.

Are you ready for Christmas? My shopping is done (all locally bought, handmade or second hand), and I’m going to put up the tree tonight!

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