Colmar | Discover the Most Charming Town in France (Summer Travel Guide)

During our day trip, we literally couldn’t stop being amazed. From the moment we walked out of the car park, Colmar cast a spell over us and never let go.
We would like to take you on our trip and tell you the most important things. And as a tip, we’ve marked our route on the map to make it easier for you to take Colmar by storm 😀

Colmar is easily reachable by car from zurich. The entire drive is approximately 150 kilometers and should take around 2 hours, depending on traffic and driving conditions. Ensure to have all necessary documents for border crossing and check for any travel advisories or requirements.

To park your vehicle safely after your arrival, we have marked our favourite car park “De La Mairie” on the map. It is very centrally located and also offers enough space for large vehicles.

To reach Colmar, France, by train from Zurich, Switzerland, you should start at Zurich main station. Tickets can be purchased online via the SBB (Swiss Federal Railways) website, the SNCF (French National Railway Company) or at the station.

The journey can be either direct or with a change of train:

Direct route: if available, take a direct TGV Lyria train from Zurich HB to Colmar. These trains normally travel via Basel.

Indirect route: If no direct train is available, take a train from Zürich HB to Basel SBB. This journey usually takes about an hour and trains run frequently. From Basel SBB, change to a TGV Lyria or a regional train to Colmar. This part of the journey takes around 45 minutes to an hour.

When you arrive at Colmar train station (Gare de Colmar), you will be close to the city centre, from where you can easily reach your final destination.

The total journey time is around 2 to 3 hours, depending on connection times. It is advisable to check train timetables and book your tickets in advance to ensure a smooth journey.

Our first stop was the magnificent St Martin’s Church, this church is an absolute must-see in Colmar and is an important part of the region’s cultural heritage. The church was built between 1235 and 1365, which is incredibly fascinating. Admission is usually free, but you shouldn’t wander around the church during services. Otherwise, you can take your time to admire the beautiful details of the church. For example, the windows of the church are from the 14th and 15th centuries and there are many other remarkable works of art.

OPENING HOURS: 

Monday – Saturday: 8am – 6:45pm
Sunday: 10am – 7pm

ENTRANCE FEE: 

Price: Free

A few steps further on, we were led to the sweet café “Au Croissant Dore” at 28 Rue des Marchands. You can feel the charming French flair as soon as you enter the café.
As the name suggests, the café is particularly famous for its fresh, golden-brown croissants and also offers other delicious French specialities.
When the weather is nice, you can enjoy your delicious latte macchiatto outside and take in the hustle and bustle of the old town; or you can make yourself comfortable in the traditionally furnished interior.
A visit there not only offers you a welcome break, but also the opportunity to enjoy some of the best pastries and coffee specialities in Colmar.

A stone’s throw away from the delicious latte macchiatto is the famous Maison Pfister. The rustic house (it reminded us of a house from Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley :)), built in 1537, is a great photo opportunity. The Maison Pfister is one of the best-preserved examples of Renaissance architecture in Alsace and is a listed building. But remember, the building is a private residence and therefore cannot be visited from the inside, but the view from the outside is more than worth seeing.

If you take a leisurely stroll through the enchanting old town after the maison pfister, you will come across many typical Alsatian restaurants and shopping opportunities. Our sweet tooth was drawn to the small shop “Shops dried fruits” at 48 Rue des Marchands, where you will find countless dried fruits and sweets of all kinds.

TIP: The old town is full of great artists and street musicians. Take your time and enjoy the great compositions of these artists.

We made another historic stop at the Koifhus. The Koifhus is located on Place de l’Ancienne Douane, very close to Maison Pfister. You can find out about current exhibitions and events taking place at the Koifhus. These often offer deep insights into the history of the region. The fact that the Koifhus was built between 1433 and 1480 and served as a customs house and warehouse is impressive. Today it is the oldest public building in Colmar.

Our personal favourite was the so-called “fishermen’s quarter”. It is an incredibly pretty, picturesque and historic part of the city that has a charm all of its own. It takes its name from the original inhabitants, who mainly earned their money from fishing and sold their daily catch at the fish market. The neighbourhood was an important trading centre and played a central role in economic life.
The colourful houses have transported us into a fairytale world, especially when you walk along one of the picturesque canals and take in the bright colours of the houses and flowers. No wonder this part of Colmar is known as “little Venice”.

From here, or via the underside of the Saint-Pierre bridge, you have the opportunity to take a boat tour through the beautiful canals of Colmar and experience the city from a completely different perspective.
Here, too, there are countless incredibly sweet restaurants serving Alsatian delicacies.

In the restaurant La Stub we were able to try the famous, incredibly delicious tarte flambée and were delighted. We were already familiar with this speciality, but had never had the opportunity to enjoy it so freshly prepared, and it really makes a big difference to what we had known before. 🙂

If you want to experience the variety of fresh, authentic specialities from Alsace, we recommend a visit to the market hall. The market hall is easy to reach as it is located near little Venice. We found this market really cool and wish our hometown had something like this to offer. The multitude of market stalls offer you a wide selection of fresh local produce, including vegetables, meat, fish, cheese, flowers and so on. In addition to the market stalls, there are also small restaurants where you can sample Alsatian specialities on the spot.
But the market hall is not only worth a visit for the food, the building was built in 1865 during the reign of Napoleon, a truly impressive building.

OPENING HOURS: 

Monday: Closed
Tuesday – Sunday: 8am – 6pm

As you’ve already read, one of the best times to visit colmar is definitely in spring and summer. When the many flowers are in bloom and you can feel the hustle and bustle in the colourful streets, the musicians, the sweet boat trips and the markets shine.

The snow-covered alleyways and the quirky interiors of the cute little cafés are an absolute feast for the eyes. Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley in real life, we’d say.

TIP: If you’re in Colmar in December, don’t miss the Christmas market. It is one of, if not the most beautiful in Europe.

OPENING HOURS:

Months: November 26th – January 5th
Hours: Monday – Thursday 11am – 7pm | Friday – Sunday 10am – 8pm

If Colmar is too crowded for you, you can also visit Eguisheim, 15 minutes away by car.
Eguisheim is known for its circular layout and offers you a variety of narrow streets and half-timbered houses arranged around the central castle. The picturesque village is one of the most beautiful villages in the region.
The sights are:

• Saint-Leon Castle
• Saints-Pierre-et-Paul church
• The fountains and picturesque squares
• Wine festival, the village regularly organises wine
  festivals that offer an insight into the local culture and tradition. The most famous wine festival is in August (24.08-25.08)

We only visited Eguisheim briefly, it’s a cute village but we personally liked Colmar much better 🙂