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Colmar France
Posted on 1/23/23 at 6:36 am
Posted on 1/23/23 at 6:36 am
Anyone ever been? We're going to stay in the region in late November of this year.
Have seen some recommendations on other forums about staying in one of the smaller wine villages, like Kaysersburg, Eguisheim, Obernai, etc., rather than Colmar?
Any thoughts on planning the trip if you've been there?
Thanks!
Have seen some recommendations on other forums about staying in one of the smaller wine villages, like Kaysersburg, Eguisheim, Obernai, etc., rather than Colmar?
Any thoughts on planning the trip if you've been there?
Thanks!
4
Posted on 1/23/23 at 7:12 am to Nole Man
Colmar is absolutely beautiful was there in late November last year.
If you’re there after thanksgiving they have a nice Christmas market. Get some drinks late at night at Deer & Beer.
We stayed in Colmar. If you can stay in the old town it’s worth it.
I went through most of those other towns and they are beautiful but they are small with not much to do at night.
If you’re there after thanksgiving they have a nice Christmas market. Get some drinks late at night at Deer & Beer.
We stayed in Colmar. If you can stay in the old town it’s worth it.
I went through most of those other towns and they are beautiful but they are small with not much to do at night.
Posted on 1/23/23 at 7:14 am to Nole Man
Had to work in that region in Anould and stayed in Ste Die. Visited some of the area around there, including Eguisheim. Eguisheim is a great village and has the best Pinot Noir I have ever tasted.
Not knowing how long you are in that area, Colmar is a good central location. While in Ste Die, I visited Zurich, Strasbourg, Nancy, Baden, Beaune and a day trip to Munich.
I enjoyed the French and German areas. Most of my excursions were over weekends, so I do have a limited number of sites and cities visited; and am old enough to have forgotten some of sites (sorry)
Not knowing how long you are in that area, Colmar is a good central location. While in Ste Die, I visited Zurich, Strasbourg, Nancy, Baden, Beaune and a day trip to Munich.
I enjoyed the French and German areas. Most of my excursions were over weekends, so I do have a limited number of sites and cities visited; and am old enough to have forgotten some of sites (sorry)
Posted on 1/23/23 at 7:16 am to SagesSon
Thank you both Fun Bunch and SagesSon for the prompt replies!
We are doing a Viking Cruise, and this would be a 5 day extension. End up leaving from Basel, so there's going to be at least 1 night there.
We are doing a Viking Cruise, and this would be a 5 day extension. End up leaving from Basel, so there's going to be at least 1 night there.
This post was edited on 1/23/23 at 8:10 am
Posted on 1/23/23 at 7:00 pm to Nole Man
Rented a car in Basel last summer and drove to Colmar. Easy drive. It was incredible. We stopped in Hunawihr (tiny and incredibly picturesque) and Riquewihr which was great. Go through a graveyard and look at all the German family names. Colmar is fantastic. Great art (Isenheim altarpiece) and cathedral. Stop at the Mure vineyard on side of main highway in Rouffach. Their Crema de Alcase is the area’s competitor to Champagne. It will change your life.
By the way, don’t skip Basel. It is one of my favorite and very underrated Swiss cities.
Link is to Mure.
LINK /
By the way, don’t skip Basel. It is one of my favorite and very underrated Swiss cities.
Link is to Mure.
LINK /
Posted on 1/24/23 at 9:31 am to Nole Man
I spent four nights there a few years ago and we loved it. It is ideally located for trips to all of the small villages on the route du vin.
Things to eat and drink: besides being in the heart of Alsatian Reisling and Gewurtraminer country, Alsace has some pretty great cremants (champagne or sparkling wine by a different name since champagne can only be champagne if it comes from...Champagne). They also do some interesing pinot gris and can be counted on for decent pinot noir. If you aren't a resiling or gewurtz fan give them a chance. The Alsace varieties are known for being dryer and less sweet than the mass marketed German brands. As far as cru or grand cru wines go, this is one of the cheaper areas to buy from. For wine tastings, Louis Sipp (Ribeauville) and Dopff Au Moulin (Riquewhir) were great. For food, the Alsatians do a great Flammekueche or tarte flambee. Think thin crust pizza with creme fraiche and onions and/or bacon, meunster cheese, etc. They also are known for their choucroute and their coq au vin (uses thier local whites in an interesting way). For a splurge meal, Auberge De L'ill was fantastic. I'd recommend an afternoon sitting so that you can enjoy their creek side patio for drinks before and after. Auberge De L'ill
Other food of note is Ferber preserves (found anywhere in france but local to alsace; bring a bunch back as gifts for yourself), their love of pork in the area, and if you are looking for fine dining the region (Alsace) held the highest number of michelin starred restaurants for a while. Not sure about now.
Things to do:
Colmar itself is beautiful and nice to walk around in (if a bit small). The real gem is found in the towns to the north (Ribeauville to Kaysersberg). When we went we started in ribeauville and walked via vineyard roads (with the vosges to one side and valley to other) through hunawihr, riquewihr, and on to kaysersberg. Just use google maps. It was a great days spent between wine houses and tarte flambee restaurants. Remember that tastings there are free, spitting is the norm, and buying a few bottles is expected and polite. Bring some travel wine glasses and stop at pretty views with some cheese and bread to enjoy the views. If you feel like making the walk up to Kaysersberg's castle (Château de Kaysersberg) it would be worth it. Kaysersberg has many places to eat for dinner.
Random: Alsace loves their storks and is known for them. There is a stork refuge and you can see their nests all over the region. We had a memorable moment after dinner at the splurge place above where the Haeberlin grandma came out to feed their two storks with leftover shellfish from the kitchen. The giant birds really are cool to watch.
Strasbourg is cool for a day trip and the old town is very neat to walk around. Great Cathedral too.
Things to eat and drink: besides being in the heart of Alsatian Reisling and Gewurtraminer country, Alsace has some pretty great cremants (champagne or sparkling wine by a different name since champagne can only be champagne if it comes from...Champagne). They also do some interesing pinot gris and can be counted on for decent pinot noir. If you aren't a resiling or gewurtz fan give them a chance. The Alsace varieties are known for being dryer and less sweet than the mass marketed German brands. As far as cru or grand cru wines go, this is one of the cheaper areas to buy from. For wine tastings, Louis Sipp (Ribeauville) and Dopff Au Moulin (Riquewhir) were great. For food, the Alsatians do a great Flammekueche or tarte flambee. Think thin crust pizza with creme fraiche and onions and/or bacon, meunster cheese, etc. They also are known for their choucroute and their coq au vin (uses thier local whites in an interesting way). For a splurge meal, Auberge De L'ill was fantastic. I'd recommend an afternoon sitting so that you can enjoy their creek side patio for drinks before and after. Auberge De L'ill
Other food of note is Ferber preserves (found anywhere in france but local to alsace; bring a bunch back as gifts for yourself), their love of pork in the area, and if you are looking for fine dining the region (Alsace) held the highest number of michelin starred restaurants for a while. Not sure about now.
Things to do:
Colmar itself is beautiful and nice to walk around in (if a bit small). The real gem is found in the towns to the north (Ribeauville to Kaysersberg). When we went we started in ribeauville and walked via vineyard roads (with the vosges to one side and valley to other) through hunawihr, riquewihr, and on to kaysersberg. Just use google maps. It was a great days spent between wine houses and tarte flambee restaurants. Remember that tastings there are free, spitting is the norm, and buying a few bottles is expected and polite. Bring some travel wine glasses and stop at pretty views with some cheese and bread to enjoy the views. If you feel like making the walk up to Kaysersberg's castle (Château de Kaysersberg) it would be worth it. Kaysersberg has many places to eat for dinner.
Random: Alsace loves their storks and is known for them. There is a stork refuge and you can see their nests all over the region. We had a memorable moment after dinner at the splurge place above where the Haeberlin grandma came out to feed their two storks with leftover shellfish from the kitchen. The giant birds really are cool to watch.
Strasbourg is cool for a day trip and the old town is very neat to walk around. Great Cathedral too.
This post was edited on 1/24/23 at 12:02 pm
Posted on 1/24/23 at 9:34 am to Uroblast
quote:
Their Crema de Alcase is the area’s competitor to Champagne
For the money, Alsatian Cremant is an absolutely fantastic buy. Riquewihr consistently is named the most/one of the most idyllic French villages. Be aware of crowding if busloads of Germans show up. I wouldn't spend the night in the village, but plenty are within walking distance if you wanted to base yourself in an airbnb/vrbo/gite in a small town.
Posted on 1/24/23 at 9:39 am to Nole Man
quote:
We are doing a Viking Cruise, and this would be a 5 day extension.
Since you are doing a viking cruise and will be experiencing large variations day to day on the boat I'd recommend just doing lower Alsace (Colmar and vicinity) for at least 3 for 4 days. Rough itinerary: full day Strasbourg, full day Colmar and Auberge De L'ill, full day wine walk/self guided vineyard stagger from Ribeauville to Kaysersberg, spend extra time or half days on your way in or out of colmar doing other local villages you want to return to. If you are looking for some war history, verdun is a 3 hour drive/2.5 hour train ride away. You can also do some easy hiking in the Vosges mountains if you feel up to it.
Posted on 1/24/23 at 9:49 am to Foch
We loved visiting Riquewihr for the day and visited a few wineries along the way and in town.
FYI, most places you do not have to pay for tastings! They just expect you to buy a bottle or two, and the bottles are pretty inexpensive.
FYI, most places you do not have to pay for tastings! They just expect you to buy a bottle or two, and the bottles are pretty inexpensive.
Posted on 1/24/23 at 11:31 am to Fun Bunch
Thank you all for an amazing amount of information!
Posted on 1/24/23 at 11:20 pm to Foch
Mmmmm....Flammekueche. All that Alsatian Riesling is great with it but this goes really well with some Ueli Bier at Fischerstube in Basel.
I second Kayserberg and all the roads between the small towns that were mentioned. You can drive on tons of gravel roads through the vineyards and not get lost. The walk/drive from Hunawihr to Riquewihr is amazing.
I second Kayserberg and all the roads between the small towns that were mentioned. You can drive on tons of gravel roads through the vineyards and not get lost. The walk/drive from Hunawihr to Riquewihr is amazing.
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