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Discover Colmar

An endearing and unique "country town".

#visitColmar #ColmarandYou

Colmar, the most Alsatian city of Alsace!

Nestled among vineyards, its traditional houses, canals, floral displays, amazing cuisine, famous wines and charming accommodation make Colmar an outstanding microcosm of Alsace – showcasing its lifestyle, conviviality and hospitality – the key features of its unique, exceptional welcome.
The capital of the Alsacian wines, situated near Germany and Switzerland between the Vosges and the Rhine, Strasbourg and Mulhouse, offers visitors an exciting glimpse of 1000 years of European history.
Besides, with its 67,000 inhabitants, Colmar retains a 'country town' atmosphere which contributes so much to its charm. Wonderfully preserved from the ravages of time, its homogenous historical centre is classed as a 'protected area' and has benefited from careful restoration and ongoing improvements for more than 20 years.

 Every season, it offers a richly diverse range of cultural, sporting, nature, relaxation, and culinary enjoyments.

You will be easily tempted by this enchanting "country town".

Colmar will also delight you with the quality of its shops and boutiques that will allow you bring a small part of Alsace back with you in your luggage! In every street of the historic centre you will find shops upon shops offering "made in Alsace" products: food, table accents, textiles, déco, accessories, soft furnishings...

Colmar in a few key figures

Colmar logo ville

Prefecture of the Upper Rhine (68)

Population :

Colmar: 70 000 inhabitants

Urban area of Colmar: 113 977 inhabitants (14 municipalities combined)

Greater Colmar: 203 985 inhabitants (97 municipalities combined)

Heritage

Famous for its half-timbered houses, Colmar's remarkable merchants' homes also do not fail to impress.
Famous among them is the Adolf house, the oldest in Colmar, and the Pfister house dating from the 16th century with its ornate angelled oriel, richly painted murals and long wooden gallery. And don't miss the majestic House of Heads built in the 17th century in German Renaissance style, decorated with 111 masks and a magnificent 3-storey oriel. All of them contributing to the uniqueness of Colmar.

Stroll through Colmar's vast pedestrianized zone, a listed "protected sector", enjoy its rich perfectly preserved religious and secular heritage, taking you from the Middle Ages to the 18th century: from "Little Venice" which has become the "must" venue for photographers the world over, to the Tanners district recognisable by its grand white-fronted houses. Don't miss its majestic "Collégiale" St Martin's Church with its astonishing Gothic architectural details and colours.

The magic of lights

All year round, an original lighting concept

1100 computer-driven light sources, using the fibre optics cable network, are skilfully distributed throughout the town and thus allow an original light show throughout the year, which varies in intensity and colour.

Like a magic paintbrush, it redraws the town, applying fresh contours and new reliefs, enhancing a thousand and one architectural details.

The town is illuminated from nightfall on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the whole year, and every evening during major events marking the life in Colmar : the International Festival, Regional Alsace Wine Fair and Christmas in Colmar.

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The tastefull wine capital of Alsace

As the gateway to Switzerland and Germany, Colmar Wine Country is the Capital of Alsace Wines and a unique tourist destination in the heart of the Alsace wine growing region.With vastly contrasting terrain, from plains to slopes and mountains, it boasts 37 wine-growing communities and 30 Grands Crus.

Colmar ,will charm you with its local delicacies like sauerkraut, flammenkuchen/tartes flambées, munster, kugelhopf, and other gourmet specialties in traditional restaurants called Winstubs.

Don't miss the chance to delight your taste buds in one of our Michelin-starred restaurants and stop into one of our independent vintners in the town centre or one of the region's many wine growers who will open their doors to share their passion for vines and wine.

Top Shopping !

Colmar will also delight you with the quality of its shops and boutiques that will allow you bring a small part of Alsace back with you in your luggage!

In the outdoor market, a score of local merchants offer local delicacies, while in every street of the historic centre you will find shops upon shops offering "made in Alsace" products: table accents, textiles, déco, accessories, soft furnishings...

Bargain hunters won't miss out on Friday specials and the many antique shops in the town.

Places to visit around Colmar

An exceptional tourist destination in the very heart of Alsace, Colmar is an ideal jumping-off point for exploring the picturesque towns and villages of the wine-growing region, the many châteaux such as Haut-Koenigsbourg and Hohlandsbourg, and its many historic and memorial sites.
A land of contrasts between the Vosges mountains, wine-growing slopes and plains, it offers a vast pallet of varied landscapes and activities every season of the year. It is also ideal for outdoor sports, hiking, trail biking, horse-riding, swimming, winter sports... to top off its rich cultural attractions.