Colmar • Route du Vin • Strasbourg
Towns and Sights Along the Route du Vin
The province of Alsace stands like a flower-child referee between Germany and France. Bounded by the Rhine River on the east and the Vosges Mountains on the west, this is a green region of Hansel-and-Gretel villages, ambitious vineyards, and vibrant cities. Food and wine are the primary industry, topic of conversation, and perfect excuse for countless festivals.
Alsace has changed hands between Germany and France several times because of its location, natural wealth, naked vulnerability—and the fact that Germany considered the mountains the natural border, while the French saw the Rhine as the dividing line.
On a grander scale, Alsace is Europe’s cultural divide, with Germanic nations to the north and Romantic ones to the south. The region is a fault line marking the place where cultural tectonic plates collide—it’s no wonder the region has been scarred by a history of war.
Through the Middle Ages, Alsace was part of the Holy Roman Empire when German culture and language ruled. After the devastation of the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648), Alsace started to become integrated into France—revolutionaries took full control in 1792. But in 1871, after France’s defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, Alsace “returned” to Germany. Almost five decades later, Germany lost World War I—and Alsace “returned” to France. Except for a miserable stint as part of the Nazi realm from 1940 to 1945, Alsace has been French ever since.
Having been a political pawn for 1,000 years, Alsace has a hybrid culture: Natives who curse do so bilingually, and the local cuisine features sauerkraut with fine wine sauces. In recent years, Alsace and its sister German region just across the border have been growing farther apart linguistically—but closer commercially. People routinely cross the border to shop and work. And, while Alsace’s mixed German/French dialects are fading, schools on the German side are encouraged to teach French as the second language and schools on the French side to teach German as the second language.
Of the 1.8 million people living in Alsace, about 270,000 live in Strasbourg (its biggest city) and 70,000 live in Colmar (its best city).
Colmar is one of Europe’s most enchanting cities—with a small-town warmth and world-class art. Strasbourg is a big-city version of Colmar, worth a stop for its remarkable cathedral and to feel its high-powered and trendy bustle. The small villages that dot the wine road between them are like petite Colmars, and provide a delightful and charming escape from the two cities.
The ideal plan: Make Colmar your home base and spend three nights. Take one day to see the town and one day to explore the Route du Vin. To efficiently see the villages and vineyards of the Route du Vin, you’ll need a car—or take the recommended minivan tour from Strasbourg (see “Getting Around the Route du Vin,” later). If you have a car and like small towns, think about basing yourself in Eguisheim or Kaysersberg. If you have only one day, spend your morning in Colmar and your afternoon along the Route du Vin. Urban Strasbourg, with its soaring cathedral and vigorous center, is a headache for drivers but a quick 35-minute train ride from Colmar—do it by train as a day trip from Colmar or as a stopover on your way in or out of the region.
The humbling WWI battlefields of Verdun and the bubbly vigor of Reims in northern France (both described in the next chapter) are closer to Paris than to Alsace, and follow logically only if your next destination is Paris. The high-speed TGV-Est train links Paris with Reims, Verdun, Strasbourg, Colmar, and destinations farther east, bringing the Alsace within 2.5 hours of Paris and giving train travelers easy access to Reims or Verdun en route between Paris and Alsace.
Frequent trains make the trip between Colmar and Strasbourg a snap (2/hour, 35 minutes). Distances are short and driving is easy—though a good map helps. Connecting Colmar with neighboring villages is doable via the region’s sparse bus service or on a bike if you’re in shape. Minivan excursions are handy for those without cars but leave only from Strasbourg (worth asking at Colmar TI in case a new service has started). And hopping a taxi between towns is another worthwhile option. Once in the Route du Vin villages, you can hike or rent bikes to explore further (for details on all of these options, see “Alsace’s Route du Vin,” later).
Alsatian cuisine is a major tourist attraction in itself. You can’t mistake the German influence: sausages, potatoes, onions, and sauerkraut. Look for choucroute garnie (sauerkraut and sausage—although it seems a shame to eat it in a fancy restaurant), the more traditionally Alsatian Baeckeoffe (see sidebar), Rösti (an oven-baked potato-and-cheese dish), Spätzle (soft egg noodles), quenelles (dumplings made of pork, beef, or fish), fresh trout, and foie gras. For lighter fare, try the poulet au Riesling, chicken cooked ever-so-slowly in Riesling wine (coq au Riesling is the same dish done with rooster). At lunch, or for a lighter dinner, try a tarte à l’oignon (like an onion quiche, but better) or tarte flambée (like a thin-crust pizza with onion and bacon bits). If you’re picnicking, buy some stinky Munster cheese. Dessert specialties are tarte alsacienne (fruit tart) and Kuglehopf glacé (a light cake mixed with raisins, almonds, dried fruit, and cherry liqueur).
Remember, restaurants serve only during lunch (11:30-14:00) and dinner (18:00 or 19:00-21:00, later in bigger cities), but some cafés serve food throughout the day. Many Alsatian restaurants open at 18:00, reflecting the region’s Germanic heritage.
Thanks to Alsace’s Franco-Germanic culture, its wines are a kind of hybrid. The bottle shape, grapes, and much of the wine terminology are inherited from its German past, though wines made today are distinctly French in style (and generally drier than their German sisters). Alsatian wines are named for their grapes—unlike in Burgundy or Provence, where wines are commonly named after villages, or in Bordeaux, where wines are often named after châteaux. White wines rule in Alsace. You’ll also come across a local version of Champagne, called Crémant d’Alsace, and several varieties of eaux-de-vie (strong fruit-flavored brandy). For a helpful rundown of the regional wines, see “Route du Vin Wines” (here).
Colmar feels made for wonder-struck tourists—its essentially traffic-free city center is a fantasy of steep pitched roofs, pastel stucco, and aged timbers. Plus, it offers a few heavyweight sights in a comfortable, midsize-town package. Historic beauty was usually a poor excuse for being spared the ravages of World War II, but it worked for Colmar. The American and British military were careful not to bomb the half-timbered old burghers’ houses, characteristic red- and green-tiled roofs, and cobbled lanes of Alsace’s most beautiful city. The town’s distinctly French shutters combined with the ye-olde German half-timbering give Colmar an intriguing ambience.
Today, Colmar is alive with colorful buildings, impressive art treasures, and German tourists. Antiques shops welcome browsers, homeowners fuss over their geraniums, and hoteliers hurry down the sleepy streets to pick up fresh croissants in time for breakfast.
There isn’t a straight street in Colmar—count on getting lost. Thankfully, most streets are pedestrian-only, and it’s a lovely town to be lost in. Navigate by church steeples and the helpful signs that seem to pop up whenever you need them (directing visitors to the various sights). For tourists, the town center is Place Unterlinden (a 20-minute walk from the train station), where you’ll find Colmar’s most important museum, the TI (close by), and a big Monoprix supermarket/department store. City bus routes as well as the touristic mini-trains start near Place Unterlinden.
Colmar is most busy from May through September and during its festive Christmas season (www.noel-colmar.com). Weekends draw crowds all year (best to book lodging ahead). The impressive music festival fills hotels the first two weeks of July (www.festival-colmar.com), and the local wine festival rages in July and August. An open-air market bustles next to the Church of St. Martin on Saturdays.
In 2016, the TI moves next to the Unterlinden Museum on Rue Unterlinden (Mon-Sat 9:00-18:00, Sun 10:00-13:00, Nov-March Mon-Sat closed 12:00-14:00, tel. 03 89 20 68 92, www.tourisme-colmar.com). The TI can reserve hotel rooms for Colmar and the region. Pick up the city map, get information about concerts and festivals in Colmar and in nearby villages, and ask about Colmar’s Folklore Evenings held on summer Tuesdays (described later under “Nightlife in Colmar”). The TI has bike maps, a list of launderettes, and places where you can get online. Pick up the free Route du Vin map and get information on bike rental and bus schedules for touring the wine villages.
By Train and Bus: The old and new (TGV) parts of Colmar’s train station are connected by an underground passageway. Day-trippers can check their bags at Colmar Vélo to the left as you leave the station (€2, see “Helpful Hints,” next page).
The old train station was built during Prussian rule using the same plans as the station in Danzig (now Gdańsk, Poland). Check out the charming 1991 window that shows two local maidens about to be run over by a train and rescued by an artist. Opposite, he’s shown painting their portraits.
Buses to Route du Vin villages arrive and depart from stops to the left and right as you leave the old station (stop locations can change—ask a driver on any bus), as well as from stops closer to the city center (ask at the TI and see “Alsace’s Route du Vin,” later).
To reach the town center, walk straight out past Hôtel Bristol, turn left on Avenue de la République, and keep walking (15 minutes total). For a faster trip, take any Trace bus from the station (to the left as you leave the old station) to the Champ de Mars stop (Place Rapp) or the Théâtre stop, next to the Unterlinden Museum (pay driver, infrequent service on Sun, see map on here, tel. 03 89 20 80 80, www.trace-colmar.fr). Allow €11 for a taxi to any hotel in central Colmar (taxi stand 50 yards on the left as you leave station).
By Car: Follow signs for Centre-Ville, then Place Rapp. Parking is available at a huge pay-parking garage under Place Rapp. Hotels can advise you where to park (many get deals at pay lots for their guests—ask). There’s metered parking along streets in the city center. Half of the spots at Parking de la Montagne Verte near Hôtel St. Martin are free (follow signs from the ring road; during the evening, spaces open up even if full during the day). Drivers can also find free street parking on residential streets just outside the city center (off Boulevard St-Pierre near the recommended Le Maréchal and Turenne hotels).
When entering or leaving on the Strasbourg side of town (north, near the Colmar airport), look for the big Statue of Liberty replica erected on July 4, 2004, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the death of sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi. At two traffic circles closer to Colmar (look for a red devil sculpture in the middle) are the imposing army barracks built by the Germans after annexing the region in 1871.
Market Days: Markets take place inside the vintage market hall (marché couvert; Tue-Sat 8:00-18:00). The Saturday morning market on Place St. Joseph is where locals go for fresh produce and cheese (over the train tracks, 15 minutes on foot from the center, no tourists). Textiles are on sale Thursdays on Place de la Cathédrale (all day) and Saturdays on Place des Dominicains (afternoons only). A flea market happens every Friday from June to August on Place des Dominicains.
Department/Grocery Store: The big Monoprix, with a supermarket, is across from the Unterlinden Museum (Mon-Sat 8:00-20:00, closed Sun). A small Petit Casino supermarket stands across from the recommended Hôtel St. Martin (Mon-Sat 8:30-19:00, closed Sun).
Internet Access: Try Cyber Didim if you need a computer, near the Unterlinden Museum at 9 Rue du Rempart, above a kebab shop. Mediatech, at the same address, has Wi-Fi (10:00-22:00, Sun 14:00-22:00, tel. 03 89 23 90 45).
Laundry: 5àsec, across the street from the Champ de Mars park, offers €20 wash, dry, and fold service (32 Avenue de la République, Mon-Fri 8:30-19:00, Sat 9:00-18:00, Sun 13:30-19:00, tel. 03 89 41 75 73). For more recommendations, ask your hotelier.
Bike Rental: Colmar Vélo rents bikes at the train station (€12/day, behind bike racks on the left as you leave station, Mon-Fri 8:00-12:00 & 14:00-19:00, Sat-Sun 9:00-19:00, shorter weekend hours off-season, tel. 03 89 41 37 90). I prefer renting a bike along the Route du Vin in Eguisheim or Ribeauvillé (suggestions given later in this chapter). If you plan to do much biking, buy a bike map either at the TI or a librairie (bookstore).
Taxis: You can find one at the train station (70 yards to your left as you walk out), or call 03 89 23 10 33, mobile 06 14 47 21 80 (William), or mobile 06 72 94 65 55.
Car Rental: Avis is at the train station (tel. 03 89 23 16 89). The TI has a list of other options.
Poodle Care: To give your poodle a shampoo and a haircut (or just watch the action), drop by Quatt Pattes (near Hôtel-Restaurant le Rapp at 8 Rue Berthe Molly).
Guided Tours: There are no scheduled city tours in English, but private English-speaking guides are available through the TI if you book in advance (€165/3 hours, tel. 03 89 20 68 95, guide@tourisme-colmar.com). Muriel Brun is a good choice and speaks English well (tel. 03 89 79 70 92, muriel.h.brun@calixo.net).
Colmar has two competing choo-choo trains (green and white) that jostle along the cobbles of the old part of town offering visitors a relaxing, narrated tour under a glass roof (departures daily 9:00-18:30). Both trains leave across from the Unterlinden Museum, offer a scant recorded commentary in English, and cost €7, or €1 less with an Unterlinden Museum ticket. The green train’s is a little shorter (30 minutes, the white train ranges a little farther (40 minutes). In the summer, horse-drawn carriages do a similar route.
Little flat-bottomed boats glide silently on a straight stretch of the city’s canal, making a simple 30-minute lap back and forth with little or no narration (€6, departures every 10 minutes, daily 10:00-12:00 & 13:30-18:30). With eight others, you’ll pack onto the boat, gliding peacefully—powered by a silent electric motor—through a lush garden world under willows. While the route is kind of pathetic, the tranquility is enjoyable. Try to sit in front for an unobstructed view. Boats depart from docks near the bridges on Rue de Turenne and Boulevard St. Pierre, both in Petite Venise (those leaving from the bridge at St. Pierre offer a better tour).
(See “Colmar” map, here.)
This self-guided walk—good by day, romantic by night—is a handy way to link the city’s three worthwhile sights (see this chapter’s Colmar map to help navigate). Supplement my commentary by reading the sidewalk information plaques that describe points of interest in the old town. Allow an hour for this walk at a peaceful pace (more if you enter sights). Colmar is wonderfully floodlit after dark on Fridays and Saturdays and during various festivals, when the lighting is changed to give different intensities and colors—and to welcome visiting VIPs.
• Start in front of the Customs House (where Rue des Marchands hits Grand Rue). Face the old...
Customs House (Koïfhus): Colmar is so attractive today because of its trading wealth. And that’s what its Customs House is all about. The city was an economic powerhouse in the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries because of its privileged trading status.
In the Middle Ages, most of Europe was fragmented into chaotic little princedoms and dukedoms. Merchant-dominated cities were natural proponents of the formation of large nation-states (proto-globalization). That’s why they banded together to form “trading leagues” (the World Trade Organizations of their day). Rather than being ruled by some duke or prince, they worked directly with the emperor.
The Hanseatic League was the superleague of northern Europe. Prosperous Colmar was the leading member of a smaller league of 10 Alsatian cities, called the Decapolis (founded 1354).
This “Alsatian Big Ten” enjoyed special tax and trade privileges, the right to build fortified walls, and to run their internal affairs. As “Imperial” cities they were ruled directly by the Holy Roman Emperor rather than via one of his lesser princes. This was preferable and, by banding together, they negotiated to protect this special status and won the Holy Roman Emperor’s promise not to sell them to some other, likely more aggressive, prince. The 10 mostly Alsatian towns of the Decapolis enjoyed this status until the 17th century.
This street—Rue des Marchands—is literally “Merchants Street” and throughout the town you’ll notice how street names bear witness to the historic importance of merchants in Colmar. They controlled the power. In fact, right here, in front of the Customs House, find the carved plaque in the wall at #23. This is a “stone of banishment,” declaring that the town’s merchants kicked a noble family out of Colmar and that family could never live here again.
Get closer to the Customs House. Delegates of the Decapolis would meet here to sort out trade issues, much like the European Union does in nearby Strasbourg today. In Colmar’s heyday, this was where the action was. Notice the fancy green roof tiles and the intricate railing at the base of the roof. Note also the plaque above the door with the double eagle of the Holy Roman Emperor—a sign that this was an Imperial city.
By the way, the Dutch-looking gabled building on the left was the birthplace of Colmar’s most famous son, General Jean Rapp, who distinguished himself during France’s Revolutionary Wars to become one of Napoleon’s most trusted generals.
Walk under the archway to Place de l’Ancienne Douane and face the Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi statue of General Lazarus von Schwendi—arm raised (Statue of Liberty-style) and clutching a bundle of pinot gris grapes. He’s the man who brought the grape from Hungary to Alsace.
From here, do a 360-degree spin to appreciate a gaggle of gables. This was the center of business activity in Colmar, with trade routes radiating to several major European cities. All goods that entered the city were taxed here. Today, it’s the festive site of outdoor cafés and, on many summer evenings, fun wine tastings (open to everyone). Local vintners each get 10 days to share their wine here at the site of the town’s medieval wine fair.
• Follow the statue’s left elbow and walk down Petite Rue des Tanneurs (not the larger “Rue des Tanneurs”). The half-timbered commotion of higgledy-piggledy rooftops on the downhill side of the fountain marks the...
Tanners’ Quarter: These vertical 17th- and 18th-century rooftops competed for space in the sun to dry their freshly tanned hides, while the nearby river channel flushed the waste products. Notice the openings just below the roofs where hides would be hung out to dry. When the industry moved out of town, the neighborhood became a slum. It was restored in the 1970s—a trendsetter in the government-funded renovation of old quarters. Residents had to play along or move out. At the street’s end, carry on a few steps, and then turn back. Stinky tanners’ quarters were always at the edge of town. You’ve stepped outside the old center and are looking back at the city’s first defensive wall. The oldest and lowest stones you see are from 1230, now built into the row of houses; later walls encircled the city farther out.
• Walk with the old walls on your right, then take the first left along the stream.
Old Market Hall: On your right is Colmar’s historic (c. 1865) market hall. Here locals buy fish, produce, and other products (originally brought here by flat-bottomed boat). You’ll find terrific picnic fixings and produce, sandwiches and bakery items, wine tastings, and clean WCs. Several stands are run like cafés, and there’s even a bar. Take a spin through the market and see what strikes your fancy (Tue-Sat 8:00-18:00, closed Sun-Mon).
• Back on the street, cross the canal and turn right on Quai de la Poissonnerie (“Wharf of the Fish Market”), and you’ll enter...
Petite Venise: This neighborhood, a collection of Colmar’s most colorful houses lining the small canal, is popular with tourists during the day. But at night it’s romantic, with fewer crowds. It lies between the town’s first wall (built to defend against arrows) and its later wall (built in the age of gunpowder). Medieval towns needed water. If they weren’t on a river, they’d often redirect parts of nearby rivers to power their mills and quench their thirst. Colmar’s river was canalized this way for medieval industry—to provide water for the tanners, to allow farmers to barge their goods into town (see the steps leading from docks into the market), and so on.
Walk along the flower-box-lined canal to the end of Rue de la Poissonnerie. At #2, Chez Thierry would love to let you sample their tasty saucisson.
Half-Timbered Houses: As you stroll, notice the picturesque houses. The pastel colors are just from this generation—designed to pump up the cuteness of Colmar for tourists. But the houses themselves are historic and real as can be.
Houses of the rich were made of stone, while budget builders made half-timbered structures. The process: Build your frame with pine beams; create a weave of little branches between the beams which you’d fill with mud, straw, and gunk; let it dry; and plaster over it. (This is called “wattle and daub” in England.) Timbers were soaked in vinegar and then treated with ox blood to be waterproof. If you find unrestored timbers (like the house at #8) you can see the faint red tint of ox blood.
When the rich (accustomed to the fine stone buildings of Paris) moved here in the 18th century, they disguised the cheap wattle and daub with a thick layer of plaster. To them, the half-timbers looked cheap...and German. To be French was à la mode and that meant no half-timbers. Today, in the 21st century, half-timbered has become charming, so the current owners have peeled away the plaster to reveal the old beams.
Rich or poor, all homes sat on a stone base. There are several explanations: to prevent them from sinking into the marshy ground; to prevent the moist ground from rotting the timbers; and/or to preserve the ground floor in case of a fire—so commonplace back then. You can identify true stone homes by their windowsills: Wooden sills mean they’re half-timbered, stone sills indicate the entire building is built of stone.
As you explore the town, notice how upper floors are cantilevered out. This was a structural support trick and a tax dodge, as real-estate taxes were based on the square footage of the ground floor.
Enjoy the old timbered houses toward the end of Rue de la Poissonnerie. On your right is “Pont de Fanny,” a bridge so popular with tourists for its fine views that you see lots of fannies lined up along the railing. Walk to the center of the bridge, and enjoy the scene. To the right you’ll see examples of the flat-bottomed gondolas used to transport goods on the small river. Today, they give tourists sleepy, scenic, 30-minute canal tours (described earlier).
• Cross the bridge to find a fountain in the square to your left. Another Bartholdi work, this one was commissioned to honor Jean Roesselmann, a 13th-century town provost who died defending his beloved city when the bishop of Strasbourg tried unsuccessfully to seize it. Take the second right on Grande Rue. Walk for several blocks to the Customs House (green-tiled roof) and land back where you started. With your back to the Customs House, look uphill along Rue des Marchands (“Merchants’ Street”)—one of the most scenic intersections in town. (The ruler of Malaysia was so charmed by this street that he had it re-created in Kuala Lumpur.)
Walk up Rue des Marchands, and you’ll soon come face-to-face with the...
Maison Pfister (Pfister House): This richly decorated merchant’s house dates from 1537. Here the owner displayed his wealth for all to enjoy (and to envy). The external spiral-staircase turret, a fine loggia on the top floor, and the bay windows (called oriels) were pricey add-ons. The painted walls illustrate the city elites’ taste for Renaissance humanism.
The cozy wine shop on the ground floor sells fine wines, but they are most proud of their locally made whisky. David enjoys offering tastings, so go ahead—take a hit and see what you think.
Now that you’re in a happy mood, stand outside facing the Pfister House for a little review. Find the four main styles of Colmar architecture: the Gothic church (right), local medieval half-timbered structures, Renaissance (that’s Mr. Pfister’s place), and (behind you) the urbane and elegant shutters and ironwork of Paris from the 19th century.
• As you stagger on, check out the next building (at #9).
Meter Man: The man carved into the side of this building was a drapemaker; he’s shown holding a bar, Colmar’s local measure of about one meter (almost equal to a yard). In the Middle Ages, it was common for cities to have their own units of length; it’s one reason that merchants supported the “globalization” efforts of their time to standardize measuring systems.
The building shows off the classic half-timbered design—the beams (upright, cross, angular supports) are grouped in what’s called (and looks like) “a man.” Typical houses are built with a man in the middle flanked by two “half men.” A short block farther up the street on the left is the Bartholdi Museum (described later, under “Sights in Colmar”), located in the home where the famous sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi lived. Next door (at #28) is Au Croissant Doré, with its charming Art Nouveau facade and interior.
• A passage opposite (on the right) leads you through the old guards’ house to...
Church of St. Martin: The city’s cathedral-like church replaced a smaller Romanesque church that stood here earlier. It was erected in 1235 after Colmar became an Imperial city and needed a bigger place of worship. Colmar’s ruler at the time was Burgundian, so the church has a Burgundian-style tiled roof.
The side door (facing the old guard’s house) still has the round Romanesque tympanum, starring St. Martin, from the earlier church. Notice how it fits into the pointed Gothic arch. This was the lepers’ door—marked by the four totem-like rows of grotesque faces and bodies representing lepers. They could “go to church” but had to stay outside, away from the other people.
Walk left, under expressive gargoyles, to the west portal. Facing the front of the church, notice that the relief over the main door depicts not your typical Last Judgment scene, but the Three Kings who visited Baby Jesus. The Magi, whose remains are nearby in the Rhine city of Cologne, Germany, are popular in this region. The interior is dark, but it holds a few finely carved and beautifully painted altarpieces. The church’s beautiful Vosges-stone exterior radiates color in the late afternoon.
• Walk past the church, go left around Café Jupiler, and wander up the pedestrian-only Rue des Serruriers (“Locksmiths Street”) to the...
Dominican Church: Compare the Church of St. Martin’s ornate exterior with this simple Dominican structure. While both churches were built at the same time, they each make different statements. The “High Church” of the 13th century was fancy and corrupt. The Dominican order was all about austerity. It was a time of crisis in the Roman Catholic Church. Monastic orders (as well as heretical movements like the Cathars in southern France) preached a simpler faith and way of life. In the style of St. Dominic and St. Francis, they tried to get Rome back on a Christ-like track. This church houses the exquisite Virgin in the Rose Bush by Martin Schongauer (described later) and, until early 2016, the popular Isenheim Altarpiece while the Unterlinden Museum is undergoing a restoration.
• Continuing past the Dominican Church, Rue des Serruriers becomes Rue des Boulangers—“Bakers Street.” Stop at #16.
Skyscrapers and Biscuits: The towering six-story house at #16, dating from the 16th century, was one of Colmar’s tallest buildings from that age. Notice how it contrasts with the string of buildings to the right, which are lower, French-style structures—likely built after a fire cleared out older, higher buildings.
As this is Bakers Street, check out the one right here at #16. Maison Alsacienne de Biscuiterie sells traditional, home-baked biscuits (cookies) including Christmas delights year-round. Macarons and biscuits are sold by weight.
Turn right on Rue des Têtes (notice the beautiful swan sign over the pharmacie at the corner). Walk a block to the fancy old house festooned with heads (on the right) and stand in front of the Esprit boutique for the best view.
Maison des Têtes (“House of Heads”): Colmar’s other famous merchant’s house, built in 1609 by a big-shot winemaker (see the grapes hanging from the wrought-iron sign and the happy man at the tip-top), is playfully decorated with about 100 faces and masks. On the ground floor, the guy in the window’s center has pig’s feet.
Look four doors to the right to see a 1947 bakery sign (above the big pretzel), which shows the boulangerie basics in Alsace: croissant, Kugelhopf, and baguette. Notice the colors of the French flag indicating that this house supported French rule.
Across from the Maison des Têtes, study the early 20th-century store sign trumpeting the tasty wonders of a butcher who once occupied these premises (with the traditional maiden with her goose about to be force-fed, all hanging above or below the beak of a chicken).
• Angle down Rue de l’Eau (“Water Street”) for a shortcut to the TI and the Unterlinden Museum, with its namesake linden trees lining the front yard (popular locally for making the calming “Tilleul” tea). Your walk is over here, at the doorstep of Colmar’s top museum.
This museum is Colmar’s touristic claim to fame. Its extensive yet manageable collection ranges from Roman Colmar to medieval winemaking exhibits, and from traditional wedding dresses to paintings that give vivid insight into the High Middle Ages. The museum is about to complete a multiyear restoration—and should be open in early 2016 (until then, its highlight, the Isenheim Altarpiece, is on display in the Dominican Church a block away.)
Cost and Hours: €13, includes Dominican Church; daily 9:00-18:00, closed Tue; 1 Rue d’Unterlinden, tel. 03 89 20 15 50, www.musee-unterlinden.com.
Visiting the Museum: Much of the museum’s collection will be reshuffled when it reopens, so expect big changes from this description.
Gothic Statues: You’ll find 14th-century Gothic statues from the nearby Church of St. Martin’s facade and other area churches in several rooms near the entry. Study the Romanesque detail of the capitals and the faces of the statues. Even though they endured the elements outdoors for more than 500 years, it’s still clear that they were sculpted with loving attention to detail. The masons knew their fine stonework would not be seen from below—it was “for God’s eyes only.” The reddish stone is quarried from the Vosges Mountains, giving these works their unusual coloring. Notice the faint remnants of paint still visible on some statues—then imagine all of these works brightly painted.
Cloister: Step into the soothing cloister (the largest 13th-century cloister in Alsace). This was a Dominican convent founded by (and for) noblewomen in 1230. It functioned until the French Revolution, when the building became a garrison. Rooms with museum exhibits branch off from here.
If it’s open, don’t miss the wine room (next corner, likely closed during renovation) with its 17th-century oak presses and finely decorated casks. Those huge presses were turned by animals. Wine revenue was used to care for Colmar’s poor. The nuns owned many of the best vineyards around, and production was excellent. So was consumption. Notice (on the first cask on left) the Bacchus with the big tummy straddling a keg. The quote from 1781 reads: “My belly’s full of juice. It makes me strong. But drink too much and you lose dignity and health.”
Isenheim Altarpiece: The museum’s highlight is Matthias Grünewald’s gripping Isenheim Altarpiece (c. 1515). It’s actually a series of three paintings on hinges that pivot like shutters (study the little models—look for one with English explanations). As the church calendar changed, priests would change the painting by opening or closing these panels. Designed to help people in a medieval hospital endure horrible skin diseases (such as St. Anthony’s Fire, later called rye ergotism)—long before the age of painkillers—it’s one of the most powerful paintings ever produced. Germans know this painting like Americans know the Mona Lisa.
Stand in front of the altarpiece as if you were a medieval peasant, and feel the agony and suffering of the Crucifixion. It’s an intimate drama. The point—Jesus’ suffering—is drilled home: The weight of his body bends the crossbar (unrealistically, creating an almost crossbow effect). His elbows are pulled from their sockets by the weight of his dead body. People who are crucified die of asphyxiation, as Jesus’ chest illustrates. His mangled feet are swollen with blood. The intended viewers—the hospital’s patients—may have felt that Jesus understood their suffering, because he looks like he had a skin disease (though the marks on his skin represent lash marks from whipping). Study the faces and the Christian symbolism. The grief on Mary’s face is agonizing. She is wrapped in the white shroud that will cover Jesus’ body in the tomb. The sorrowful composition on the left is powerful. On the far left stands St. Sebastian (called upon by those with the plague) and on the right is St. Anthony (called upon by those with ergot poisoning from rotten rye).
The predella (the horizontal painting below) shows a hyper-realistic Entombment of Jesus. Jesus’ fingernails are black—as is the case with any corpse, and Mary Magdalene’s face is red with anguish.
Walk around to the other side of this panel. The Resurrection scene is unique in art history. (Grünewald was a mysterious artistic genius who had no master and no students.) Jesus rockets out of the tomb as man is transformed into God. As if proclaiming once again, “I am the Light,” he is radiant. His shroud is the color of light: Roy G. Biv. Around the rainbow is the “resurrection of the flesh.” Jesus’ perfect pink flesh would appeal to the patients who meditated on the scene.
The right half of this panel depicts the Annunciation—the angel (accompanied by a translucent dove representing the Holy Spirit) telling Mary she’ll give birth to the Messiah. The normally sanguine Mary looks unsettled, as if she’s been hit by some unexpected news. She’s shown reading the Bible passage that tells of this event.
In the nativity scene on the next panel—set in the Rhineland—the much-adored Mary is tender and loving, true to the Dominican belief that she was the intercessor for all in heaven. The happy ending is a psychedelic explosion of Resurrection joy. The scene on the left is the Concert of Angels. Looking at the last panel, zoom in on the agonizing Temptation of St. Anthony. The other panel shows Anthony’s visit to St. Paul, the hermit. The final scene (behind you), carved in wood by Nikolaus Hagenauer, is St. Anthony on his throne.
Patients who meditated on this painting were reminded that they didn’t have it so bad. They were also reminded to stay the course (religiously) and to not stray from the path of salvation.
Alsatian Folklore: Find the rooms displaying local and folk history—they’re well worth a look. You’ll see iron signs, massive church bells, and chests with intricate locking systems. There are also ornate armoires, medieval armor, muskets, and antique jewelry boxes.
Painting Gallery: As you enjoy the art, remember that Alsace was historically German and part of the upper Rhine River Valley. (This museum boasts a few paintings by Lucas Cranach. The Three Kings (of Bethlehem fame) are prominently featured throughout this region, because their heads ended up as relics in Cologne’s cathedral (nearby, on the Rhine). You’ll also see several worthwhile works by Martin Schongauer (who painted the Virgin in the Rose Bush displayed in the Dominican Church).
Throughout the museum you’ll see small photos of engravings, illustrating how painters were influenced by other artists’ engravings. Most German painters of the time were also engravers (that’s how they made money—making lots of copies to sell).
In the last room on the first floor, find a small alcove with 15th-century stained glass. Note the fine details painted into the glass, originally intended for God’s eyes only—they were far too tiny for worshippers to see from the floor below. The glass is essentially a jigsaw puzzle connected by lead. Around here, glass this old is rare—most of it was destroyed by rampaging Protestants in the Reformation wars.
Look also for a small but pleasing collection of modern art, with works by Monet, Renoir, Picasso, Leger, Bonnard, and Dubuffet.
This beautiful Gothic church is simple—in keeping with the austerity integral to the Dominican style of Christianity. It’s plain on the outside and stripped-down on the inside. Instead of gazing at art, worshippers would just listen to the word of God being preached from the pulpit.
Cost and Hours: Small entry fee, includes audioguide and Unterlinden Museum until its renovation is complete; May-Oct daily 9:00-18:00; Nov-April Wed-Mon 9:00-12:00 & 14:00-17:00, closed Tue.
Visiting the Church: This church houses a mesmerizing medieval masterpiece—Martin Schongauer’s angelically beautiful Virgin in the Rosebush (1473), which looks as if it were painted yesterday. Here, graceful Mary is shown as a welcoming mother. Jesus clings to her, reminding the viewer of the warmth of his relationship with Mary. The Latin on her halo reads, “Pick me also for your child, O very Holy Virgin.” Rather than telling a particular Bible story, this is a general scene, designed to meet the personal devotional needs of any worshipper.
Nature is not a backdrop; Mary and Jesus are encircled by it. Schongauer’s robins, sparrows, and goldfinches bring extra life to an already impressively natural rosebush. The white rose (over Mary’s right shoulder) anticipates Jesus’ crucifixion. The frame, with its angelic orchestra, dates only from 1900 and feels to me a bit over-the-top.
The painting was located in the Church of St. Martin until 1972, when it was stolen. After being recovered, it was moved to the better-protected Dominican Church. Detailed English explanations are in the nave to the right of the painting as you face it. The contrast provided by the simple Dominican setting heightens the elegance of this Gothic masterpiece.
As for the rest of the church, the columns are thin to allow worshippers to see the speaker, even if the place is packed. The windows are precious 14th-century originals depicting black-clad Dominican monks busy preaching. Notice how windows face the sun on the south side while the north side is walled against the cloister. If you look at the columns in the rear of the nave, you can see how 14th-century Colmar’s street level was about two feet below today’s.
This little museum recalls the life and work of the local boy who gained fame by sculpting America’s much-loved Statue of Liberty. Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi (1834-1904) was a dynamic painter/photographer/sculptor with a passion for the defense of liberty and freedom. Although Colmar was his home, he spent most of his career in Paris, refusing to move back here while Alsace was German.
Bartholdi devoted years of his life to realizing the vision of a statue of liberty for America that would stand in New York City’s harbor. While Lady Liberty is his most famous work, you’ll see several Bartholdi statues gracing Colmar’s squares.
Cost and Hours: €5, free on July 4, open March-Dec Wed-Mon 10:00-12:00 & 14:00-18:00, closed Tue and Jan-Feb, good €2 audioguide, in heart of old town at 30 Rue des Marchands, tel. 03 89 41 90 60, www.musee-bartholdi.fr. Curiously, even though entry is free on the Fourth of July, there is no English posted in this museum.
Self-Guided Tour: The courtyard is dominated by a bronze statue, Les Grands Soutiens du Monde. It was cast in 1902—two years before Bartholdi died—and shares his personal philosophy. The world is supported by three figures representing patriotism, hard work, and justice. Mr. Hard Work holds a book, symbolizing intellectual endeavors, and a hammer, a sign for physical labor. Ms. Justice has her scales. And Mr. Patriotism holds a flag and a sword—sheathed but ready to be used. All have one foot stepping forward: ahead for progress, the spirit of Industrial Age.
On the ground floor, the room to the right of the ticket desk houses temporary exhibits. To the left are exhibits covering Bartholdi’s works commissioned in Alsatian cities, commonly dedicated to military heroes.
Climbing the stairs to the middle floor, you pass a portrait of the artist. Rooms re-create Bartholdi’s high-society flat in Paris. At the end of the hallway on the left, the dining room is lined with portraits of his aristocratic family.
In the next room hangs a beautiful portrait of the sculptor (by Jean Benner), facing his mother (on a red chair). Bartholdi was very close to his mom, writing her daily letters when he was working in New York. Many see his mother’s face in the Statue of Liberty. Scenes on the ceilings represent aspects of Bartholdi’s Freemason philosophy.
In the hallway leading right, a room dedicated to Bartholdi’s most famous French work, the Lion of Belfort, celebrates the Alsatian town that fought so fiercely in 1871 that it was never annexed into Germany. Photos show the red sandstone lion sitting regally below the mighty Vauban fortress of Belfort—a symbol of French spirit standing strong against Germany. Small models give a sense of its gargantuan scale. (If you’re linking Burgundy with Alsace by car, you’ll pass the city of Belfort and see signs directing you to the Lion.)
The rest of the floor shows off Bartholdi’s French work. Small wax models let you trace his creative process. A glass case is filled with the tools of his trade. Notice how his patriotic pieces tend to have one arm raised—Vive la France...God bless America...Freedom!
The top floor is dedicated to Bartholdi’s American works—the paintings, photos, and statues that Bartholdi made during his many travels to the States. You’ll see statues of Columbus pointing as if he knew where he was going, and Lafayette (who was only 19 years old when he came to America’s aid) with George Washington.
Two rooms are dedicated to the evolution and completion of Bartholdi’s dream of a Statue of Liberty. Fascinating photos show the Eiffel-designed core, the frame being covered with plaster, and then the hand-hammered copper plating, which was ultimately riveted to the frame. The statue was assembled in Paris, then dismantled and shipped to New York, in 1886...10 years late. The big ear in the exhibit is half-size.
Though the statue was a gift from France, the US had to come up with the cash to build a pedestal. This was a tough sell, but Bartholdi was determined to see his statue erected. On 10 trips to the US, he worked to raise funds and lobbied for construction, bringing with him this painting and a full-size model of the torch—which the statue would ultimately hold. (Lucky for Bartholdi and his cause, his cousin was the French ambassador to the US.)
Eventually, the project came together—the pedestal was built, and the Statue of Liberty has welcomed waves of immigrants into New York ever since. Thank you, Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi.
No one would come to Colmar solely for its nightlife. But if you’re out after dinner, it does have its charm. Like many French cities, Colmar puts lots of creative energy into its floodlit cityscapes.
Every July and August, five local vintners take 10 days each to show off local wines at a small wine festival. It’s held under the historic arches of the Customs House (daily 12:00-24:00). It’s self-service, there’s no food, and glasses are cheap (€1-3). And if you’re here on a Tuesday in summer, there’s likely Alsatian folk dancing at the town’s Folklore Evening (Soirée Folklorique, starts at 20:30) to give your wine tasting a little color.
Rue du Conseil Souverain (stretching from the Customs House to the “Pont de Fanny”) has a fun line of watering holes—three bars and a cocktail lounge—where you can enjoy mellow outdoor seating with the locals on balmy evenings or characteristic interiors of your choice when it’s cold.
Les Incorruptibles has an inviting pubby interior—with just a little Alsatian edginess—and great beers on tap including Chimay, the milkshake of gourmet Belgian monk-made beers (1 Rue des Ecoles).
J. J. Murphy’s Irish Pub invites you to share a picnic table on the street or take a trip to Ireland at the bar, where you can enjoy a classic pub vibe and Murphy’s Irish Stout on tap (48 Grand Rue).
Sport’s Café is a big screen, Red Bull-and-foosball place. This is the place to be if there’s a big sporting event on TV and you want to share it with a gang of French enthusiasts. They have Pelforth Blonde, the best French lager, on tap (3 Rue du Conseil Souverain).
Café à l’Ancienne Douane is more of a wine bar with a cleaner, more mature ambience (7 Rue du Conseil Souverain).
Hotels are a reasonable value in Colmar. They’re busiest on weekends in May, June, September, and October, and every day in July and August. If you have trouble finding a bed, ask the TI for help or look in a nearby village, where small hotels and bed-and-breakfasts are plentiful (see my recommendations in nearby Eguisheim, later).
$$$ Hôtel St. Martin***, ideally situated near the old Customs House, is a family-run place that began as a coaching inn (since 1361). It has 40 mostly traditional, fairly priced, well-equipped rooms with air-conditioning and big beds. The rooms are woven into its antique frame and joined together by a peaceful courtyard. The 12 units in the back have charming chalet-style decor, but they don’t have elevator access (Sb-€95, standard Db-€105, bigger Db-€130, suite Db-€170, Tb/Qb-€150-175, good breakfast-€12, air-con, free public parking nearby at Parking de la Vieille Ville, 38 Grand Rue, tel. 03 89 24 11 51, www.hotel-saint-martin.com, colmar@hotel-saint-martin.com).
$$$ At Hostellerie le Maréchal****, in the heart of La Petite Venise, Colmar’s most characteristic digs are surprisingly affordable. Though the rooms are on the small side (three-star quality and prices), the setting is romantic, the decor is cozy, and the service professional (Sb-€105, Db-€130-170, Db with whirlpool tub-€205-290, breakfast-€17, garage parking-€15/day, 4 Place des Six Montagnes Noires, tel. 03 89 41 60 32, www.le-marechal.com, info@le-marechal.com). The hotel is more famous for the quality of its well-respected restaurant; many French clients travel to dine here (€34-78 menus, reserve ahead).
$$$ Hôtel le Rapp***, conveniently located off Place Rapp and near a big park, holds rooms for many budgets, a full-service bar, a café, and a good restaurant. The cheapest rooms are tight but smartly configured; the bigger rooms are tastefully designed, usually with queen-size beds. There’s also a small basement pool, a sauna, and a Turkish bath. It’s well-run and family-friendly (Sb-€80-94, standard Db-€111, bigger Db-€134, junior suite for 2-4 people-€168, good buffet breakfast-€13, air-con, elevator, 1 Rue Weinemer, tel. 03 89 41 62 10, www.rapp-hotel.com, rapp-hotel@calixo.net).
$$ Hôtel Turenne*** is less central (a 10-minute walk from the city center) with a winstub ambience in its reception area and a welcoming vibe. Rooms vary in size, though all are air-conditioned and well-appointed (standard Db-€85-97, bigger Db-€130, Tb-€150, Qb-€190, breakfast-€10, park for free on the street or book ahead to park in their lot-€7/day, elevator for most rooms, 10 Route de Bâle, tel. 03 89 21 58 58, www.turenne.com, infos@turenne.com).
$$ Hôtel Ibis Colmar Centre***, on the ring road, rents tight rooms with small bathrooms at acceptable rates (Db-€86, bigger Db-€94, breakfast-€9.50, check website for deals, air-con, 10 Rue St. Eloi, tel. 03 89 41 30 14, www.ibishotel.com, h1377@accor.com).
$ Maison Martin Jund holds my favorite budget beds in Colmar. This ramshackle yet historic half-timbered house—the home of likeable winemakers André and Myriam—feels like a medieval tree house soaked in wine and filled with flowers. The rooms are modest but spacious and comfortable enough. Some have air-conditioning and many are equipped with kitchenettes (Db/Tb-€42-72; big family apartments-€105, breakfast-€7, fun tasting room, no elevator, 12 Rue de l’Ange, tel. 03 89 41 58 72, www.martinjund.com, martinjund@hotmail.com). Leave your car at Parking de la Vieille Ville. Train travelers can take any Trace bus from the station to the Unterlinden Museum and walk from there. There is no real reception—though good-natured Myriam seems to be around, somewhere, most of the time (call if you’ll arrive after 20:00).
$ Hôtel Balladins**, near the Unterlinden Museum, is a modern, efficient, clean, and cheap place to sleep. They’ll hold a room for you until 18:00 if you call ahead. Rooms facing the big square (grand place) are quieter (Db-€59, Tb-€69, Qb-€79, breakfast-€8, elevator, free parking in big square in front, 5 Rue des Ancêtres, tel. 03 89 24 22 24, www.balladins.com, colmar.centre@balladins.com).
$ Ibis Budget Hôtel offers bright, efficient, all-the–same rooms with three beds—one bed is a bunk—and ship-cabin bathrooms (Db-€44-56, extra person-€9, breakfast-€6, secure parking-€7/day or park for free on Place Scheurer-Kestner, 10-minute walk from city center at 15 Rue Stanislas, tel. 08 92 68 09 31, www.ibisbudget.com, h5079@accor.com).
$$$ Grand Hôtel Bristol**** has little personality but works if you want overpriced, four-star comfort at the train station (standard Db-€108-168, big Db-€185-215, breakfast-€17, air-con, 7 Place de la Gare, tel. 03 89 23 59 59, www.grand-hotel-bristol.com, reservation@grand-hotel-bristol.com).
Colmar is full of good restaurants offering traditional Alsatian menus for €20-30. (To dine in a smaller town nearby, see “Eating in Eguisheim,” later.)
Before Dinner: L’un des Sens is a cool little wine bar, good for a glass of wine and an appetizer (long list of wines from many countries) and a short list of foods (meat plates, fancy foie gras, cheese plates, Tue-Thu 15:00-22:00, Fri-Sat 10:00-23:00, closed Sun-Mon, ask about blind tastings, 18 Rue Berthe Molly, tel. 03 89 24 04 37).
After Dinner: Sorbetière d’Isabelle sells Colmar’s best sorbet to eat in or to go. Ask about her syrup toppings (Mon 14:00-18:30, Tue-Sun 11:00-18:30, until 22:30 July-Aug, near Maison Pfister at 13 Rue des Marchands, tel. 03 89 41 67 17). If you want lively café and bar action, find Rue du Conseil Souverain (described earlier).
(See “Colmar” map, here.)
To dine in Colmar’s coziest neighborhood, head into Petite Venise and make your way to the photo-perfect “Pont de Fanny” on Rue Turenne, where you’ll find several picturesque places within a couple of blocks.
Wistub de la Petite Venise bucks the touristy trend in this area with caring owners Virginie and Julien. It combines a wood-warm, chalet ambience (no outside seating) with the energy of an open kitchen. The menu is limited in selection—heavy on the meats—but generous in quality. Chef Julien is proud of his jambonneau, though his choucroute and foie gras are tasty, too (closed at lunch Thu and Sun, closed all day Wed, €15-22 plats, 4 Rue de la Poissonnerie, tel. 03 89 41 72 59).
Wistub Brenner is perhaps your best mix of economy, quality cooking, accessible selections, and characteristic ambience. The outside seating is better than inside, but either way you’ll enjoy attentive service and seasonal specialties. Their formula is freedom: You can choose any first course to go along with any main course on their €24 menu deal (1 Rue Turenne, tel. 03 89 41 42 33).
La Krutenau’s picnic tables sprawl along the canal, offering basic tartes flambées (just two types: natural-€8, garnished-€9), plus cheap beer and wine. This is the spot for a low-cost meal with a canalside setting (inside or out, best after dark). Also, consider dropping in for just a dessert or a drink on a warm evening (closed Jan-Feb, 1 Rue de la Poissonnerie, tel. 03 89 41 18 80).
(See “Colmar” map, here.)
Winstub Schwendi has fun, German pub energy inside with seven beers on tap, lively conversation, and hustling waiters. The big terrace outside is more sedate, but ideal for a warm evening. Choose from a dozen filling, robust Swiss Rösti plates (€13 to €18—big enough to split) or tartes flambées (€9); I like the strasbourgeoise flambée (also good salad and main dish options, daily 12:00-22:30, facing the Customs House at 3 Grand Rue, tel. 03 89 23 66 26). If the Winstub is full, you’ll find several similar places with good outdoor seating around Place de l’Ancienne Douane.
Crep’ Stub Crêperie Caveau is a good place for crêpes in the old center. Sébastien serves with smiles while Dominique cooks with vigor; there’s great outside seating on Place de l’Ancienne Douane or inside in a cute little back room (€10 dinner crêpes, closed Mon, 10 Rue des Tanneurs, tel. 03 89 24 51 88).
Chez Hansi, a half-block up from the Customs House, is where Colmarians go for a traditional meal (served by women in Alsatian dresses). This place feels real, even though it’s in the thick of the touristic center. Attentive Annie manages your dining experience; ask her what’s good today or try local specialties such as poulet or saumon au Riesling (chicken or salmon in Riesling sauce) with Spätzle (soft egg noodles), or medieval “pub grub” like choucroute garnie (€22-42 menus, indoor seating only, closed Wed-Thu, 23 Rue des Marchands, tel. 03 89 41 37 84).
La Maison Rouge, with a folk-museum interior and sidewalk seating, has tasty, reasonably priced, beautifully presented Alsatian cuisine and an understandably loyal following. You’ll be greeted by manager Cecile and jambon à l’os—ham cooking on the bone—but they take their vegetarian plate seriously (€26-43 menus, try the veal cordon bleu with Munster or the tarte flambée au chèvre-basilic, closed Sun-Mon, 9 Rue des Ecoles, tel. 03 89 23 53 22, http://maison-rouge.net).
Hôtel-Restaurant le Rapp is a traditional place to savor a slow, elegant meal served with grace and fine Alsatian wine. While busy with locals during the day, it may be quiet at dinner. If you want to order high on the menu, this is the perfect place to do it (great Baeckeoffe or choucroute for €19 that makes a whole meal, three-course menus from €30, add €10 for a glass of wine to match each course, good vegetarian options, closed Mon-Tue, air-con, 1 Rue Berthe Molly, tel. 03 89 41 62 10, www.rapp-hotel.com).
La Cocotte de Grand-Mère offers a break from Alsatian food and decor, with traditional French cuisine fresh from the market. Their €15 “surprise” lunch menu is unveiled online every morning. This spot gets busy with locals, so reservations are recommended (€18-23 evening plats, closed Sat-Sun, 14 Place de l’Ecole, tel. 03 89 23 32 49, www.lacocottedegrandmere.com).
From Colmar by Train to: Strasbourg (about 2/hour, 35 minutes), Reims (TGV: 10/day, 3 hours, most change in Strasbourg), Verdun (7/day, 4-5.5 hours, 2-3 changes, many with 30-minute bus ride from Gare de Meuse), Beaune (10/day, 2.5-4 hours, fastest by TGV via Mulhouse, reserve well ahead, possible changes in Mulhouse or Belfort and Dijon), Paris’ Gare de l’Est (almost hourly, 3 direct, others change in Strasbourg, 3.5 hours), Amboise (13/day, 5-6 hours, most with transfer in Strasbourg and Paris), Basel, Switzerland (hourly, 45 minutes), Karlsruhe, Germany (TGV: 7/day, 1.5-2.5 hours, best with change in Strasbourg; non-TGV: hourly, 2-3.5 hours, change in Strasbourg and Appenweier or Offenburg; from Karlsruhe, it’s 1.5 hours to Frankfurt, 3 hours to Munich).
Alsace’s Route du Vin (Wine Road) is an asphalt ribbon that ties 90 miles of vineyards, villages, and medieval fortress ruins into an understandably popular tourist package. With France’s driest climate, this stretch of vine-covered land has made for good wine and happy tourists since Roman days.
This is France’s smallest wine region. It’s long (75 miles) and skinny (just over a mile wide on average) with vineyards strategically planted to be above the floodline of the marshy plains yet below the frostline of the higher ground. Everyone scrambles for the finest land. The region’s 50 grand cru vineyards (the highest quality) get the privilege of putting up their names on big signs along the hillsides.
Peppering the landscape are Route du Vin villages, full of quaint half-timbered architecture corralled within medieval walls (for a refresher course, see here). The towns with evocative castle ruins are often strategically located at the end of valleys. Their names can reveal their histories—towns ending with “heim” and “wihr” were born as farmsteads (Eguisheim was Egui’s farm, Riquewihr was Rick’s farm).
Colmar and Eguisheim are well-located for exploring the 30,000 acres of vineyards blanketing the hills from Marlenheim to Thann.
As you tour the Route du Vin, you’ll see stork nests on church spires and city halls, thanks to a campaign to reintroduce the birds to this area. (Those nests can weigh over 1,000 pounds, posing a danger if they fall and forcing villagers to shore them up.) Look also for crucifixion monuments scattered about the vineyards—intended to get a little divine intervention for a good harvest.
If you have only a day, focus on towns within easy striking range of Colmar. World War II hit many Route du Vin villages hard. While some of the towns are amazingly preserved from centuries past, several were entirely rebuilt after the war. It all depended on where the war went in 1944. Villages that emerged from World War II unscathed include Eguisheim, Kaysersberg, Hunawihr, Turckheim, Ribeauvillé, and the très popular Riquewihr.
After seeing two or three towns, they start looking the same. Two villages works well for most. If driving, distances are short and you can lace together what you like. If taking a minibus tour, you can see a representative sampling in a half-day or cover the highlights of the entire region in a full day. Those without wheels need to be more selective and deal with the meager-but-workable bus schedules.
Towns are most alive during their weekly morning (until noon) farmers markets (Mon—Kaysersberg; Tue—Munster; Fri—Turckheim; Sat—Ribeauvillé and Colmar). Riquewihr and Eguisheim have no market days.
By Car: Drivers can pick up a detailed map of the Route du Vin at any area TI. To reach the Route du Vin north of Colmar, leave Colmar following signs to Ingersheim. From here roads fan out northeast to Kaysersberg; north through Sigolsheim to Riquewihr, Hunawihr, Ribeauvillé, and Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg; or south to Eguisheim. Look for Route du Vin signs. For the quickest way to Eguisheim from Colmar, head for the train station and take D-30 and then D-83 south toward Belfort.
Drivers can use some of the scenic wine service lanes known as sentiers viticoles—provided they drive at a snail’s pace. I’ve recommended my favorite segments.
By Train: The only Route du Vin village accessible by train from Colmar is pleasant little Turckheim (hourly, 20 minutes, described later).
By Bus: Several bus companies connect Colmar with villages along the Route du Vin (no Sun service), but deciphering schedules and locating bus stops in Colmar is a challenge. I have done this for you (below), but things can change; confirm bus schedules and stop locations by asking at any TI or checking www.haut-rhin.fr, look for “Bus Timetables” under “Services.” When reading schedules, note that année means the bus runs all year on days listed, vac (for vacances) means it runs only during summer vacation, and scol (for scolaire) means buses run only on school days. Trace buses serve the city of Colmar only.
Buses to Route du Vin villages stop in Colmar’s city center and at the train station. Here is a rundown of service to key Route du Vin villages from Colmar (see map on here to locate these stops).
Kaysersberg has reasonable service (Kunegel bus #145, direction: Le Bonhomme, 7/day, 30 minutes). The Théâtre stop near Unterlinden Museum is best for most travelers; bus #145 is not signed but uses the same stop as Trace bus #25—it’s on the side closest to the theater. At the train station, find the last stop to the left as you leave the station (signed as 145).
Riquewihr, Hunawihr, and Ribeauvillé have decent service (bus #106, direction: Illhaeusern, 6/day in summer, otherwise 10/day, 30-45 minutes, big midday service gaps in summer). You can also get to Ribeauvillé on Kunegel bus #109 (4/day, direction: St-Hippolyte). Buses #106 and #109 leave from the train station (on the right as you exit), but the stop is unsigned—it’s best to ask a driver. There’s also a signed stop near Place Scheurer-Kestner; it’s behind the cinemas on Rue de la 5ème Division.
Eguisheim has minimal service—look for bus #208 (direction: Herrlisheim, 4/day, 15 minutes, leaves from train station or Théâtre stop on side closest to the theater, uses same stop as Trace bus #26 at both locations). Consider biking (described later), or take the bus there and a taxi back.
Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg has a shuttle bus from the Séléstat train station (explained on here).
By Taxi: Allow €15 from Colmar to Eguisheim (€25 round-trip) and €35 from Colmar or Eguisheim to Kaysersberg or Riquewihr. For a group of four with limited time, this is a smart option. For recommendations, see “Taxis” on here.
By Minivan Tour: Orpheus Tours offers trips from Strasbourg to villages along the Route du Vin that include wine tastings and time to wander. Allow €70 per person for half-day and €120 for all-day tours (mobile 06 33 05 10 09, www.ophorus.com, info@ophorus.com).
By Bike: With over 2,500 miles of bike-friendly lanes, Alsace is among France’s best biking regions. The Route du Vin has an abundance of well-marked trails and sentier viticole service roads that run up and down the slopes, offering memorable views and the fewest cars but tough pedaling. Start by getting advice and a good map from a TI or bike shop. Bikers can rent in Colmar, Kaysersberg, Eguisheim, or Ribeauvillé (I’ve listed rental options for each; Kaysersberg and Eguisheim have electric bikes for rent and make great starting points).
Riding round-trip between Ribeauvillé and Kaysersberg via Hunawihr and Riquewihr along the upper sentier viticole yields sensational views but very hilly terrain (you can reduce some of the climbing by following lower wine-service lanes; details provided later).
From Colmar to Eguisheim, it’s a level, five-mile ride on a bike lane through Wintzenheim and Wettolsheim to Eguisheim. Leaving Colmar, go to the far side of the train station on Avenue Général de Gaulle, which becomes Route de Wintzenheim. Keep straight on the bike lane uphill until you find bike signs for V-11, leading left toward Wettolsheim and then Eguisheim. Though just the last stretch through vines and towns is scenic, it’s a handy option to reach the village. You can loop back to Colmar via Turckheim for a longer but still level ride.
On Foot: Hikers can stroll along sentier viticole service roads and paths (explained earlier) into vineyards from each town on short loop trails (each TI has brochures), or connect the villages on longer walks. Consider taking a bus or taxi from Colmar to one village and hiking to another, then taking a bus or taxi back to Colmar (Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr, or Kaysersberg and Riquewihr make good combinations—see details later in this chapter). Hikers can also climb high to the ruined castles of the Vosges Mountains (Eguisheim and Ribeauvillé are good bases).
Romans planted the first grapevines in Alsace over 2,000 years ago. Wine and Rhine worked together to form the backbone of the region’s medieval economy. Barrels of wine were shipped along the nearby Rhine to international destinations (Scandinavia, the Low Countries, and Britain were big buyers). This created enormous wealth for Alsatians; their investments financed many of the beautiful buildings and villages we see today. Until the 17th century, Alsace produced more (and better) wine than any other region in the Holy Roman Empire. The Thirty Years’ War, French Revolution, and Franco-Prussian War buried Alsace’s wine dominance. Two world wars didn’t help. Today Alsace is struggling to get its foot back in the door of international wine markets—where the big money is.
To help earn this recognition, they eagerly welcome visitors. Most Route du Vin towns have wineries that give tours (some charge a fee), and scores of small producers open their courtyards with free and fun tastings (remember, it’s polite to buy a bottle or two if you like the wines). The cooperatives at Eguisheim, Bennwihr, Hunawihr, and Ribeauvillé, created after the destruction of World War II, provide a good look at modern and efficient methods of production. Before you set off, review “French Wine-Tasting 101” (here).
Learn to recognize the basic grapes and wines of this region. The simplest wines are blended from several grapes and usually called Edelzwicker. Despite being cheapest, these wines can be delicious and offer very good value.
Here are the key grapes to look for:
Riesling is the king of Alsatian grapes. It’s more robust than sylvaner, but drier than the German style you’re probably used to. The name comes from the German word that describes its slightly smoky smell, with a note of goût petrol (“gasoline taste”).
Sylvaner—fresh and light, fruity and cheap—is a good wine for a hot day.
Pinot blanc is easy to drink as it’s a middle-of-the-road but refreshing wine. It’s neither too fruity or sweet nor too strong or dry—it’s also not too memorable.
Pinot gris was called Tokay d’Alsace until recently, when the term was banned to avoid confusion with Tokaji wines in Hungary (where these grapes originated). These are more full-bodied, spicier, and distinctly different from other pinot gris wines you may have tried.
Muscat is best as a before-dinner wine. Compared with other French muscat wines, the Alsatian version is very dry, usually with a strong floral taste.
Gewürztraminer is “the lady’s wine”—its bouquet is like a rosebush, its taste is fruity, and its aftertaste is spicy—as its name implies (gewürtz means “spice” in German). Drink this with pâtés and local cheeses.
Pinot noir, the local red wine, is very light and fruity—if you want a red wine with body, look beyond Alsace. Pinot noir is generally served chilled.
Crémant d’Alsace, the Alsatian sparkling wine, is very good—and much cheaper than Champagne.
You’ll also see eaux-de-vie, powerful fruit-flavored brandies—try the framboise (raspberry) flavor.
In case you really get “Alsauced,” the French term for headache is mal à la tête.
These sights are listed in the order you’ll encounter them if you’re heading out from Colmar.
This is the most charming village of the region (described on here).
This powerful memorial evokes the slaughter of the Western Front in World War I, when Germany and France bashed heads for years in a war of attrition. It’s up a windy road above Cernay (20 miles south of Colmar). From the parking lot, walk 10 minutes to the vast cemetery, and walk 30 more minutes through trenches to a hilltop with a grand Alsatian view. Here you’ll find a stirring memorial statue of French soldiers storming the trenches in 1915-1916—facing near-certain death—and rows of simple crosses marking the graves of those who lost their lives here.
With a picturesque square and a garden-filled moat, this quiet town is refreshingly untouristy, just enough off the beaten path to be overlooked. Its 13th-century walls are some of the oldest in the region. Once upon a time, all foreign commerce entered Turckheim through its France Gate, which faces the train station. Today “foreign commerce” entering the gate includes tourists. Just inside the wall you’ll see the TI, offering a helpful town map with a suggested stroll (Rue Wickram, tel. 03 89 27 38 44, www.turckheim.com).
Turckheim has a rich history and has long been famous for its wines. It gained town status in 1312, became a member of the Decapolis league of cities in 1354, and was devastated in the Thirty Years’ War. In the 18th century it was rebuilt, thanks to the energy of Swiss immigrants. Reviving an old tradition, from May to October there’s a town crier’s tour each evening at 22:00 (in Alsatian and French).
Turckheim’s “Colmar Pocket” museum, chronicling the American push to take Alsace from the Nazis, is a hit with WWII buffs (€4, minimal English information; Wed-Sat 14:00-18:00, Sun 10:00-12:00 & 14:00-18:00, closed Mon-Tue except July-Sept 14:00-18:00, closed mid-Oct-mid-April, tel. 03 89 80 86 66, www.musee.turckheim-alsace.com).
This is the most historic town outside Colmar in the region. It has a fascinating medieval old center, Dr. Albert Schweitzer’s house, and plenty of hiking opportunities (described on here).
After this town was completely destroyed during World War II, the only object left standing was the compelling statue of two girls depicting Alsace and Lorraine (outside its modern church). The war memorials next to the statue list the names of those who died in both world wars. During World War II, 130,000 Alsatian men aged 17-37 were forced into military service under the German army (after fighting against them); most were sent to the deadly Russian front.
This adorable town is the most touristed on the Route du Vin and understandably so. If you find crowds tiresome, this town is exhausting (described on here).
This place has an impressive setting and is worth a quick stop for the views from either side of its narrow perch.
This bit of wine-soaked Alsatian cuteness is far less visited than its more famous neighbors, and features a 16th-century fortified church that today is shared by both Catholics and Protestants (the Catholics are buried next to the church; the Protestants are buried outside the church wall). Park at the village washbasin (lavoir) and follow the trail up to the church, then loop back through the village. Kids enjoy Hunawihr’s small park, Parc des Cigognes, where they’ll spot otters, over 150 storks, and more (€9.50, kids-€6-8, May-Sept daily 10:00-18:00, ticket booth closed for lunch in May and Sept, shorter hours in April and Oct, closed Nov-March, other animals take part in the afternoon shows—times listed on website, tel. 03 89 73 72 62, www.cigogne-loutre.com). A nearby butterfly exhibit (Le Jardin des Papillons) houses thousands of the delicate insects from around the world (€8, kids-€5.50, includes audioguide, Easter-Sept daily 10:00-18:00, until 17:00 in April and Oct, closed Nov-Easter, tel. 03 89 73 33 33, www.jardinsdespapillons.fr).
This appealing town, less visited by Americans, is well situated for hiking and biking. It’s a linear place with a long pedestrian street (Grande Rue) and feels less tourist-dependent than other towns. A steep but manageable trail leads from the top of the town into the Vosges Mountains to three castle ruins, and is ideal for hikers wanting a walk in the woods to sweeping views. Follow Grand Rue uphill to the Hôtel aux Trois Châteaux and find the cobbled lane leading up from there. St. Ulrich is the most interesting of the three ruins (allow 2 hours round-trip, or 3 hours to see all three castles, or just climb 10 minutes for a view over the town—get info at TI at 1 Grand Rue, tel. 03 89 73 23 23, www.ribeauville-riquewihr.com). It’s a short, sweet, and really hilly bike loop from Ribeauvillé to Hunawihr and Riquewihr (can be extended to Kaysersberg). You can rent a bike at Cycles Binder (closed Sun-Mon, 82 Grand Rue, tel. 03 89 73 65 87).
This granddaddy of Alsatian castles tiptoes along on a rocky spur of the Vosges Mountains, 2,500 feet above the flat Rhine plain. Here you’ll get an eagle’s-nest perspective over the Vosges and villages below.
Cost and Hours: €9, under 18 free, ticket booth open daily June-Aug 9:15-18:00, April-May and Sept 9:15-17:15, March and Oct 9:30-17:00, Nov-Feb 9:30-12:00 & 13:00-16:30, castle closes 45 minutes after ticket booth, audioguide-€4.50, about 15 minutes north of Ribeauvillé above St-Hippolyte, tel. 03 69 33 25 00, www.haut-koenigsbourg.fr.
Tours: An English leaflet and posted descriptions give a reasonable overview of key rooms and history, but the one-hour audioguide is a good investment for serious students. There’s also an English-language guided tour offered daily at 11:45 in summer (call to confirm).
Getting There: A €4 shuttle bus runs to the castle from the Séléstat train station (8/day mid-April-mid-May and mid-June-mid-Sept, weekends only off-season, none Jan-mid-March, 30 minutes, timed with trains, call château for schedule or check website). Your shuttle ticket saves you €2 on the château entry fee. If driving in high season, expect to park along the road well below the castle (unless you come early). Parking can be a zoo in the summer since it’s limited to roadside spaces.
Visiting the Castle: While the elaborate castle was rebuilt barely 100 years ago, it’s a romantic’s dream, sprawling along its sky-high ridge and providing helpful insight into this 15th-century mountain fortress.
Started in 1147 as an Imperial castle in the extensive network that served the Holy Roman Empire, Haut-Kœnigsbourg was designed to protect valuable trade routes. It was constantly under siege and eventually destroyed by rampaging Swedes in the 17th century. The castle sat in ruins until the early 1900s, when an ambitious restoration campaign began (which you’ll learn much about—a model in the castle storeroom shows the castle before its renovation).
Today’s castle—well-furnished by medieval standards—highlights Germanic influence in Alsatian history with decorations and weapons from the 15th through 17th centuries. Don’t miss the top-floor Grand Bastion with its elaborate wooden roof structure and models showing its construction. There are cannons and magnificent views in all directions.
Just a few miles south of Colmar’s suburbs, this circular, flower-festooned little wine town (pop. 1,600), while often mobbed by tourists, is a delight. In 2013 it was named France’s favorite town—and it’s gone to its head. Eguisheim (“ay-gush-I’m”) is ideal for a relaxing lunch and vineyard walks—and the town is all about welcoming guests. If you have a car, it can make a good small-town base for exploring Alsace. It’s a cinch by car (easy parking) and manageable by bike (see “Getting Around the Route du Vin—By Bike,” earlier), but barely accessible by bus. Consider taking the bus one way and taxi the other to Colmar or other villages (bus schedules available at TIs and posted at key stops).
The TI has free Wi-Fi and information on bus schedules, festivals, vineyard walks, and Vosges Mountain hikes (July-Sept Mon-Sat 9:30-12:30 & 13:30-18:00, Sun 10:30-12:30 & 13:30-16:30; shorter hours and closed Sun off-season, 22 Grand Rue, tel. 03 89 23 40 33, www.ot-eguisheim.fr). They’re happy to call a taxi for you (about €15 to Colmar).
Eguisheim’s bus stop is at the top end of the village close to Place Charles de Gaulle (see map, same stop for both directions).
Just in front of the bus stop, winemaker Jean-Luc Meyer has bikes for rent (€7/4 hours, €13/day, daily 8:30-19:00, 4 Rue des Trois Châteaux, tel. 03 89 24 53 66). Alsa Cyclo Tours has rental bikes with GPS and recorded directions in English (electric bike-€25/half-day; €35/day, regular bike-€15/half-day, €25/day; GPS-€3; May-Oct daily 9:00-18:00, 6 Rue Rempart Sud, mobile 06 19 23 53 62).
Public WCs are located in the lower pay parking lot, and automatic WC cabins are a few steps from the fountain on Place du Château Saint-Léon, in a courtyard off Cours Unterlinden (hidden on the right).
(See “Eguisheim” map, here.)
Draw a circle and then cut a line straight through it. That’s your plan with this inviting little town. The main drag (Grand Rue) cuts through the middle, with gates at either end and a stately town square in the center. And, while Eguisheim’s town wall is long gone, it left a circular lane (Rue du Rempart—Nord and Sud) lined with gingerbread-cute houses.
Start your self-guided walk at the bottom of town (near the TI) and circle the former ramparts clockwise, walking up Rue du Rempart Sud. The most enchanting and higgledy-piggledy view in town is right at the start of the loop (at the tight Y in the road; go left and uphill). Rue du Rempart Sud is more picturesque than Rue du Rempart Nord, but I’d walk the entire circle. You’ll see that what was once the wall is now lined with 13th- to 17th-century houses—a cancan of half-timbered charm. You’re actually walking a lane between the back of fine homes (on the left) and their barns (on the right). Look for emblems of daily life: religious and magical symbols, dates on lintel stones, little hatch doors leading to wine or coal cellars, and so on. (Everything looks sharp because the government subsidizes the work locals do on their exteriors.) Along the way, you may bump into Chez Thierry’s saucisson stand (plenty of tasty samples) and Frederic Hertzog’s farmhouse cheese shop (try the Munster cheese—made in the town of Munster just up the valley). The loop takes a decidedly hip turn along its northern half, as you pass an art gallery, a cool coffee shop, and a trendy bar.
When exploring the town, you may come upon some of its 20 “tithe courtyards.” Farmers who worked on land owned by the Church came to these courtyards to pay their tithes (10 percent of their production). With so many of these courtyards, it’s safe to conclude that the farming around here was formidable.
When you’ve finished the loop, walk up Grand Rue to Eguisheim’s main square—Place du Château Saint-Léon. It’s lined with fine Renaissance houses; many were mansions for the managers of wealthy estates and vineyards owned by absentee landowners. The mini-castle is privately owned and closed to the public—its chapel (described below) was built into it more than 100 years ago.
The 19th-century fountain sports a statue of St. Leo IX—the only Alsatian pope. Leo was born, likely in this castle, in 1002. A bishop at 24, he was famed for his pastoral qualities, tending the sick and poor, and working to reform the Church (which had grown corrupt). Made pope in 1048, Leo’s pontificate lasted just five years.
Your walk is over. Enjoy sampling the shops, cafés, and fruits of the local vine.
Fronting the main square, the town castle has an octagonal plan from the 13th century. There’s been some kind of castle here for a thousand years—the first was the fortress of a local duke. After the French Revolution, the castle was state-owned and, as the state so often did during that no-nonsense age, it was sold and dismantled. Later, a local bishop purchased it with the intention of honoring his hometown saint. Rather than rebuild the castle keep, he built a chapel dedicated to St. Leo in the Neo-Romanesque style popular in 19th century. Consecrated in 1894, it’s of little historic importance. But it’s beautiful inside and worth a peek to see how a Romanesque church may have been painted.
As you approach the church, you’re welcomed by a statue of Pope Leo IX above the doorway—note the lions supporting him (“Leo” means lion). Inside, the paintings, stained glass, and carvings are all in the Romanesque Revival style. After the paganism of the French Revolution, romantics in the late 1800s used this style to signal a spiritual revival—a new golden age of Christianity.
Linger a while to soak it all in. To the right of the altar is a reliquary with a piece of Leo’s jaw. To the left is a statue of Leo. And flanking the altar, two fine stained-glass angels majestically spread their wings (drop any coin into the €0.50 box for light).
Don’t leave without visiting one of Eguisheim’s countless cozy wineries. And please, if you taste for free, purchase at least one bottle.
Paul Schneider’s independent winery is located in a one-time hospice, now run by a third-generation family winemaker. They are licensed as a bar, so enjoy a glass (€3-7), or try a few wines in the traditionally furnished tasting room before buying a bottle. Ask Claire to explain the abstract paintings on the walls (also found on the labels of their Grands Crus)—they give a modern twist to some old Alsatian traditions. Call ahead for a short but worthwhile tour of the two cellars (daily 9:00-12:00 & 14:00-18:30, 1 Rue de l’Hôpital, tel. 03 89 41 50 07, www.vins-paul-schneider.fr, vins.paul.schneider@wanadoo.fr).
If you have a car, follow signs up to Husseren Les Cinq Châteaux, then walk 20 minutes to the ruined castle towers for a good view of the Vosges Mountains above and vineyards below.
By mountain bike or on foot, find any path through the vineyards above Eguisheim for great views (the TI has a free map). Here’s the most direct route: Walk uphill on Grand Rue, cross the ring road and follow Camping signs and enter the vineyards past the campground. Orient yourself using the big vineyard-display panel and wander the lanes as high as you like. It’s OK to walk on dirt paths between the vines. You’ll find occasional vineyard information posted in English and see the five châteaux of Husseren floating above. The TI’s map shows a longer walk through the vineyards from the same starting point.
$$$ Hôtel St. Hubert*** offers 15 spotless rooms with modern, German-hotelesque comfort (and strict management to match), and an indoor pool and sauna. The 10-minute walk from the town center is rewarded with vineyards out your window (Db-€127, Tb-€144, family suite for four-€192, extra bed-€17, four rooms have patios, free pickup at Colmar’s train station if reserved a day in advance and room booked directly through the hotel, reception open 8:00-12:00 & 15:00-21:00, 6 Rue des Trois Pierres, tel. 03 89 41 40 50, www.hotel-st-hubert.com, reservation@hotel-st-hubert.com).
$$ Auberge Alsacienne*** is conveniently located near the lower parking area with reasonably priced, sharp rooms in a picturesque building (Db-€71-94, Tb-€106, breakfast-€9.50, 12 Grand Rue, tel. 03 89 41 50 20, www.auberge-alsacienne.net, auberge-alsacienne@wanadoo.fr).
$ Auberge du Rempart is a rockin’ deal. It’s atmospheric, with bright, airy rooms with big beds and surprisingly elaborate decor above a lively café/restaurant deep inside the town (standard Db-€56, grand Db with air-con-€73-95; great family suite-€122 for 4 people, €142 for 6; near TI at 3 Rue du Rempart Sud, tel. 03 89 41 16 87, www.auberge-du-rempart.com, auberge-du-rempart@wanadoo.fr). The reception desk is in the restaurant and is usually open only during lunch and after 18:00.
$$ Le Hameau d’Eguisheim, on the grounds of the Pierre Henri Ginglinger organic winery, has five big, bright, tastefully decorated rooms. Stéphanie has transformed the 17th-century place into a cozy cocoon (Db-€80, Tb-€95, Qb-€110, includes breakfast in the old cellar). She also rents two triple-bed studios for up to six people (€130, 3-night minimum, fully equipped kitchen, no breakfast, across from TI at 33 Grand Rue, tel. 03 89 24 18 66, www.hameau-eguisheim.com, contact@hameau-eguisheim.com).
$$ Winemaker Jean-Luc Meyer rents modern rooms, some with balcony, and apartments for 2 to 12 people at good rates (Db-€60-70 including breakfast in their tasting room, kitchenette studio-€79, good family options, bike rental possible, Wi-Fi at reception only, 4 Rue des Trois Châteaux, tel. 03 89 24 53 66, www.vins-meyer-eguisheim.com, info@vins-meyer-eguisheim.com).
$ Thérèse Bombenger is sweet, speaks some English, and has a contemporary French home just above Eguisheim with three rooms and nice views into the vineyards and over town (Sb-€40, Db-€52, €2 less for more than two nights, includes breakfast, across from Hôtel St. Hubert at 3 Rue des Trois Pierres, tel. 03 89 23 71 19, mobile 06 61 94 31 09, bombenger.marie-therese@wanadoo.fr).
(See “Eguisheim” map, here.)
Charcuterie-Café A Edel, on Place du Château St. Léon IX, has killer quiche “to go” and everything you need for a fun picnic, including small tubs of chopped veggies (daily until 19:00). You can picnic by the fountain, or eat at their adjacent restaurant while listening to the trickling of the square’s fountain (restaurant open Thu-Mon until 18:00, closed Tue-Wed, €10-14 tartes flambées and quiche served with small salads, 2 Place du Château St. Léon IX, tel. 03 89 41 22 40).
Auberge des Trois Châteaux is very Alsatian, with cozy ambience and traditional cuisine (menus from €20, affordable plats du jour, closed Tue evening and all day Wed, 26 Grand Rue, tel. 03 89 23 70 61).
Auberge du Rempart is best for outdoor dining in a pleasant courtyard around a big fountain. If you’re in town on a summer weekend, good tartes flambées go for €11. Come here for less expensive and lighter meals (€14-19 plats; closed Mon, Thu, and Sun evenings Sept-June; near TI at 3 Rue du Rempart Sud, tel. 03 89 41 16 87).
Au Vieux Porche is a wood-beamed, white-tablecloth affair serving a blend of regional favorites and cuisine from other areas. It’s ideal for a leisurely meal or a special occasion (menus from €24, closed Tue, upper end of town at 16 Rue des Trois Châteaux, tel. 03 89 24 01 90, www.auvieuxporche.fr).
Le Café, a cool hangout morning and night, is run by English-speaking Reiner (drinks and light snacks only, cozy outdoor seating, on Rue Allmend Nord near the top of the village, daily 10:00-22:00).
The domain of Germanic princes for much of its history, Kaysersberg (“Emperor’s Mountain”) was of strategic importance, thanks to its location guarding the important route over the Vosges Mountains that links Colmar with the big city of Nancy. Today, philosopher-physician Albert Schweitzer’s hometown offers a cute jumble of 15th-century homes under a romantically ruined castle with easy vineyard trails at its doorstep, and plenty of tourists. Reasonable bus service from Colmar makes Kaysersberg a convenient day trip (7/day, 30 minutes).
The TI is two blocks from the town’s main entry, inside Hôtel de Ville at 39 Rue du Général de Gaulle (mid-June-Sept Mon-Sat 9:00-12:30 & 14:00-18:00, Sun 9:30-12:30; mid-Sept-mid-June Mon-Sat 9:30-12:00 & 14:00-17:30, closed Sun; tel. 03 89 78 22 78, www.kaysersberg.com). The TI has a free guest computer, rents audioguides for touring Kaysersberg (€5, €150 deposit, allow 1.5 hours, includes castle ruins), and rents electric bikes (€13/half-day, €20/day, April-Oct only). Pick up town and valley maps, bus schedules, and detailed descriptions of hiking trails between wine villages (€0.50 each; see “Walking/Biking Trails from Kaysersberg,” later).
All buses from Colmar serve the Rocade Verte stop at a parking lot on the village’s south side, just outside the town walls (best stop for return trip). Drivers will find pay lots (€2/day) along the town’s ring road. Porte Basse Parking works best, but all lots offer easy walking access to the center.
Find WCs next to the TI and across from the Schweitzer Museum. There’s also a fun Monday morning market at the top of town, across from the Schweitzer Museum.
Start your self-guided town stroll in the center of Kaysersberg at the main square, Place de la Mairie. Face Hôtel de Ville and walk along the main drag to its left.
After a few steps, you’ll find a round arch from 1604 on the right. Walking through the arch, you’ll go past a former gunpowder storehouse (now a hall used for free art exhibits) and a well. Walk into a typical Alsatian courtyard with a wooden gallery and cascades of geraniums. The painting from 1993 celebrates the 700th anniversary of Kayersberg’s status as an Imperial city. In 1293, a local prince gave Kaysersberg trade and tax status and the right to build strong city walls. Later, in 1354, the town was a founding member of the Decapolis.
Go back through the arch, turn right, and continue up the main street, Rue de Général de Gaulle. Kaysersberg is known for its handmade glass, and at Verrerie d’Art de Kaysersberg (across from the Church of the Holy Cross), you can see glassblowers at work and browse their showroom (workshop generally open Tue-Sat 10:00-12:30 & 14:00-18:00). While the craft almost died out here in the 18th century, it’s alive and well now.
Opposite the glassworks (on the side of the church), read some of the names on the war memorial—that’s a lot of war dead for a small town. We’re in France now, but all of this fighting was done for Germany. In World War I they fought on the Western Front. After Hitler annexed Alsace in World War II, local boys were sent to Russia and Poland (far from home, so they couldn’t desert). Notice also the noncombatant victims: Some were sent to death camps and others died in bombing raids. In 1944 Allied bombers destroyed 45 percent of Kaysersberg—and that included many of its citizens.
In front of the Church of the Holy Cross stands a fountain featuring the Roman Emperor Constantine—holding a cross and honored here because he was the first Christian emperor. Up on the simple Romanesque facade of the church is his mom, Helen. She converted her son to Christianity and, according to Church lore, brought pieces of the True Cross to Rome from Jerusalem.
Before stepping into the church, take a moment to enjoy the vernacular architecture surrounding this square. The church dates from the 13th and 14th centuries (free, daily 9:00-18:00). I know, Gothic was in high gear elsewhere, but back then Alsace was about a hundred years behind the artistic curve. Look at the tympanum (carved relief over the door) and notice how crude and naive it is. The carved red sandstone figures remind me of Archaic Greek statues.
Step inside. The nave is Romanesque but the side aisles, dating from the 15th century when the church was expanded, are more Gothic. The medieval stained glass was destroyed in 1944; what you see is modern. The impressive statue of a crucified Christ is carved out of linden wood and painted. Notice the attempt to manage the perspective by making Jesus’ legs shorter than they would have actually been.
Walk up close to the altarpiece (from 1518) and study the finely carved Passion of Christ. These scenes show the events of Jesus’ last week—from entering Jerusalem (on the left) to the Resurrection (on the right). The carvings—which are high relief in the center but low relief in the wings so it will all fit when closed—were inspired by 15th-century engravings by Martin Schongauer. You can push the button on the right of the altar for light.
On the right side of the nave (as you leave), check out the statue of the Deposition, showing Christ after his death by crucifixion. A metal hatch on his chest shows where the communion bread was kept back in the 16th century.
Continue walking along this busy street. At #62, the Kaysersberg History Museum has a forgettable exhibit of religious and domestic artifacts filling three rooms—without a word of English (€2; July-Aug Wed-Mon 10:00-12:00 & 14:00-18:00, closed Tue; closed off-season; enter from the courtyard between the twin gables). The Biscuiterie La Table Alsacienne, tempting visitors with all the traditional baked goods at #70, is more interesting.
Follow the main drag to the top of the town. Just before the bridge, check out a huge house standing at the top of the road—this was an old inn and bathhouse. To its right, a quieter lane leads past a fountain with drinking water, a charming pottery shop, and on to the castle (with a loop path back to the TI).
Maison Herzer, on the right at #101, dates from 1592. Its finely restored ornamentation includes fun faces (could be the owners) and a gargoyle-supported pulley high above to lift hay up to the attic. Look around. Notice how some buildings lining the main drag have settled in the soft ground.
Just before the bridge, walk a few steps up the riverside lane to see where town’s canal starts—an example of the importance of water power in the Middle Ages.
Kaysersberg’s bridge was fortified on the upstream side to stop enemy boats from entering town. Look downstream; the helter-skelter roofs were for drying the leather and hides of a tannery.
On this 16th-century bridge, find the emblems of the Holy Roman Empire (double eagle) and of Kaysersberg (two bags with a belt to tie goods to the trader’s horse). These signs—plus the nearby saint-in-a-cage emblem (Constantine with the Holy Cross and Christ)—meant this bridge offered both political and religious protection for people coming and going.
At the end of World War II, as the Nazis were preparing to retreat, they planned to destroy the bridge. Locals reasoned with the commander, agreeing to dig an anti-tank ditch just beyond the bridge—and the symbol of the town was saved.
Cross the bridge and look back above the bathhouse with its stork nest. (Storks are choosy and often don’t like man-made nest cages like this one.) High on the ridge is the town’s 12th-century castle and city wall.
Your walk is finished. The castle is an easy climb, and the Albert Schweitzer Museum is a block beyond the bridge.
The Caveau des Vignerons de Kaysersberg represents 150 winemakers from around Kaysersberg, including several Grands Crus, and offers free and easy wine tastings with experts who speak “a leetl” English (Wed-Sun 10:30-13:00 & 14:00-18:30, closed Mon-Tue except July-Aug, near TI at 20 Rue du Général de Gaulle, tel. 03 89 47 18 43).
The home of Dr. Albert Schweitzer is a small museum offering two rooms of scattered photos and artifacts from his time in Africa (with English descriptions). Schweitzer was a Renaissance man who opened people’s eyes to conditions in the Third World (€2, Easter-Oct Thu-Tue 9:00-12:00 & 14:00-18:00, closed Wed and Nov-Easter, 126 Rue du Général de Gaulle, tel. 03 89 47 36 55).
Trails start just outside the TI (get details at the TI). To find the main trail, turn left as you walk out of the TI and walk under the arch. Signs lead hikers up through the vineyards to grand views over the town. It’s a worthwhile 10-minute climb to the ruined castle (free, always open, more great views and benches, 113 steps up a dark stairway to the top of the tower—worth the climb). Loop back down behind the castle and enter the town near its 16th-century bridge. Or hikers can continue past the castle for more views and trails (TI has detailed map for €0.50). For great views of Kaysersberg sans the climb, follow the trail described next (toward Kientzheim) for about 10 minutes.
For a delightful 2-hour hike—or 40-minute bike ride—along a paved lane over vine-covered hills to Riquewihr, turn right on the main trail near the TI. You’ll start on a bike path (piste cyclable) to Kientzheim (well-marked with green crosses and bike icons). In Kientzheim, follow the sentier viticole uphill through vineyards to wonderful views and on to Riquewihr. If you get turned around, stop any biker or vineyard worker and ask, “À Riquewihr?” (ah reek-veer). Drivers can follow the same signs from Kientzheim to Riquewihr.
The Second World War rolled wildly back and forth through this region. Some towns were entirely destroyed. Others made it through unscathed. Towns with gray rather than red-tiled roofs were rebuilt after 1945. Kientzheim has an American-made tank parked in its front yard (and a wine museum in its castle grounds) and a refreshing network of tiny streams trickling down its streets (as was commonplace around here before World War II). The towns of Sigolsheim (which was the scene of fierce fighting—note its sterile, rebuilt Romanesque church) and nearby Bennwihr are modern, as they were taken and lost a dozen times by the Allies and Nazis, and completely ruined.
The hill just north of Kaysersberg is soaked in soldiers’ blood. It houses a World War II Memorial and is still called “Bloody Hill” by locals (as it was nicknamed by German troops). The spectacular setting, best at sunset, houses a monument to the American divisions that helped liberate Alsace in World War II (find the American flag). Up the lane, a beautiful cemetery is the final resting place of 1,600 men who fought in the French army (many gravestones are Muslim, for soldiers from France’s North African colonies—Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia). From this brilliant viewpoint you can survey the entire southern section of the Route du Vin and into Germany. The castle hanging high to the north is the Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg (described earlier).
This little village, wrapped in vineyards, is so picturesque today because it was so rich centuries ago, thanks to wine exports. You can recognize its old wealth because it has the most stone houses of any place in Alsace. The village is crammed with shops, cafés, galleries, cobblestones, and flowers. Arrive early or visit late if you can, as midday crowds can trample its ample charms.
Buses drop you off at the lower end of the village, opposite the post office (drivers can park in spaces along the ring road for €2). Enter the town under Hôtel de Ville’s archway; the main drag runs uphill from here. The TI is halfway up at 2 Rue de la 1ère Armée (Mon-Sat 9:30-12:00 & 14:00-18:00, Sun 10:00-12:00 & 14:00-16:00, shorter hours off-season and closed Sun; tel. 03 89 73 23 23, www.ribeauville-riquewihr.com). A good WC is behind the TI. Quieter lanes lead off the main drag. For a taxi, call 03 89 73 73 71 or mobile 06 46 84 40 05.
Start your self-guided walk at the bottom of town. At the archway going through Hôtel de Ville, notice the three flags: Europe, France, and Alsace. Notice also the clever bench just outside designed for ladies with loads on their heads (perhaps baskets of grapes) to sit and take a load off their head. Entering the sleepy (except for tourism) town of 1,300 people, you realize that if there was no wine and no tourism, this place would have no economy. Find the historic map designed to help you imagine Riquewihr in 1644 and appreciate its double wall and moat.
Strolling up Riquewihr’s main street, Rue de Général de Gaulle, which cuts straight through town, enjoy the architecture. It’s fun to remember that before street numbers, each house had a name—often related to an animal—which made it a kind of landmark. Because villages often had only two or three family names, you couldn’t say “the Jones house.” You’d say, rather, the Unicorn House.
The vineyards surrounding town belonged to absentee princes. The impressive mansions all around were the domains of men who managed the estate of a feudal lord and, in return, got a cut of the production. At #14 you can see what would have been considered a skyscraper in the 16th century—the highest Renaissance building in Alsace. At #16, notice the broad arches for wagons of grapes. Venture into the courtyard (filled with restaurant tables) with its traditional Alsatian galleries and evocative old well. The mammoth 1817 wine press drained juice directly into the cellar. At the entry is a collection of 200-year-old iron stove plates. Decorated with old German texts, these were placed behind the fire to both protect the back wall and reflect heat out.
At the town’s main intersection is a street leading to two churches (Protestant to the right, Catholic to the left and neither of sightseeing interest). Before the age of private plumbing, public fountains were scattered through town.
Find the sign for the town gourmet at #42. The word “gourmet” originated here in France, where each town in winemaking regions had an official wine judge, appraiser, and middleman. The gourmet was instrumental in effectively connecting the vintner with the thirsty market. He facilitated sales and set prices. To judge the wine, he needed to have a little fine food to complement the tasting. The town appointed the gourmet, and the position—quite lucrative as you can see by this fine house—was then handed down from father to son. While the traditional function of the gourmet died out in the 1930s, the concept of the person with the best food in town—the gourmet—survives to this day.
Wander through the gourmet’s courtyards. Notice the nails on timbers designed to hold stucco. In the 18th and 19th centuries, half-timbered houses were considered “low class,” so owners stuccoed over the wood to make it look like a stone home. Follow the gangly wooden structures to the roofline in back to see a stone wall protruding above the roof tiles—built to stop fires. Back when roofs were made with wood shingles (rather than today’s safer terra-cotta), fire was a serious problem.
At the top of town stands one of the most impressive guard towers in Alsace (Le Dolder, from 1291). The Dolder Museum, inside the tower, has small rooms covering its history—but doesn’t merit the climb or €4 entry fee. Look for the engraving of 13th-century Riquewihr by the fountain opposite the tower’s entry.
Older towns were fortified with walls built to withstand arrows. When they grew bigger—and war technology advanced to include gunpowder and cannons, the townspeople built a stouter wall outside the original wall. In this case, it left an area in the middle for “newer” 18th-century houses. Notice how homes were built right into the defensive walls.
From the top of town, it’s rewarding to turn left and explore the quiet lanes and their picturesque houses. Pass under the bell tower, take a left on Rue des Remparts, and explore. Turn right when you see steps down to the moat (and the big wine press), and double back to the top of the town along the moat.
Within a few yards of the town entry, you’ll see the tourist train (€6.50, next departure time posted, 30 minutes). For those without a car, it’s handy as it choo-choos into the vineyards, offering terrific views over the village.
The vines surrounding Riquewihr produce some of Alsace’s most prestigious wines—and the village is lined with good places to sample them. Caves Dopff et Irion sits just above Hôtel de Ville and provides a handsome wine-tasting experience with an English-speaking staff (€7-20 bottles, most about €10, special counter for eau-de-vie tastings, daily 10:00-18:00, shorter hours in winter, tel. 03 89 49 08 92, www.dopff-irion.com). Caves Hugel, another well-respected producer, has an intimate tasting room on the main drag a bit past the TI (daily 10:00-18:00, tel. 03 89 47 92 15, www.hugel.com).
This museum, located near the bottom of town (at its château), takes you through the evolution of man’s ability to send messages, from mail delivery to mobile phones. The fascinating and substantial museum, with lots of historic artifacts, is by far the most important sight to see in town (€5, some English descriptions, April-Oct and Dec daily 10:00-17:30, closed Nov and Jan-March, tel. 03 89 47 93 80, www.shpta.com).
A path with sensational views leads from the north edge of town. Find the sentier viticole at the lower end of town (a few blocks to the right as you face Hôtel de Ville) and climb into the vineyards as high as your legs allow.
On the town’s south side, another sentier viticole leads to Kientzheim (then Kaysersberg), starting from the TI and heading out Rue de la 1ère Armée. Follow blue signs to Kientzheim on this beautiful walk or bike ride. The lane rises, then drops into the village—revealing spectacular views all the way (allow 1.75 hours to hike at a steady pace to Kaysersberg, 40 minutes by bike). Drivers can follow the same route and get the same great views, but must go slow and watch out for bikers.
Strasbourg is urban Alsace at its best—it feels like a giant Colmar with rivers and streetcars. It’s a progressive, livable city, with generous space devoted to pedestrians, scads of bikes, mod trams, meandering waterways, and a young, lively mix of university students, Eurocrats, and street people. This city of about 270,000 residents has an Amsterdam-like feel. Bordering the west bank of the Rhine River, Strasbourg provides the ultimate blend of Franco-Germanic culture, architecture, and ambience. A living symbol of the hope for perpetual peace between France and Germany, Strasbourg was selected as home to the European Parliament, the European Council (sharing administrative responsibilities for the European Union with Brussels, Belgium), and the European Court of Human Rights.
Strasbourg makes a good day trip from Colmar. And, thanks to high-speed TGV-train service, it also makes a handy stop for train travelers en route to or from Paris (baggage storage available). The Alsatian Museum is the only museum worth the admission—you’re here to see the cathedral, wander the waterways, and take a bite out of the big city. Plan on three hours to hit the highlights, starting at Strasbourg’s dazzling cathedral (arrive in Strasbourg by 10:30 so you can comfortably make the noon cathedral clock performance) and ending with the district called La Petite France (ideally for lunch).
Strasbourg’s main TI faces the cathedral (daily 9:00-19:00, 17 Place de la Cathédrale, tel. 03 88 52 28 28, www.otstrasbourg.fr, info@otstrasbourg.fr). Another TI is in the train station’s south hall (across from the station’s accueil office, same hours, sells day passes for the tram). Learn about special events (like the summer sound-and-light show at the cathedral, mentioned in “Sights in Strasbourg” later) and buy the €1.50 city map, which describes a decent walking tour in English, or pay €5.50 to rent an audioguide that covers the cathedral and old city in more detail than most need (available only at the main TI, includes a cute little map of the route, allow 1.5 hours). The TI also has bike maps for the city (€1 with English explanations) and surrounding areas.
The Strasbourg Pass (€19, kids-€10-13), valid three days, is a great value for travelers wanting to do it all. It includes one free museum entry and a half-off coupon for another museum, a discount on the town audioguide, free half-day bike rental, free boat cruise, and free entry to the cathedral narthex view and the astrological clock tour.
By Train: TGV trains serve Strasbourg’s gleaming train station. Limited baggage storage is available at platform 1 (daily 6:15-21:15, allow time for its airport-type security screening). WCs are across from the stairs to platform 2, and a helpful TI is in the station’s south (sud) hall.
Rental bikes are available in the lower level of the glass atrium (see “Helpful Hints,” later), and you’ll find many budget eating options.
To walk to the cathedral in 15 urban minutes, exit straight out of the station, cross the big square (Place de la Gare), and walk past Hôtel Vendôme and up Rue du Maire Kuss. Cross the river, and continue up serpentine, pedestrian-friendly Rue du 22 Novembre all the way to the grand Place Kléber. Angle a bit left through Place Kléber (whose namesake graces the center of the square), then turn right on the broad pedestrian street (Rue des Grandes Arcades). In a few blocks, turn left on Rue Mercière (just after the merry-go-round), then follow that spire.
To get from the train station to the city center by public transportation, catch the caterpillar-like tram that leaves from under the station (buy €1.60 one-way ticket or €4.30 day pass from the station TI, deals for 2-3 people, or from machines on platforms—coins only (chip cards too), then validate in skinny machines, www.cts-strasbourg.fr). Take tram #A (direction: Illkirch) or tram #D (direction: Aristide Briand) three stops to Langross-Grande Rue, two blocks from the cathedral. (You can return to the station, Gare Centrale, from the same stop.)
By Car: You’re better off day-tripping in by train (it’s faster and much easier than driving). If you must drive, take sortie #4 from A-35. From this exit you can follow Centre-Ville and Cathédrale signs to the city center, then park at metered street spaces or in a central lot signed as La Petite France, Gare Centrale, or la Cathédrale (figure €3/hour).
For less money and stress, follow signs from the same autoroute exit to the Elsau P+R (Parking & Relais) lot at the Elsau tram station outside the city center (€3.20/day includes round-trip tram tickets to the center; take green-line “F” tram in direction: Centre-Ville and exit at Homme de Fer stop, validate parking ticket at scanner on tram platform both going and returning).
By Plane: The user-friendly Strasbourg-Entzheim airport (airport code: SXB, tel. 03 88 64 67 67, www.strasbourg.aeroport.fr), with frequent, often inexpensive flights to Paris, is connected by train to the main rail station (€2.50, 10-minute trip).
Quiet Transportation: Beware of virtually silent trams and bicycles—look both ways before crossing streets.
Internet Access: Several cybercafés lie on the main street into town from the station, Rue du Maire Kuss (or ask at the TI).
Post Office: It’s at the cathedral (Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat 9:00-17:00, closed Sun).
Laundry: You’ll find a handy launderette on Rue des Veaux, near my recommended hotels (daily 7:00-21:00).
Bike Rental: You can rent bikes at Vélhop, one level below street level at the train station (€5/day, €150 deposit, Mon-Fri 8:00-19:00, Sat-Sun 9:30-19:00, closed Sun and shorter hours off-season, follow bike signs, Place de la Gare, tel. 09 60 17 74 63, www.velhop.strasbourg.eu).
Taxi: Call 03 88 36 13 13 or mobile 06 80 43 22 25.
Car Rental: All major companies are at or near the train station.
Route du Vin Tour: See here for my recommended minivan tour of the Route du Vin.
Stand in front of Hôtel de la Cathédrale and crane your neck way back. If this church, with its cloud-piercing spire and pink sandstone color, drops your jaw today, imagine its impact on medieval tourists. At 466 feet, that spire was the world’s tallest until the mid-1800s. A matching second tower was planned but never built. The delicate Gothic style of the cathedral (begun in 1176, not finished until 1429) is another Franco-German concoction that somehow survived the French Revolution, the Franco-Prussian War, World War I, and World War II (though it was damaged by British and American WWII bombing raids).
Cost and Hours: Free, daily 7:00-11:15 & 12:45-19:00. The midday closing is for a special €2 viewing of the astronomical clock (described later).
Visiting the Cathedral: Before entering the cathedral, survey the scene. The square in front of the cathedral makes the ideal stage for street performers—it’s a medieval fair. This stage was Roman 2,000 years ago and then, as now, it was the center of activity. The dark half-timbered building to your left, next to the TI, was the home of a wealthy merchant in the 16th century, and symbolizes the virtues of capitalism that Strasbourg has long revered (today it’s a restaurant). Goods were sold under the ground-floor arches; owners lived above.
Strasbourg made its medieval mark as a trading center, milking its position at the crossroads of Europe and its access to the important Rhine River to charge tolls for the movement of goods. Its robust economy allowed for the construction of this glorious cathedral. Strasbourg’s location drew all kinds of people to the city (just like today), making it susceptible to new ideas. As at Wittenberg, Martin Luther’s theses were posted on the cathedral’s main doors, and after the wars of religion, this cathedral was Protestant for more than 100 years. (Louis XIV returned it to Catholicism in 1621.) Strasbourg remains a tolerant city today.
The dark-red stone that differentiates this cathedral from other great Gothic churches in France is quarried from the northern part of the Vosges Mountains (compare it to the yellow stone of St. Martin’s in Colmar). You’ll see this stone on display in many other buildings as you tour Strasbourg.
A Romanesque cathedral on this site burned down in 1176, allowing Strasbourg’s bishop to rebuild it bigger and better—which he did. Construction began in the same Romanesque style as before. But after learning from the architects of Chartres’ cathedral, the work was stopped and much of the structure was torn down to start over with the new Gothic style.
Study the intricate decorations on the facade. Notice the sculpture over the left portal (complacent, spear-toting Virtues getting revenge on those nasty Vices). Enter the cathedral and walk down the center (English displays are scattered about the interior). The stained glass on the lower left windows shows various rulers of Strasbourg; the stained glass on your right depicts Bible stories. An exquisite, gold-leafed organ hangs above the second pillars. Admire the elaborately carved stone pulpit. Walk to the choir and find a seat. Gaze into the Byzantine-like scene and find the stained-glass image of Mary with the European Union flag at the top.
Inside the right transept is a high-tech, 15th-century astronomical clock (restored in 1883, English explanation below) that gives a ho-hum performance every 15 minutes (keep your eye on the little angel about 15 feet up, slightly left of center). The show is better on the half-hour (angel on the right) and best at 12:30 (everybody gets in the act, including a rooster and 12 apostles—for the 12 hours; this performance is viewable only with a special ticket, described next).
The church is cleared out every day but Sunday between 11:15 and 12:45 for a special presentation of the clock. Visitors pay €2 to enter through the right transept and see a 20-minute movie (with English) that explains the clock’s workings, then witness the real event.
For €5 you can climb 332 steps to the top of the narthex for an amazing view over Strasbourg, the Alsace, the Rhine, and the Black Forest (free first Sun of the month, access on right side of cathedral, daily April-Sept 9:00-19:15, Oct-March 10:00-17:15, last ascent 30 minutes before closing).
Nearby: Find flying buttress views outside the cathedral’s right transept near Palais Rohan described later). Before leaving the cathedral area, investigate the network of tidy pedestrian streets that connect the cathedral with the huge Place Kléber. Each street is named for the primary trade that took place there.
One of Strasbourg’s oldest and most characteristic homes hosts this extensive and well-presented collection of Alsatian folk art. Thanks to its thorough audioguide and printed English explanations, you’ll learn much about Alsatian life and traditions from birth to death. Rooms you’d find in traditional homes are beautifully re-created here (including an impressive kitchen), and models explain the ins and outs of half-timbered construction. The tools, pottery, toys, and costumes cover Alsatian culture over the centuries, including a good overview of the life of a winemaker.
Cost and Hours: €7, Wed-Mon 10:00-18:00, closed Tue, across the river and down a block to the right from the boat dock, at 23 Quai St. Nicholas—see map on here, tel. 03 88 52 50 01, www.musees.strasbourg.eu.
These four museums lie outside the cathedral’s right transept and are interesting only for aficionados with particular interests or who have a full day in Strasbourg. The first three are in Palais Rohan, a stately former palace. The Archaeological Museum, the best one, has a stellar presentation of Alsatian civilization through the millennia (includes free audioguide). The Museum of Decorative Arts feels like the Versailles of Strasbourg, with grand reception rooms, a king’s bedroom (where Louis XV and Marie-Antoinette both slept), a big library, and rooms displaying ceramic dishes, ancient clocks, and more—borrow the English booklet. The Museum of Fine Arts holds a small, well-displayed collection of paintings from the Middle Ages to the Baroque period, some by artists you’ll recognize. The Museum of the Cathedral (Musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame) is a well-organized museum near Palais Rohan that has plenty of church artifacts.
Cost and Hours: €6.50 for each museum, €12 day pass covers all four, free for those under 18 and on the first Sun of the month; open Wed-Mon 10:00-18:00, closed Tue—except for Museum of the Cathedral, which is closed Mon but open Tue 10:00-18:00; Palais Rohan—2 Place du Château, Museum of the Cathedral—3 Place du Château; tel. 03 88 52 50 00, www.musees.strasbourg.eu.
The historic home to Strasbourg’s tanners, millers, and fishermen, this charming area is laced with canals, crowned with magnificent half-timbered homes, carpeted with cobblestones, and filled with tourists. As quaint as it looks, keep in mind that this neighborhood was leveled in World War II.
From the cathedral, walk down to Place Gutenberg and continue straight, following Rue Gutenberg (on the square’s right side). Cross big Rue des Francs-Bourgeois and keep straight (now on Grande Rue). Turn left on the third little street (Rue du Bouclier, street signs are posted behind you), and make your way to the middle of the bridge (Pont St. Martin) for a good view. Find your way down to the river and follow the walkway over the lock deep into La Petite France. Make friends with a leafy café table on Place Benjamin Zix, or find the siesta-friendly parks between the canals across the bridge at Rue des Moulins. Notice the sloping roofs with openings in the roofs where leather hides were dried. Climb the once-fortified grassy wall (Barrage Vauban) for a decent view—the glass structure behind you is the splashy modern-art museum (interesting more for its architecture than its collection).
La Petite France’s coziest café tables line the canal on Quai de la Bruche. From here it’s a 10-minute walk back to the station: With the river on your left, walk along Quai de Turckheim, cross the third bridge, and find Rue du Maire Kuss.
To see the cityscape from the water, take a loop cruise around Strasbourg on the Ill River. The glass-topped boats are air-conditioned and sufficiently comfortable—both sides have fine views. You’ll pass through two locks as you circle the old city clockwise. The highlight for me was cruising by the European Parliament buildings and the European Court of Human Rights.
Cost and Hours: Adults-€12.50, 70 minutes, good English commentary with live guide or audioguide; April-Oct daily 9:45-19:30, runs later in high season, shorter hours off-season, dock is 2 blocks outside cathedral’s right transept, where Rue Rohan meets the river, tel. 03 88 84 13 13, www.batorama.fr.
On Sunday mornings from late July to late August, look for Alsatian folk dancing on Place Gutenberg (starts at about 10:45). During the same season on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 20:30 to 22:00, listen to traditional music on these squares (Mon—Place des Tripiers, Tue—in La Petite France on Place Benjamin Zix, and Wed—Place du Marché aux Cochons de Lait).
Strasbourg keeps its visitors entertained until the wee hours in summer. Every day from about mid-July to mid-September, the soaring cathedral is bathed in colorful lights that allow visitors to “contemplate the cathedral and its architecture from a new, contemporary perspective.” The sound-and-light show is free and runs every 30 minutes until 24:30 (starts at 22:30 in July, 22:15 in Aug, and 21:15 in Sept). The city offers other nighttime events every summer; ask at the TI or check www.ete.strasbourg.eu.
From the last Saturday of November until December 31, the city bustles and sparkles with its delightful Christkindelsmärik, held on several squares in the old town (hotel rates climb).
Strasbourg is quiet in the summer (July-Aug), when 4,000 Eurocrats leave town and hotel prices fall—and slammed when the parliament is in session, throughout December (thanks to the Christmas market), and during major conferences.
$$$ Hôtel Cathédrale*** is comfortable and contemporary, with a Jack-and-the-beanstalk spiral stairway (elevator begins one floor up) and a hopelessly confusing floor plan. This modern-yet-atmospheric place lets you stare at the cathedral point-blank from your room (small Db with no view-€100, medium Db with no view-€165, larger Db with view-€190-290, lower prices possible on weekends, frequent Web promotions, buffet breakfast-€14, air-con, laundry service, free bicycles for up to 2 hours, book ahead for one of 5 parking spaces-€18/day, 12 Place de la Cathédrale, tel. 03 88 22 12 12, toll-free in France 08 00 00 00 84, www.hotel-cathedrale.fr, booking@hotel-cathedrale.fr).
$$$ Hôtel Ibis*** faces the train station (you can’t miss it) and delivers its usual comfort and amenities at fair rates (Db-€120, 10 Place de la Gare, tel. 03 88 23 98 98, www.ibishotel.com, h3018@accor.com).
$$$ Hôtel du Dragon*** is a tasteful, well-run, and spotless business-class place that’s handy for drivers, as they’ll park your car for free overnight (standard Db-€99-110, bigger Db-€119-156, breakfast buffet-€12, 12 Rue du Dragon, tel. 03 88 35 79 80, www.dragon.fr, hotel@dragon.fr).
$$ Hôtel Suisse**, across from the cathedral’s right transept and off Place du Château, is a welcoming, central, and solid two-star value (Sb-€70-85, Db-€89-99, extra person-€10, breakfast-€12, elevator, free loaner bikes, no air-con, cozy lounge-café, 2 Rue de la Râpe, tel. 03 88 35 22 11, www.hotel-suisse.com, info@hotel-suisse.com, engaging owner Edith).
$$ Hôtel des Arts**, located in the thick of things above a busy café, is a young-at-heart, simple but comfortable, good-value place with tight bathrooms. Rooms in front are fun but noisy (Sb-€90, Db-€100, Tb-€115, cheap breakfast-€6.50, air-con, 10 Place du Marché aux Cochons de Lait, tel. 03 88 37 98 37, www.hotel-arts.com, reservation@hotel-arts.com).
Atmospheric winstubs (wine bars) serving affordable salads and tarte flambée are a snap to find. If the weather is nice, head for La Petite France and choose ambience over cuisine—dine outside at any café/winstub that appeals to you. Stock up on picnic supplies at the Monoprix (Mon-Sat 8:30-20:30) on Place Kléber or for gourmet Alsatian specialties at shops on Rue des Orfèvres and take them to the park near Barrage Vauban.
(See “Strasbourg” map, here.)
I like the vibe and prices at La Corde à Linge on 2 Place Benjamin Zix (big salads, burgers, and several intriguing Spätzle plats from €12, tel. 03 88 22 15 17).
The touristy Restaurant au Pont St-Martin owns a postcard-perfect facade and a fine position on the river, with the best seating on the riverside balcony. It serves good-enough meals at reasonable prices (€10-20 plats, 15 Rue des Moulins, tel. 03 88 32 45 13,).
Brasserie la Lanterne, between La Petite France and the cathedral, is a beloved, down-and-dirty, Alsatian microbrewery filled with students and hip locals. This place is known for its home brews and cheap cuisine (€6-7 tarte flambée) and makes me want to plot a revolution (daily 16:00-very late, near Place Kléber at 5 Rue de la Lanterne, tel. 03 88 32 10 10).
(See “Strasbourg” map, here.)
For a real meal, skip the touristy restaurants on the cathedral square and along Rue du Maroquin. Consider these nearby places instead; the first two are one block behind the TI (go left out of the TI, then take the first left through the passageway and keep walking).
Chez Yvonne (marked S’Burjerstuewel above windows), right out of a Bruegel painting, has a tradition of good food at fair prices. Try the coq au Riesling or choucroute garnie (€17.50 each) or the €12 salade alsacienne (reservations smart on weekends and holidays, dinner served from 18:00, open late daily, 10 Rue du Sanglier, tel. 03 88 32 84 15, www.restaurant-chez-yvonne.net).
The very cozy Le Clou Winstub is half a block left down Rue du Chaudron at #3. This place often looks closed from the outside, but don’t be shy (€8-13 salads, €13-20 plats du jour, closed Sun, dinner served from 17:30, tel. 03 88 32 11 67, www.le-clou.com).
Au Coin des Pucelles is an institution in the gourmet world of Strasbourg. Roland Rohfritsch and his sister Myriam welcome diners at shared tables in a warm atmosphere and serve generous portions of Alsacian dishes—try the duck choucroute (€20-30 plats, dinner only from 18:30, closed Sun-Mon, reservations recommended, 12 Rue des Pucelles, tel. 03 88 35 35 14).
Strasbourg makes a good side-trip from Colmar or a stop on the way to or from Paris.
From Strasbourg by Train to: Colmar (2/hour, 35 minutes), Reims (10/day, 2 hours, change at Gare Champagne-Ardennes), Paris’ Gare de l’Est (1-2/hour, 2.5 hours), Lyon (4/day direct, 4-5 hours), Baden-Baden, Germany (TGV: 1/day direct, 30 minutes; non-TGV train: roughly hourly, 70 minutes, change in Appenweier or Offenburg), Karlsruhe, Germany (TGV: 4/day direct, 40 minutes; non-TGV train: hourly, 1-1.5 hours, most with change in Appenweier or Offenburg), Munich, Germany (TGV; 5/day, 4 hours, most with 1 change; non-TGV train: 5/day, 5 hours, 2 changes), Basel, Switzerland (regional train: about 2/hour, 1.5 hours).
