Colmar Quaint

On the day after Carnaval, Jon and I decided to take advantage of his comp time and get some ski action, heading south to Switzerland, via Colmar, France. Although we had previously visited Strasbourg for a day and I had done pottery shopping in other Alsace villages, we had never visited the treasure of the Alsace region, Colmar. We made an overnight stop here and had a delightful afternoon and morning to enjoy this most charming town. So close to the German border, it has a great deal of Germanic influence in the half-timbered architecture, Riesling wines they produce, and even the food is similar.

Standing amidst the beautiful half-timbered houses with Rick in hand

After dropping of our bags and consulting Rick on the best place for a wine-tasting, we headed to a cute wine bistro where we were educated on the Alsace wines and cheeses of the region. Two of our favorites were the Pino Gris and Gewurztraminer, both with a bit of a spicy kick. We bought a couple bottles here, but then loaded up at the Cora, like a French Cosco, on our way out of town.

Enjoying a Gerwurztraminer at a wine bistro

We were so fortunate to have gorgeous weather and mild temps during our overnight and we could not take enough pictures of this town with eye-catching color and architecture every way you turn.  Colmar has a beautiful canal running through an area of town called Petit Venis.

Petit Venis

Colmar Alley

A view of our hotel (green building) in Petit Venis

We lucked out on some last minute deals at the Hôtel Le Maréchal on booking.com and very much enjoyed our stay in this romantic hotel with beautiful decor. The first thing I noticed when walking into the room were the beautiful timber beams across the ceiling and the 18th century style furniture. Jon walked in and immediately noticed the naked woman hanging above our bed. Of course, it's France! 

That evening, we had a fabulous dinner of Alsatian stew and escargot and afterward enjoyed walking around the town oh-so-strategically lit to showcase its beautiful buildings. 

The next morning, we headed to the one and only touristic site of Colmar (other than the city itself), the Unterlinden Museum. This quickly became one of my favorite museums in all of Europe with an excellent floorplan, in an old Dominican convent, and informative audio guides on the various exhibits. The vast number of medieval paintings were impressive, but the highlight was viewing the Isenheim altar peice by Grünewald. Just as every American knows the Mona Lisa, every German knows this work of art, displaying the crucifixion and burial of Jesus on one side and his resurrection and ascension on the other. Seeing it exhibited in the cathedral was especially moving.

Unterlinden Museum

Brief as it was, our visit to quaint Colmar, exceeded its expectations as we were able to view gorgeous architecture, partake in wine-tasting, explore the culinary delights of the city and even take in a bit of the museum culture. Now, onward to Switzerland!