Colmar and its Little Venice: Road Trip in France #7

I have always dreamed of going to Colmar and Antwerp (Belgium). In my former life, I was Community Manager for a hotel group and these two destinations were often put forward because they were easily accessible and too beautiful. I realized my dream for Antwerp only a few months ago. And this time, it’s Colmar’s turn.

For this, we have reserved two nights! in the city center.

Note: this blog article is part of the series “Road Trip in France” made in August 2020. To read the previous parts, click here : #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 and #6

Part 1: Travel Diary
Part 2: Practical Tips

Part 1: Travel Diary

Colmar is rather a big city. But fortunately the historical center is within walking distance. We start exploring the city with :

Toy Museum

With the Covid, it’s not a very good idea to cram into a small museum with lots of children without masks, possibly highly contagious, who touch everything with their not always clean hands. But I really like this museum! Entrance: 5,9 euros/person

They have a beautiful collection of toys, which I would have loved to have when I was little. There are explanations everywhere, teaching us a lot of things about the evolution of toys, from dolls used as sewing models, to becoming a toy for children, produced more and more massively. There are also miniature dishes and pans (arrrggghhh when I was little, I loved playing with them too much – never to cook for real as an adult), miniature sewing machines (which really work).

The museum also makes us think about very gendry toys: toys to conquer the world for boys, and to cook for girls?

There is an exhibition on the history of the plane through toys.

The top floor is dedicated to some miniature trains & train routes. Obviously, I find it tiny compared to what we saw in Florida, but at least these trains are functional. There are two employees who take care of the derailed trains and put the lights back on etc. JB has a great uncle who has a passion for miniatures and he tells me that his uncle has won contests, that he puts a special product to create smoke in the chimneys, his trains change rails, cross each other… His journey is 10 times more accomplished than the one shown here. I hope we will have the opportunity to visit this great uncle one day 😀

In short, a museum to be discovered absolutely. But not if you are considered at risk by the Covid.

Little Venice

A small canal crosses Colmar, and was used to transport goods. A small section of this canal, particularly picturesque, is called “Little Venice”. It’s exactly like in my imagination! Between Antwerp and Colmar, if you have to compare, I would say that the canal in Antwerp is bigger and longer, but the one in Colmar is much more photogenic.

I still can’t compare with the real Venice because I still haven’t been there bouhouhouuuu… normally we’ll be there at the end of October, I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

To visit the “Little Venice”, you can observe it from a nice bridge (very busy) or opt for a small boat ride (6 euros). There are 2 piers but go to “Colmar au fil de l’eau” (search on Google Maps, near the Saint-Pierre Bridge), it’s quieter.

Without prior reservation, two places (with a 30-minute wait only) are available for this 30-minute guided walk. The boat is propelled by an electric battery, which makes it super silent. The route is finally not so huge, but there are some places that can only be seen from the boat (or from the hotel or restaurant in question).

After the Little Venice, we visit the covered market of Colmar, near the Place de Poissonnerie. The products are quite expensive I find (the foie gras for example). We will find some for less in the souvenir stores.

Other places to visit in Colmar

There is a Manneken-Pis in Colmar, but which isn’t visited at all (while the one in Brussels is always crowded). The reason may be that it doesn’t pee because there is no water jet. That’s it!

Apparently, there is an incredible religious work that is a must-see at the Unterlinden Museum (which is located in a former church): The Issenheim Altarpiece. It is so famous that a Japanese artist took more than 20 years to reproduce it. But hey, I know myself, I won’t understand it and I won’t be able to appreciate it so don’t bother spending 13 euros just for that. But even Lonely Planet talks about it, and considers it THE thing to see absolutely in Alsace.

It is impossible not to notice the Collegiate Church of St. Martin, with its glittering roof, in the middle of the shopping streets.

Some houses with remarkable facades like this house of heads, so called because there are heads everywhere.

The House of Pfister VINUM is also worth a look

Then you have the Hansi museum (designer) and the Bartholdi museum (the sculptor who made the Statues of Liberty). I haven’t visited them so I don’t know what it’s worth, but if the museums talk to you, go ahead.

The Grande Rue is always crowded and occupied by restaurant terraces

If you are interested, right click on the image to save it. This is the pedestrian route recommended by the city.

To visit around Colmar

I have already told you about several “most beautiful villages in France” around Colmar in this article.

45 minutes away from Colmar is the formerly educational city of Mulhouse, which was very well known for its printing on fabrics. Moreover, it is its Museum of Printing on Fabrics that you visit today. Be careful because of the Covid, this museum is only open in the afternoon.

We are presented here the evolution of printing on fabrics and the different techniques used. Note that we are rather on cotton. For printing on silk, you have to go to another museum in Lyon (I spoke to you quickly about this technique in my article on Hermès squares).

In the past, giant, hand-engraved stamps were used. One stamp = one color. Thus, if the pattern has several colors, it is necessary to make as many stamps as there are patterns. This ancestral technique is still used in India for example. For example, they use natural pigments, the strokes aren’t very precise and the colors leave at each wash.

In short, an extremely pleasant visit, there are a lot of signs and explanations to read. The entrance costs 11 euros. I highly recommend it if craftsmanship is your passion. The store is full of the most beautiful fabrics (there are some silk scarves, made in Lyon).

Our next article / road trip, it’s this way

Part 2: Practical Tips

Useful links

• Private apartment les Violettas, for 3 persons, kitchen, washing machine available. 55 euros/night (link Booking)
• There is a free shuttle in Colmar, ask for information, in case you don’t stay in the historical center, because Colmar is quite big, if you are a little bit out of the center, you won’t be able to come easily on foot
• 4 weeks Road Trip in France by car: program & detailed plans here
• These points of interest are part of the +800 tourist places in France that we recommend. To access free Google Maps of the 800 places in question, click here
• More info about our car rental at Leclerc here

Budget

• Accommodation: Bed and Breakfast in Colmar: Apartment les Violettas, for 3 persons, kitchen, washing machine available. 55 euros/night (link Booking). Underground parking with a free pass at 2 minutes walking distance
• Toy Museum (Colmar) : 5,9 euros per person
• Boat trip (Colmar) : 6 euros per person
• Musée de l’impression sur étoffes (Mulhouse): 11 euros per person