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Colmar

France travel guide

What to see in Colmar

Colourful half-timbered houses, canals in Little Venice and one of the prettiest Christmas markets in Alsace.

Updated 19 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • 6 must-see places
  • Best time: from March to June and from September to November
  • Typical food: Kougelhopf
Photo: Gzen92 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Colmar highlights

The places you can’t miss. In the app we sort them by day and close to each other.

  1. Little Venice

    The district of canals and colourful houses, the most photographed in town.

  2. Tanners’ quarter

    Tall half-timbered houses where hides were dried.

  3. Maison Pfister

    A 16th-century house with a wooden gallery and painted façade.

  4. Unterlinden Museum

    In a former convent, with the famous Isenheim Altarpiece.

  5. Old Customs House (Koïfhus)

    A medieval building with a roof of colourful glazed tiles.

  6. Maison des Têtes

    A Renaissance façade decorated with a hundred carved faces.

Day trips from Colmar

We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them, Bagintravel may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

When to travel to Colmar

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Colmar are from March to June and from September to November.

  1. Jan with warnings
  2. Feb with warnings
  3. Mar no warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun no warnings
  7. Jul with warnings
  8. Aug with warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov no warnings
  12. Dec with warnings
  • from December to February

    Cold and short days

    In winter it’s cold in almost the whole country and it gets dark early; it’s milder on the Mediterranean coast.

    What to do: It’s the season of the Christmas markets in Alsace, and Paris has fewer people: wrap up and make the most of the morning light.

  • July, August

    High season

    In July and August the Riviera, Provence and Mont-Saint-Michel fill up, and in August many neighbourhood businesses close for the holidays.

    What to do: Book well ahead, start early at the famous sights or go in June or September.

Curious facts about Colmar

  • Colmar is the birthplace of Auguste Bartholdi, the sculptor of New York’s Statue of Liberty.

Typical food of Colmar

The dish you have to try there and how to make it at home, to whet your appetite before the trip (or to go back to Colmar from your kitchen).

Kougelhopf
Photo: Dr. Bernd Gross · CC BY-SA 4.0

Kougelhopf

Alsace’s crown-shaped bun, made from brioche dough with raisins and almonds and baked in an earthenware mould. It’s Sunday breakfast in Colmar and the whole region.

  • Serves 8
  • 2 h

Ingredients

  • 500 g strong bread flour
  • 20 g fresh yeast
  • 200 ml lukewarm milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 80 g sugar
  • 150 g soft butter
  • 100 g raisins soaked in kirsch or rum
  • Whole almonds
  • Icing sugar

How to make it at home

  1. Dissolve the yeast in the milk and knead with the flour, eggs, sugar and a pinch of salt.
  2. Add the butter in pieces and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Work in the raisins.
  3. Leave it to double in size (1½ hours).
  4. Put an almond in each groove of the greased mould, add the dough and let it rise again to the rim.
  5. Bake at 180 °C for about 45 minutes. Turn out and dust with icing sugar.

The trick: It’s better the next day; there’s also a savoury version with bacon and walnuts.

Where and what to eat

To eat like a local: a bistro. The dishes you can’t miss are in the France guide.

Frequently asked questions about Colmar

What to see in Colmar?

Little Venice, Tanners’ quarter, Maison Pfister, Unterlinden Museum, Old Customs House (Koïfhus) and Maison des Têtes.

What to see in Colmar in one day?

Don’t miss Little Venice, Tanners’ quarter, Maison Pfister, Unterlinden Museum, Old Customs House (Koïfhus) and Maison des Têtes. To split it into days and areas without crossing the city back and forth, the Bagintravel app plans your trip in a minute.

What’s the best time to travel to Colmar?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Colmar are from March to June and from September to November.

What are some curious facts about Colmar?

Colmar is the birthplace of Auguste Bartholdi, the sculptor of New York’s Statue of Liberty.

What day trips can you take from Colmar?

Alsace Wine Route, Eguisheim and Riquewihr and Haut-Kœnigsbourg Castle.

What is the typical food of Colmar?

Kougelhopf. Alsace’s crown-shaped bun, made from brioche dough with raisins and almonds and baked in an earthenware mould. It’s Sunday breakfast in Colmar and the whole region.

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Guide reviewed 19 October 2026. Places, areas and seasons: the same data the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.