FR · Grand Est · 48.08°N 7.36°E

colmar

Pastel timbered houses, little canal bridges and Alsatian cakes in the old town.

Best time
May, June and September are comfortable for long walks. Through Advent the Christmas markets bring lights and big weekend crowds; January and February are cold, and July and August can be hot and busy.
How long
1–2 days
Getting there
Fly direct to Paris on Malaysia Airlines (about 13.5 hours), then a TGV from Gare de l'Est to Colmar (about 2.5 hours, some via Strasbourg). The old town is a 15-minute walk from the station. France is 6 hours behind KL in summer and 7 in winter.
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FR · Grand Estcolmar48.08°N 7.36°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Pastel timbered houses, little canal bridges and Alsatian cakes in the old town.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingColmarFR, Grand Est
KLcolmar
≈ 10,069 km from KL, as the crow flies
View of Église Saint-Martin

Photo: --sinava-- from Berlin · CC BY 2.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Colmar's old centre is a small tangle of painted timbered houses, cobbled lanes and canals. If you've been to Colmar Tropicale in Bukit Tinggi, this is the real Alsatian town it was modelled on.

Makan

  1. KougelhopfA tall, ridged ring cake with raisins and almonds, in every bakery window.Map ↗
  2. MunsterA soft, strong-smelling cheese from the Vosges valleys just west of town.Map ↗
  3. SpätzleSoft little egg noodles, served with stews or simply browned in butter.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Petite VenisePastel houses and flower boxes along the little river Lauch, best seen from a flat-bottomed boat.Map ↗
  2. Rue des MarchandsThe old customs house and Maison Pfister, with its painted wooden gallery, are the old town's showpieces.Map ↗
  3. Unterlinden MuseumA former convent that holds the Isenheim Altarpiece, one of the great paintings of the late Middle Ages.Map ↗
  4. The covered marketA 19th-century brick market hall on the canal, good for fruit, cheese and a picnic lunch.Map ↗
  5. Eguisheim and RiquewihrFlower-filled wine villages a short drive or bus ride away; Eguisheim is built in rings around its castle.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Petite Venise is easiest to photograph early, before the day-trip groups reach the bridges.
  • Alsatian menus lean on pork. Turkish kebab places are the easy halal option, and tarte flambée comes in meat-free versions.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.