Christmas season in Colmar, France feels like waking up inside a snow globe. Every building is perfectly decorated with everything from ornament covered trees to gigantic teddy bears and toys.
Colmar is a small, French town on the border of Germany in the Alsace region. You can tell by the food and the architecture that there is a lot of German influence. To me, the town felt like living in Disney’s Beauty & the Beast.
When planning my week long trip through France, I was told that Colmar was a must visit during the holidays. It did not disappoint! I spent about 48 hours just wandering the streets, eating treats, and shopping for Christmas gifts. I’ve always wanted to visit the Germany Christmas markets but have severe anxiety when it comes to crowds so Colmar felt like a good warm up.
Don’t get me wrong there were still LOTS of people! But most of the tourists were bussed in for the day. Before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m., the town was almost completely dead. I woke up at 7 a.m. one day so I could experience the town without having to shove through people. I was shocked to find the only people in the street were delivery people!
One activity that is not to miss is a nighttime boat ride through the Little Venice canals. This name truly fits because the canals in this area of Colmar really look like a mini version of the Italian city. Boat rides are available all day but seeing the Christmas lights at night is a beautiful experience.
Throughout Colmar you’ll also find carnival games and rides for both adults and kids.
Where I Stayed
I stayed at Hôtel le Maréchal right in the heart of Little Venice in Colmar. My room had a queen sized bed, massive soaking tub, and a mini fridge. But my absolute favorite part was the view out of our window over the canals.
While the hotel was a little pricey for the area, it was definitely worth it. Not only was the room large for Europe, but it was close to everything. The hotel is right across the street from one of the Christmas markets and walking distance to the rest.
The only semi-frustrating thing is that during the Christmas markets, the street is closed to vehicles from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. to accommodate market goers. If you arrive during this time, you have to drag your suitcase a bit to reach the hotel. Not the end of the world of course and it’s not that far. But something to think about when scheduling your arrival.
Getting to Colmar
Colmar is not the easiest European city to get to. It’s about a five and a half hour drive from Paris. I had planned to take the train from Colmar to Paris which is only about 2.5 to 3 hours with a transfer. But due to worker strikes, I ended up having to drive from Colmar to Paris. Even in the middle of the night (I left around 8 p.m.), it was still a 5 hour drive. If you’re able to take the train, it’s definitely your best bet!
You can also fly to Colmar by catching a flight to Basel, Switzerland, about an hour drive from Colmar. You really don’t need a car in Colmar because the city is so walkable so you can catch a bus or train instead of renting a car. The other option is to take a taxi but that will definitely cost you!
If you choose to visit Colmar, I wouldn’t recommend more than one night. While it is a beautiful town and the Christmas markets are great, I felt there wasn’t much to do other than walk around and eat. Don’t get me wrong, I love to eat! But I felt like I had seen all of Colmar after two days of wandering.
And last but not last, have a nutella crepe at least once a day! It’s the rule. 😉
