I love living in Paris, the streets, the city vibe, the food, the people and the pastries of course. But from time to time I feel the need to escape the busy city and visit different parts of France.
I have seen pictures of Colmar before and I was always impressed by how pretty it looks so when I found the perfect cozy apartment on Airbnb the decision was made. I prefer this type of accommodation to hotels because it is always more comfortable especially since we travel with our golden retriever, Sophie.
Colmar Houses
The moment you step foot into the town you realise that you are in a special part of France. Everywhere you turn the views are breathtaking, the houses, the windows, the canals. I will let my pictures do the talking about the beauty of the place.
Pretty windows
We stayed for 5 days so had a little time to explore the place, taste some alsatian wine (by the bottle!) and also take a few trips to see the surroundings.
Little Venice
I have the say that the Alsatian Wine Route is a must do if you are in the area and the weather is nice. It is one of the oldest wine routes in France, 170 km long, passing through 70 wine growing villages. We did a part of it with our own car, stopping along the way wherever we wanted. I particularly liked Riquewihr and Ribeauville, two little towns that looked like they were made out of gingerbread houses.
Wine Route
Riquewihr
We also stumbled upon a little gem in a village with a name that’s impossible to spell – Niedermorschwihr. It was Christine Ferber’s incredible jam shop. With so many enticing flavors available, I had a hard time choosing just a few to bring home. Don’t worry if you can’t make the trip, she also sells jams for Pierre Herme or you can find them in Le Bon Marche in Paris.
Riquewihr
Foodwise there are a lot of options but I will give you my favourite ones. If it is in your budget I highly recommend JY’S, a two star Michelin restaurant. It was an extraordinary experience – from the olive tree that greeted us before the meal to the dessert presented as a raw egg, every dish was memorable.
JY’S Restaurant
Olive tree at JY’S
Atelier du Peintre also serves modern french food with a regional touch and it is the perfect place for a nice lunch.
And while you’re there you can’t miss a local specialty – Tarte Flambee, a traditional dish composed of a paper thin bread dough topped with creme fraiche, onions and bacon pieces. The best one that we’ve tried is La Soi, a tiny restaurant with a cozy atmosphere and really nice owners.
Hope you liked taking this trip with me and if you ever get the chance visit Alsace, it’s definitely worth it.
