Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Colmar, Alsace, France 30 June - 6 July

Wow, Colmar's large old town is picture book perfect. We think we may be in a medieval folk tale. The town was built between the 15th and 17th century. This is Quai de la Poissonerie, the former fishers' quarter.

 

We have a gorgeous little timber framed medieval apartment overlooking The Square de la Montagne Verte for six nights. It is great to be able to spread ourselves out and to prepare most of our own food.

 

Our building is the white one and we are on the first floor with the three open shutters.

 

View of the square from our windows.

 

The little tourist train trundles by on the cobble stones every so often.

 

Colmar is known as Little Venice, because of the canals flowing through it, so first thing we did was to take a little boat ride in a flat bottom canal boat.

 

Because Alsace is close to the German border, and has been German territory several times in it's history, it is a bit of a hybrid culture. You see typical French shutters on typical old worldy timber framed German buildings. Also they speak French and Alsatian here, which is a language more like German.

 

All the bridges are beautifully flower decked.

 

We needed to duck down to go under this bridge.

 

The market is by the canal which was partly build for farmers to bring their goods to the original medieval market.

 

Is this a chocolate box or what?
 

The Rue des Tanneurs, where the rooftops were used to dry the freshly tanned hides.

 

The Customs House.

 

The Mansion of Tetes, or House of Heads.
 

An evening photo of the town.

 

 

 

1 comment: