About the Alsace Wine Route

The Alsace Wine Route (Vins d’Alsace) stretches 170 km from Marlenheim, just north of Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace in the north and ending in Thann, just south of Colmar. Winding through over 70 picturesque towns to explore, through the foothills of the Vosges Mountains, past a plethora of abbeys, castles, vineyards and wine taverns, the Alsace Wine Route is one of the best wine routes to explore in France.

The Alsace Wine Route was established in 1953 and is one of the oldest wine routes in France! For wine lovers, Colmar is also known as the capital of Alsatian wine. The Alsace wine route is where France meets Germany and therefore, over the centuries, has passed back and forth between hands multiple times, each country claiming the region for their own. With the beauty of the Alsace, it’s no wonder each country desperately wanted to hold on to the region.

With over 70 small towns to choose from, it’s important prior to visiting to know exactly which towns you plan to visit so as to break up your exploration, exploring a portion each day, in one direction so there is no backtracking. However, don’t get overwhelmed just yet. Of the seventy towns to visit along the Alsace wine route, about 20 of them make list of top places to visit in the Alsace.

Being an obsessive fan of half-timbered towns in Germany, Colmar was one of the first to hook me in France. Colorful, half-timbered houses line picturesque cobbled-stone lanes and the French have added a whimsical touch by adorning their beautiful buildings in flowers and any of the least likely object which can inspire beauty when placed just in the right spot. Charming street cafes spill out into the streets and the smell of German and French cuisine fill the air.

Colmar from a Historical Perspective

Though first mentioned in the 9th century, Colmar and the surrounding Alsace region experienced nearly 300 years of turbulence, from the Thirty Years’ War until WWII. But with the creation of a German state in 1871, Colmar and the surrounding villages were claimed by the Germans and would hold on to it until the end of WWI. It would come as no surprise that during WWII, the Germans would occupy, though not officially annex the Alsace region, once again claiming it as their own after having lost it after WWI, only to return it to the French after the war. While the region has remained French for the last 70 years, today, the Alsace is a wonderful blend of both French and German culture and that is easily seen throughout the region not just in the architecture, but also in the food.

What to Eat in Colmar

Alsatian food is a delicious blend of French and German cuisine, with spätzle, foie gras, tarte flambee, and backoeffe all making their way onto the local menus. You’ll also often spot pretzels and sauerkraut on menus, though Colmar’s gastronomy is more than just that. Many of the Alsace traditional meals are based around the local wines, including Riesling, Pinot Noir, Muscat, Pinot Gris, and Gewurztraminer.

– 7 Foods you must try in Colmar:

• Tarte flambée– a thinly rolled bread dough, similar to a pizza, covered with fromage blanc or crème fraîche, thinly sliced onions and bacon bits, and is best with Munster cheese. Yum! 

• Choucroûte garnie – A dish of sauerkraut accompanied with five to eight sides such as smoked ham, sausages, and boiled potatoes. This is one of the most traditional dishes in the region and pays homage to German’s cuisine.
• Tarte aux poires – Alsace is also known for its pastries with one of the most popular being the Tarte aux poires, a pear tart with an egg custard filling.
• Kougelhopf – a yeast based cake, traditionally baked in a circular bundt form, often with raisins and covered in powdered sugar.
• Mille-feuille– a traditional three-layered puff pastry alternating between layers of cream with the top layer being glazed with icing and brown chocolate and designed with striped or swirls.

• Bretzels – Don’t skip out on these pretzels if you’ve tried a German pretzel. The soft pretzel is commonly found in this region, and either comes sweet with sugar coating, or savory with cheese and ham on top. The two are incomparable!
• Bäckeoffe – Craving something warm and hearty? Oder a Bäckeoffe – a casserole dish made with layers of potatoes and three kinds of meat – beef, pork, and lamb with veggies such as leek, carrots and onions.

Related: 15 Things to Do When You Travel

Visit the Covered Market (Marche Couvert)

Located in the Quartier de la Petite Venise, for a little break from sightseeing, stop into the Covered Market to let your nose do the exploring. It’s a quaint little market offering everything from cheeses, meats, fruits and of course, more pastries. You’ll also find a little cafe inside should you so desire a coffee break as well as a bit of gardening supplies and flowers.

Where to Eat in Colmar

Want to experience a traditional French breakfast? Then pop into any cafe and you’ll be served something along the lines of a baguette with butter, jams and Nutella as well as a croissant, of course accompanied with your choice of a coffee. We enjoyed a lovely and filling breakfast at Cafe Jupiler, near the Saint Martin Collegiate Church.

Looking for a lovely but affordable place for an evening meal in Colmar? Plan first and foremost, not to find a restaurant that is open for dinner until 6-8pm. Prior to that they may be closed between lunch and dinner. We discovered this and had a hard time finding somewhere to eat, and there were restaurants with lines of people waiting outside their doors.

We struck gold when we walked up to Restaurant Au Koïfhus, near the Old Customs House (Ancienne Douane) and were the first customers to sit down. We spoiled ourselves rotten as we were celebrating our third anniversary. We we tried Escargot (edible land snails, a delicacy in France), two of the meals I previously mentioned you should try when here as well as profiteroles (cream puffs) covered in chocolate.

Explore Colmar’s Old Town