Colmar, France

colorful houses along the river in Colmar

Colmar, France is wildly popular and for good reason. It's an idyllic little French town, with lots of half-timbered buildings and flowerboxes everywhere. It's perfect for out-of-town visitors and also a good choice with kids. There's a little train that drives around town (about 30mins), with audio commentary so you don't have to walk the whole thing if your little ones are tired. You can ride a small boat along the river in the "Little Venice" area. There's no shortage of bakeries, chocolate shops, and ice cream stands to keep your little ones properly sugared up. There are tons of outdoor cafes, so if necessary, your kids can run around while you eat. It's about 1hr45m drive from Zurich. I recommend parking in the Marie parking lot under the Monoprix, since that's where the train tour starts. I'd also recommend stopping in Eguisheim, a smaller, quieter but equally beautiful version of Colmar, just 7km down the road. I'll post about that separately.

hanging shop signs...interesting architecture


green train that tours the town...town square


more fun houses...boat dock in the small river