France Colmar, France One of the Prettiest Towns in Alsace

After arriving in Colmar France, many travelers are amazed when they first see the city. It’s an ancient city where you find a Gothic 13th-century church in an old town of cobblestone streets, most of them lined with half-timbered medieval and early Renaissance buildings. It’s one of the prettiest towns in Alsace, and in neighboring Germany just a short ways away. It’s one of the best places to visit in France.
The Alsace lies on the plain between the Rhine River and the Vosges Mountains in eastern/northeastern France. It is more Germanic than French regarding its heritage, culture, and cuisine. Its villages of brightly painted, half-timbered, steep-roofed houses, especially like those in Colmar, make it unlike any other region in France.

Although the population speaks French in Colmar, a majority does it with a decidedly German accent. The cuisine is a blend of French and German (with such dishes as pork and sauerkraut being regional specialties), and many of the towns in the region have German names.

The region’s capital, Strasbourg, is the headquarters of the European Parliament. It has more of a feel of a central European city than a French one. Its historic center contains a magnificent Gothic cathedral, one of the most visited in France.

The Alsatian city of Mulhouse is a manufacturing center. Among its several sites worth visiting are the French National Railroad Museum, the Cité de l’Automobile and a car museum that contains the world’s largest collection of Bugatti’s.

In addition to its decidedly German-style cuisine, the Alsace is popular for its Muenster cheese, white wines and Kronenbourg beer.

And if you’re ever in the Alsace, don’t miss beautiful Colmar.