It's one of those little towns that you can just wander around, finding a new little square or side street each time you step out. The architecture alone is enough to have you whipping out the camera all day.
The traditional taverns are known as Wistubs and are dotted all over town. Usually tiny little places, all wooden and cabin-ish, and serving good traditional food and wine.
For centuries the region flipped between Germany and France and it has definitely retained a very German feel about it. I find the cuisine here more on the German side, big dishes with lots of meat and sauerkraut. There are a number of very famous Alsacian foods that we simply had to try;
Choucroûte garnie: The “national dish of Alsace” is a version of German sauerkraut. The fermented cabbage cooked in white wine, beer or cider and seasoned with juniper berries and black peppercorns. It's served with boiled potatoes and a variety of meats including ham, bacon, sausages.
Tarte flambée: The Alsatian equivalent of Pizza, though extremely different. It is made of a thin layer of dough, covered with crème fraîche, cheese, onions, and bacon (lardons in French).
Spätzle: hand made noodles, served with just about everything.
Kugelhopf: Similar to a Bundt cake, is baked with almonds and raisins and topped with powdered sugar. We bought one of these for Christmas day.
Bretzels: Fresh baked, soft pretzels with lots of salt. Perfect with a mulled wine or hot chocolate!
Alsace Wines: Wash it all down with some regional wine. Vins d’Alsace are mostly dry rieslings. A nice change from all the rosé in Provence!
Well, we have filled our bellies and tomorrow we will fill our Santa sacs, because it's Christmas Eve, and theres no town in France that screams Christmas quite like Colmar.
Stay tuned for Christmas photos galore!
A xx
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Merry Christmas!!
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