Little Venice and Fishmongers鈥� Wharf, Colmar (must see)
Colmar might be the capital of Alsace wine country, but in its 鈥淟ittle Venice鈥� district, the real vintage is the view. Threaded along the Lauch River canal, the cobbled lanes are flanked by a parade of multi-coloured half-timbered houses that look like they鈥檝e been dipped in pastel paints. And despite the nickname, the place is more 鈥淟ittle Bruges鈥� or 鈥淟ittle Amsterdam鈥濃�攊f either of those cities had just the one river to fuss over.
The Lauch itself begins its 45-kilometre run in the Vosges Mountains before drifting into town, where the most charming way to meet it is from a flat-bottomed boat. You buy your ticket at a riverside pub, hop aboard, and let a boatman steer you under bridges and past centuries-old facades while tossing in local tales as if they were part of the cargo.
On foot, a solid starting point is Old Custom Square, watched over by Auguste Bartholdi鈥檚 statue of General Lazare de Schwendie. He鈥檚 clad in full 16th-century armour and strikes a pose that could earn him a role in Don Quixote. From there, amble down the Street of the Tanners, cross its namesake bridge, and you鈥檒l spill onto the Quay of the Fishshop, once the pride of Colmar鈥檚 fishing guild and still home to the bustling Covered Market.
The route then carries you to Krutenau, the old haunt of market gardeners, before drawing you over the Abreuvoir Bridge and along Herse Street to the heart of Little Venice. From Saint-Pierre Bridge, the district鈥檚 rooftops, shutters, and canals stack up into one of Colmar鈥檚 best photo frames. Keep going along Saint-Pierre Boulevard, take a right on Manege Street, and you鈥檒l find yourself in the Square of the Six Black Mountains鈥攁 fittingly dramatic full stop to a walk that feels like stepping through a living postcard.
The Lauch itself begins its 45-kilometre run in the Vosges Mountains before drifting into town, where the most charming way to meet it is from a flat-bottomed boat. You buy your ticket at a riverside pub, hop aboard, and let a boatman steer you under bridges and past centuries-old facades while tossing in local tales as if they were part of the cargo.
On foot, a solid starting point is Old Custom Square, watched over by Auguste Bartholdi鈥檚 statue of General Lazare de Schwendie. He鈥檚 clad in full 16th-century armour and strikes a pose that could earn him a role in Don Quixote. From there, amble down the Street of the Tanners, cross its namesake bridge, and you鈥檒l spill onto the Quay of the Fishshop, once the pride of Colmar鈥檚 fishing guild and still home to the bustling Covered Market.
The route then carries you to Krutenau, the old haunt of market gardeners, before drawing you over the Abreuvoir Bridge and along Herse Street to the heart of Little Venice. From Saint-Pierre Bridge, the district鈥檚 rooftops, shutters, and canals stack up into one of Colmar鈥檚 best photo frames. Keep going along Saint-Pierre Boulevard, take a right on Manege Street, and you鈥檒l find yourself in the Square of the Six Black Mountains鈥攁 fittingly dramatic full stop to a walk that feels like stepping through a living postcard.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Colmar. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "黑料吃瓜网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Little Venice and Fishmongers鈥� Wharf on Map
Sight Name: Little Venice and Fishmongers鈥� Wharf
Sight Location: Colmar, France (See walking tours in Colmar)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Colmar, France (See walking tours in Colmar)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Colmar, France
Create Your Own Walk in Colmar
Creating your own self-guided walk in Colmar is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Bartholdi's Statues in Colmar
Auguste Bartholdi is one of the most famous artists from Colmar. His works, such as the Lion of Belfort in Belfort, France, and the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, are known around the world. Colmar is decorated with open-air pieces sculpted by the artist.
Many of Bartholdi's statues are found in fountains that occupy spaces in city squares or on significant street corners. Some of... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.9 Km or 3.7 Miles
Many of Bartholdi's statues are found in fountains that occupy spaces in city squares or on significant street corners. Some of... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.9 Km or 3.7 Miles
Colmar Introduction Walking Tour
Charlemagne was well acquainted with Colmar in his wars with the Saxons from 772 to 804 AD. Carolingian emperor Charles the Fat held an assembly there in 884. It was a free imperial city under Emperor Frederick II in 1226. Captured and held by Sweden in 1632, it was conquered at last by Louis XIV of France in 1673.
In 1871 it was annexed by the German Empire as a result of the Franco-Prussian... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles
In 1871 it was annexed by the German Empire as a result of the Franco-Prussian... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles