Marche Couvert (Covered Market), Colmar (must see)
Set in Colmar鈥檚 frame-worthy 鈥淟ittle Venice鈥� and the historic Fishmongers鈥� District鈥攐nce home to the city鈥檚 professional fishermen and boatmen鈥攖he Covered Market is as much a feast for the senses as it is for the stomach. Here, under one roof, you鈥檒l find cheeses and quiches rubbing elbows with fresh fish, charcuterie, Moroccan tagines, Vietnamese pho, strong coffee, delicate cakes, and wines to match.
There鈥檚 even a riverside patio where your lunch can come with a side of water views.
This 19th-century marketplace was designed by architect Louis-Michel Boltz and stands right on the banks of the Lauch River, its waters curling around the building like a protective moat. In its early days, market gardeners would arrive by flat-bottomed boats, steering straight to the river portals to unload their produce鈥攏o traffic jams, just the occasional splash. Architecturally, the market blends brick and cut stone with a sturdy metal framework, all supported by cast-iron columns. On the southwest side, Auguste Bartholdi鈥檚 1869 statue The Little Wine Grower keeps a quiet watch over the bustle.
Step inside and the atmosphere is anything but quiet. The arc of stalls offers a running tour of tastes: buttery pastries at L鈥橢nfarin茅, pungent rounds at the Saint-Nicolas Cheese Factory, foie gras from Schmidt Farm, plant-based dishes at Cooked Raw, and bright, herby snacks from Lemon and Basil. Whether you鈥檙e picking up a picnic, sitting down for a proper lunch, or just grazing as you wander, the Covered Market is a reminder that in Colmar, history and appetite get along very well.
There鈥檚 even a riverside patio where your lunch can come with a side of water views.
This 19th-century marketplace was designed by architect Louis-Michel Boltz and stands right on the banks of the Lauch River, its waters curling around the building like a protective moat. In its early days, market gardeners would arrive by flat-bottomed boats, steering straight to the river portals to unload their produce鈥攏o traffic jams, just the occasional splash. Architecturally, the market blends brick and cut stone with a sturdy metal framework, all supported by cast-iron columns. On the southwest side, Auguste Bartholdi鈥檚 1869 statue The Little Wine Grower keeps a quiet watch over the bustle.
Step inside and the atmosphere is anything but quiet. The arc of stalls offers a running tour of tastes: buttery pastries at L鈥橢nfarin茅, pungent rounds at the Saint-Nicolas Cheese Factory, foie gras from Schmidt Farm, plant-based dishes at Cooked Raw, and bright, herby snacks from Lemon and Basil. Whether you鈥檙e picking up a picnic, sitting down for a proper lunch, or just grazing as you wander, the Covered Market is a reminder that in Colmar, history and appetite get along very well.
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Marche Couvert (Covered Market) on Map
Sight Name: Marche Couvert (Covered Market)
Sight Location: Colmar, France (See walking tours in Colmar)
Sight Type: Shopping
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Colmar, France (See walking tours in Colmar)
Sight Type: Shopping
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