Colmar
15 September, 2017 continued
Colmar is a smaller sized city sitting about two-thirds of the way south in the Alsace area. While not as large as Strasbourg, it was still much larger than the small villages we have been through on the past couple days since. We drove through the modern outer parts to find parking before walking through to the old town. Right away, the old cobblestones and the typical Alsatian town style welcomed us to the beautiful city, but the sky greeted us equally with its own impending doom. We walked past the Eglise des Dominicains where a little flea market was set up, with tables and blankets arranged all around the church. We just barely started to look over their wares when the sky opened upon us all! Vendors scrambled to cover up or pack away their items to save from the rain, while people just walking through ducked under café awnings or - like we did - took shelter under a tree. The rain droplets seemed very heavy, and then started to bounce. The rain gave way to hail the size of small pebbles which were getting larger and harder by the second. We made a mad dash toward the awning of Café Dussourd, which provided a bit more shelter than a few leafy branches. As we stood watching the hail bounce off the cobblestones, we decided to wait out the worst of the weather with a coffee and pastry. There are certainly worse options, no?
We looked over the pastries then got our seat. Along with coffee of course, we got an amazing Raspberry Verrine and a Fromage Blanc Tarte. The tarte was basically an Alsatian style cheesecake, but so much lighter and creamier than the NY ones. It was fabulous! We enjoyed our snacks and coffee as we watched the hailstones bounce on the stones just outside the doorway. It was a slow, relaxed, and definitely French way to wait out the weather.
The bulk of the storm eventually passed, and while the sky was still grey and a few drops of rain still fell, we weren't being pelted with little balls of ice. Definitely an improvement. We walked around the cathedral again, but the vendors seemed like they had packed to go home. Fair, I'd probably have done the same. We went down a few side streets and found our way to the Collegiale Saint-Martin, another large cathedral church. How many cathedrals does one small city need? This one we went in, and were surprised to find rows of chairs set up instead of the typical pews. We wandered down more small streets to the Rue des Marchands, passing by some very old buildings. Everything was old along this street, and with the old comes the beauty as well as the problems. Beth saw a pretty hat and we stopped so she could try it on, and as she did a piece of the clay roof fell from a building into the street a few yards ahead of us. Probably was loosened up from the hail, but it crashed into the street right about where we would be walking if we didn't stop. Good thing for that hat! We stopped for a break at a corner tea shop, where we sat outside on the street and watched the passersby while enjoying a crêpes with lemon and sugar, just like you would imagine.
We passed by an old building at the corner of Rue des Marchands and Grand Rue and saw a sign that it was hosting an art exhibit. We love to see and support local artisans. Not only would buying a souvenir from them support the local community, but it also gives you a much more personal and unique item from the place you visit. Sure, that magnet made in China may feature the name of the place you visited, but the local artisan's item is from that place and nowhere else. That is something really special. In this exhibit there were a large group of artisans around the room, and some tables in the middle. All were selling quality items, but there was one in particular we were drawn to. She made weird and unique stuffed animals (stuffed monsters may be more accurate). It was fun, quirky, and truly something from the artist's own unique vision. Definitely our cup of tea. Along with these she had little sewn butterflies, which were a little more practical for us. Beth got one of these and attached to her bag.
We finally found our way to the Marché Couver de Colmar, the city's large covered market. Inside we found lots of fresh food vendors with amazing meats, cheeses, and seafood, as well as bakeries and other specialty shops. We admired the colors present in every case, and I felt the cook's juices flowing as I wanted one of everything! The rows of cheeses looked so amazing, and I'm sure many of them would be the funky kinds I don't like, but I didn't care. I wanted to get a taste of the region in its fullest, from those rows of cheese to the wonderful fish fresh from the Mediterranean. Unfortunately, the remainder of the trip would be spent without a kitchen. Such a shame. Some people may like to be served and have restaurants prepare the meals on their holidays, but strolling through a market like this just makes me want to cook!
We left the market at the opposite end, at the side of the market that sits along the river. The area is beautiful! The little bridge crossed over the river Lauch to the Quai de la Poissonneire, where the road was lined with restaurants and colorful flowers as it followed the waterside. This area is also known as Petite Venise, and the description couldn't be more accurate. There weren't any people selling fish in the Fishmonger district, but the view couldn't be better!
We looked into the cafes and sampled pastries and biscuits from the little stalls as we walked along the river. When we parked the car on the outside of the old town this certainly looked like a larger city, but here in the Fishmonger District we easily could have been back in a small town like Riquewihr or Eguisheim. It was peaceful and beautiful, just the perfect setting for a relaxing stroll. We followed the curve of the river to Rue Turenne, and another bridge leading back across the water. A restaurant hung out over the river as a gondola took people on a ride, making the scene very reminiscent of Venice. The area truly earned its name.
We made our way back toward the cathedral, along the Rue des Marchands past the Bartholdi Museum, the Hansi Museum, and the incredibly odd House of Heads. Lots of art right in this small area! We stopped for a few more pictures, and with a slow walk back to our car we bid our farewell to Colmar.
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