Alsatian city in medieval glory in today's Colmar

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

Old Town (Centre Ville) Colmar isn't the thing to miss for those who want to experience the Alsatian city in medieval glory in real life like me. Line of half-timbered medieval and early Renaissance houses, bright flowers along the side of cobblestone paths and small canal that fits wooden boat to pass one another from the opposite direction.

If you have watched Studio Ghibli's Howl's Moving Castle, you will be familiar with bright and colorful houses in Sophie's town at the beginning of the scene. You'll also recognize one particular house where Howl gently put Sophie after he takes her walking in the air across the town.

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

To be frankly speaking, the main reason I went to Colmar was because of this my most favorite movie by Studio Ghibli. I imagined myself that I was part of the movie living in Sophie's town. Any cobblestone street I passed, all the houses I saw, I never missed to relate them to that movie. 

Two nights are fairly enough to spend your sweet time in the Old Town, better to arrive in weekdays and depart on weekend. This child-friendly city is also a popular weekend gateway among the local French plus other foreign tourists, imagine how crowd the venue is on Saturday and Sunday. If you only have a chance to visit either on Saturday or Sunday, then start very early when people still slumber.

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

Before exploring the Old City, I gave myself privilege first to sat on the bench at the park in front of my hotel. Just sitting there calmly, appreciating the beauty of colorful small flowers and the sound of water from a fountain (I think there was a fountain too and a bronze statue :D).

I had a chance to experience how quite and beautiful this traditional city was. Early morning in the summer was not too hot. I strolled calmly, stepped into hidden cobblestone pathway between two sides of traditional European houses while breathing the fresh air of this Alsatian region.

Colmar offered many attractions for tourists, I took some and I left some aside but to cope with my swinging mood I want to share my lovely experience strolling romantically and staying at the fairy-tale like house first. I think this was the best experience which I enjoyed most when I was there.

European fairy tale scene

Beyond a place to sleep, a rustic-chic hostellerie Le Maréchal itself was part of the two-night romantic stay I spent and fully enjoyed in Grand Est region of northeastern France, near the German border.

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

The hotel, situated in the picturesque quarter of Colmar popularly known as La Petite Venise (the Little Venice), was constructed in 1565 in the city's original fortified walls.

"Petit-déjeuner au bord de la Lauch sur la plus belle terrasse de la "Venise" colmarienne" par Roland BOMO

Agreed! I had my lovely breakfast on the beautiful wooden terrace facing the Colmarian canal and that experience was great (again, romantic). I asked the Korean couple to sit in front of me and experience that lovely morning seeing the canal and flowers rather than seeing the  restaurant's rock wall. "Try sitting here. This is the best spot to have your breakfast. The view is beautiful," I explained to the girl. It's a matching idea, a couple and a romantic breakfast at the Little Venice.

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

"Au cœur du quartier de la Petite Venise, qui fait le charme pittoresque de Colmar, cette belle demeure alsacienne du XVIe siècle est un bijou."

"Son écrin? Un lacis de ruelles fleuries et les petites canaux romantiques qui coulent à ses pieds. Sa belle façade à colombages abrite des chambres et des suites de grande classe décorées de meubles anciens, parfois de lits à baldaquin ou capitonnés Louis XV," said Châteux & Hôtels Collection, describing the hotel.

The one that I couldn't make it at its restaurant, À l'Échevin (because of no money nor loving partner) was only this "Dîner aux chandelles dans un décor raffiné, terrasse ou bord de l'eau pour profiter des jeux de lumière nocturnes. Une belle et accueillante adresse."

Even though I didn't make it, these photos I took after finishing my breakfast were apparent enough to show how nice it would've been if that had happened to me, that candle lit dinner :)

Hello sunshine!

The friendly reception lady who spoke French and German only took me to my room which was at the third floor and faced Little Venice, the famous Colmarian canal. The preserved half-timbered hotel had a modern small elevator that fit maximum two guests bringing their medium size luggage. However I still need to go another one floor upstairs by taking the squeaking stairs because the elevator stopped on the second floor.

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

One cold morning, I opened the window to greet the sun like Cinderella started her day. Dew covered the window. I breathed such clean and fresh air at the start of that day. I could hear the church bell rang from a distant and some small birds crippling on the roof. It was still quite and the bridge which was full of tourists yesterday was that time empty.

I wrote my diary about how enjoyed I was being in Colmar on a traditional Alsatian wooden table and sat on the same design chair. The writing desk was by the window and sufficient sunlight helped me see clearly without any lamp on.

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

Reaching Le Maréchal, from München to Colmar

Before boarding to TGV 9592 (220 km/hr) at Stuttgart Hbf, the ICE train that took me there from Germany in München had been fairly late, about 15 minutes late from the schedule printed on my train ticket. 

I checked and reconfirmed my train number, its schedule and lastly its final destination to avoid taking the wrong train in a country I am not familiar with.

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

Finally I arrived in Colmar, "Bienvenue!" I smiled foolishly because I was so perplexed if I'd be able to speak French with the locals and at the same time my heart pounded so fast uncontrollably because I was so exited. "This is Colmar! The beautiful city where Hayao Miyazaki took reference for his Howl's Moving Castle's scene. And this is France!" I wished I could speak French fluently. I wanted to talk, talk and talk like a real French but alas my fluency could not even be compared with a one-year-old French boy.

To reach Colmar, I had to take local train namely TER after taking ICE in Germany and TGV bullet train at the border between two countries to reach France. From Strassbourg station, I had to take local train either "bound to Basel" or "bound to Mullhouse" that made a stop at Colmar Gare. I will never find any train "Bound to Colmar" because there hasn't been any. I learnt my mistake from the uninformative train station officer at Strassbourg Station which at that time some soldiers with their AK47 were familiar to see around the station.

If the lady officer had told me that I had to take train "Trains Au Depart: Basel" because no train bounded to Colmar but only made stop in Colmar, I wouldn't have wasted my time for two hours waiting for another train that could take me to Colmar. At 05:45 PM local time, I took TER bound to Mulhouse in the end. Luckily, dusk started at around 8 PM in the summer in France so by the time I arrived in Colmar, it hadn't been dark yet. 

It took me about 20 minutes finding roads to reach the hotel. I wasn't good at reading a map so I wasted myself rounded the same place without any progress ha ha ha so I had my own "journey drama" from Colmar Gare to Rue Montagne Noire.

I fully enjoyed my romantic stroll in Colmar!

And I fell in love with the hotel I stayed. It's so romantic (oh dear how many times I repeat "romantic" when talking about Colmar ^^).

Here aren't the photos all tourists take to show their holiday when visiting Colmar. I like the atmosphere. 

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

courtesy of Nilufar, Colmar, August 2016

Le Maréchal

www.hotel-le-marechal.com

Le charme de l'authenticité

4-6, place des Six-Montagnes-Noires

La Petite Venise, Colmar, 68000

France

• I took an ICE train from München, changed into TGV and later TER so I got off at Gare de Colmar.
• I stayed in (pour 1 personne) chambre individuelle standard de la Petite-Venise.
• Colmar popular photo has a half-timbered medieval house located at the Petite-Venise, that iconic house actually Le Maréchal, the hotel.