In December, France is completely in Christmas mode. The Marché de Noël (Christmas market) in Paris is fun, but the one in the Alsace region near Germany is very famous. Last year, I went to see an Alsace-themed marché held in front of Paris’ East Station, but I wanted to visit there as well, so I went to Colmar and Strasbourg for one night and two days!
From Paris East Station, take the high-speed TGV train to Strasbourg, which takes about 2.5 hours. From here, transfer to the fast or regular TER train to reach Colmar in about 30 minutes. There is also a direct TGV train from Paris to Colmar, but it is less frequent.
We arrived in Colmar at lunchtime. La Stub, a restaurant specializing in tarte flambée, a regional dish of Alsace, was so popular that we could not get a reservation. I tried to get a reservation, but the restaurant was full and the door was locked, so I could not get in. I thought it would be impossible, but the owner came out and said, “A table has just become available, please come in!
Tarte flambée is like a thin pizza. It is made with cheese, cream, lardons, and onions on a crispy dough, and there are versions with added cheese with herbs and other ingredients, but it looks almost the same no matter what you order (laughs). Dessert is the same dough with apples, cinnamon, and powdered sugar on top. They are all crispy and simply delicious, and I never get tired of them. However, I felt fuller after the meal than it looked.
With our stomachs full, we can start exploring the town. The charm of Colmar’s marché is, in any case, its townscape. The colorful wooden buildings in the old town look like something out of a fairy tale. When Christmas decorations are put up here, I often wondered if I was in a certain theme park. I often wondered if this place was a theme park. The market is held in several places in the city, but the old town is a small area, and it is easy to get around with the help of the market map (Colmar Tourist Office).
In Colmar, there is an area known as “Little Venice”. I think it is a bit different from Venice, but it is a very nice place. Since we were there, we decided to take a tour of the canals by small boat. It takes about 30 minutes. We enjoyed the view of the city from the river, saw countless fish swimming in the clear water (unfortunately, they are not good to eat), and had to bend over to avoid hitting our heads on the bridges.
The cost is 8 euros for adults. Tickets can be reserved online, but if you cannot read the time, you can purchase tickets in person by going there at the appropriate time (payment in cash only).
When I was in Colmar on December 6, it was Saint Nicolas Day. Although the name may not be familiar, Saint Nicolas is said to be the model for Santa Claus, and the Alsace region celebrates Saint Nicolas Day. Therefore, on this day, boatmen dressed as Saint Nicolas also make an appearance.
We also went to a permanent indoor marché and saw the building that is said to be the model for the movie “Howl’s Moving Castle,” before returning to Strasbourg.
The next day we started with a visit to the Astronomical Hollow Clock in the Strasbourg Cathedral (Notre Dame Cathedral). I had always wanted to take a closer look at this clock if I ever visit Strasbourg. There are two types of tickets: one you can go and buy from 9:30 to 11:00 whenever you want, and the other you can buy in line starting at 11:30. I stuck around at 9:30 to buy my ticket and went to the cathedral again at 11:30, the meeting time. I was told that buying tickets in advance would allow me to get into the church earlier and get a better spot to watch the clock.
The tour begins at 12:00 p.m. with a video commentary; this 30-minute video is in French and German, but has English subtitles. The astronomical clock only starts working about 3 minutes after 12:30, which may be disappointing for some people. But I found it very interesting.
After the video, it is finally 12:30pm. We begin with the two angels ringing the bells. As the old man passes in front of the skeleton, the skeleton rings the bell. Above it is Christ, who gives a blessing to the apostles as they pass in front of it. In between, roosters crow and move their feathers. The cathedral is free to enter except during the interpretive tours, and every 15 minutes, the bell rings once briefly and a person passes in front of the skeleton.
When all was said and done, the crowd thinned out at once, so I moved even closer to the clock for a closer look. The clock shows not only the time, but also the year, the date, the positions of the other planets, and the phases of the moon. The clock, which was completed in 1842 after several restorations, is said to be accurate to within a few seconds per year.
After being satisfied with the beautiful and elaborate clock, we went to eat choucroute, a regional dish of Alsace, at Le Pigeon, a restaurant established in 1964 with a nice atmosphere. Some people may feel that the restaurant is a bit unfriendly, perhaps because it is a family-run business with a small number of employees. The food is simple but well-prepared, and I thought it was a very nice restaurant.
Once our stomachs were full, we walked around the city looking at the marches. The most spectacular ones are the ones at Place Kléber and in front of the cathedral, but the one we went to after dark in the area called Petite France was a bit darker and more subdued, but there were bonfires here and there and live music, which was very nice.
And so our two-day/one-night trip was over. It was cloudy and single-digit cold, though not below freezing, and we were tired from walking through the crowds, but we did not get rained or snowed on and thoroughly enjoyed our first Marché de Noël in Alsace!
Christmas is about to be in full swing at our house. Although the news in the world is often heartbreaking, I am thankful that my family will be able to gather together again this year, and I would like to welcome the new year with a peaceful spirit. I wish you all a peaceful end of the year and beginning of the new year.
© Source travel watch
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