TRAVELLIVE 12-2016

are more than
100 images of St. Peter, a powerful
Catholic figure at the time. Featuring
a 32 meter high dome, the Gothic
church took over 250 years to build.
Upon going deep into the shopping
district, I’m captivated by the
signature souvenir shops. Located
in narrow alleys, all of them are
petite, lovely, and finely decorated.
Merchants showcase their goods
along the walkways and hang pretty
things outside the windows to entice
visitors. You will always be greeted
It’s not surprising that the Christmas
fair in Colmar has been listed as one
of the most appealing in Europe for
years. Every street small and large
has vivid lights and flowers, allowing
couples to immerse themselves
in the beautiful scenes. I haven’t
seen any other places where people
prepare for Christmas in such
meticulous and creative ways as in
Colmar. The more I explore, the
more I wonder whether preparing
for Christmas is the only task
the locals have through the year.
Everything from the high Christmas
In the cold weather, the fragrance of
gingerbread, oranges, and cinnamon
draw me into stores full of Christmas
specialties. Apart from common
goods such as dried fruit, wine, and
sweets, the fair offers ceramics, dried
meat, and Alsace wine.
The yellow light from the stores is so
enchanting that I keep going from
store to store without feeling tired
when realize I have walked dozens of
kilometers. Christmas is also a special
occasion for locals to introduce their
best products including wooden dolls,
During Christmas time, dozens of kilometers of streets and squares are adorned with lights and flowers,
following different themes. Music and festive atmosphere cover the entire city.
102
with a friendly smile. Even if you
don’t buy anything, they still smile
and say merci beaucoup. My favorite
items were the music boxes the size
of a matchbox but featured special
things. You can listen to loads of
different types of music like Blue
Danube, spring melodies, and
more by famous composers.
Each box’s decorations match
their melodies.
And, the heat of the
Christmas fair
The Colmar Christmas fair is
one of the most attractive things
for visitors around the world.
With its long history and cultural
traditions, the fair often lasts about
1 month with more than 300 stalls
selling handicrafts, food, and the
Alsace region’s distinct Christmas
decorations. Dozens of kilometers of
streets and squares are adorned with
lights and flowers, following different
themes. The music and festive
atmosphere cover the entire city.
TRAVELLIVE
tree displayed in the square and
the narrow alleys with small blue
lights which look like water drops
to restaurants decorated with bears,
Santa Claus, and
reindeer on
the roofs sare
stunning and
sophisticated.
ITINERARY:
ü You can fly from Vietnam to Paris with
Vietnam Airlines. A round-trip ticket costs
about 900-1200USD. You can also fly with
Qatar Airways and transit in Doha. Ticket
price is about 700 - 900 USD. The GTV train
runs from Paris to Colmar. From the airport,
you can hire a car with Sixt, Hertz, or Europe.
You only need your passport and credit card
as a deposit.
SIGHTSEEING:
ü Musee de Joue (Museum of toys)
ü Unterlinden Museum with artworks from the
Middle Ages and early Renaissance.
ü Bartholdi Museum: the museum of the
person who designed the Statue of Liberty
which France gave to America in 1886
ü Maison des Ttes and Maison Pfister - the
two famous works built in the 16 th century.
ü The Statue of Liberty, Place de L’Ancienne
toys made from recycled materials,
sparkling candle cups, music boxes
with lovely melodies, Christmas glass
balls, wool hats, and colorful scarves.
In Colmar, I really enjoyed feeling
like I was traveling in a fairyland. I
have kept a record of it in my photos,
films, postcards, and souvenirs that I
brought home.
Douane with the fountain designed by
Bartholdi.
ü Houses along the canal called “little Venice”
CUISINE:
ü Fromage - goat milk cheese - baked with
slices of apple or stuffed into eggplant and
grilled with olive oil.
ü Desserts made from chestnuts
ü Choucroute - a famous Alsatian recipe for
preparing sauerkraut with sausages and other
salted meat.
ü + Wine: Wine connoisseurs around the
world are familiar with Colmar, the center
of the Alsace wine route (Route des Vins
d'Alsace). Rent a motorbike and spend a
day traveling through Colmar’s vineyards and
imbibing the endless green rows and farms
along this renowned wine route. Five of
Alsace’s top wines are gewiztraminer, pinot gris,
muscatel, and pinot blanc.