The Alsace area in France is famous for the wine route and for the quality of these wines. But the truth is that it is also the area of France in which it is said that there are the most beautiful villages in all of France. And among these, some stand out, such as Riquewihr and Colmar, two real gems for those who want to enjoy some fairytale villages in the heart of France.
Today we will see a little more of these small towns However, they are conquering tourism internationally with their incredible charm. Not every day you can go back in time with spaces as incredible as these, where you can still see that medieval touch and the old style in the architecture and in the streets.
Riquewihr
We begin with the one that has been proclaimed as one of the most beautiful villages in France, and it certainly deserves the title it holds. This village is located in the Upper Rhine area, in the Alsace region. It has been an environment that has been disputed by the Germans and the French for their position, but today they live in a moment of peace. In addition, it is a town that seems an isolated space between vineyards. Don't forget that you are on the Alsace Wine Route, where some of the most delicious wines in the world are produced. Another reason to visit this area and its cozy towns.
One of the most typical pictures of Riquewihr are its houses, some of which are from the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries. Those colorful ones, the so typical timber framing of the region and the flowers adorning the facades have made this town something unique and worth seeing. Also noteworthy is the fact that many of the houses are painted in colors, which gives a very cheerful touch to the whole. For example, the Dissler House will be easy to find, with an indigo blue color that makes the wood stand out. Today this house is a restaurant with delicious dishes.
One of the places that we cannot miss in Riquewihr is the dolder tower in the upper part of the city. It was a watchtower to protect the city from any attack. In fact Dolder in Alsatian means 'the highest point'. Today it houses three floors inside with the local art museum and collections of weapons and objects. We also have the High Gate, another vestige of the defensive constructions in the city. A gate that was built together with some walls and bastions at the request of the Duke of Wüttemberg. You can also visit the Torre de los Ladrones, where there is a torture room with instruments, the place where thieves were once locked up.
Colmar
Another beautiful little town in the Alsace region, in its plain and at the foot of the Vosges mountain range. It is a city that has more to see than Riquewihr, so the visit will take us longer. It is very close to Germany and therefore the architecture of the old area was inspired by the German Gothic. This city is also known with the Capital of Alsace wines.
One of the places that attracts the most visitors in Colmar is the Little Venice or La Petite Venise. It is a group of houses in the typical style of the region, which are on the banks of the Launch River. To see everything from the best perspective, you can rent a boat to take a walk on this river. In the city we can also visit different districts that were dedicated, as in medieval times, to a specific trade, where artisans settled. Today it is worth seeing the District of the Fishmonger and the District of the Tanner.
There are other things to see in Colmar, such as the Collegiate Church of San Martín, one of the most beautiful Gothic churches in the Alsace area, the Dominican Church, which dates from the XNUMXth century but has undergone many modifications. The Unterlinden Museum is one of the most visited in France, with the Isenheim Altarpiece, from the German Gothic. They also have the Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Wood or the Museum of Animated Toys.
Another thing that is new in the city and that can be very interesting from our perspective of tourists is the well-known route of The magic of lights. In this walk through the old part of the city it has become something even more beautiful, since it is a night tour through certain streets in which they have used lighting to create an even more romantic and beautiful set.