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DICK WOODBRIDGE’S 2009 EXPERIENCES
IN COLMAR, FRANCE
– COLMAR, FRANCE –
AN INTRODUCTION TO A VERY SPECIAL EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE
by Richard C. Woodbridge ‘65 Colmar, France is one of our favorite places. We have been there four times since 1987 and it is Princeton’s Sister City. Colmar is located on the eastern border of France between Strasbourg and Mulhouse and just a few miles west of Freiburg, Germany. Most air travel comes into Frankfurt, Germany or Basel, Switzerland. In either case, it is approximately an hour and a half to Colmar by car, bus or rail. Colmar, like so many other European cities, is steeped in history. It is special, however, because it is located on the border of two major countries. When we first visited Colmar in 1987 we met a gentleman whose mother changed nationalities five times, despite the fact she never moved from the house she was born in.
We love the Alsatian food and wine. Alsatian of food is neither French nor German, but rather its own special variety. The best Alsatian wines are all white. A typical French dinner would start with a light wine such as a sparkling Crémant, dinner with an Alsatian dry Riesling (unlike its sweet German cousin) , then maybe a Pinot Gris, and end up, after 4 - 5 courses, with a heavier wine such as a Gewurztraminer. We have become so fond of Alsatian wines that we rarely drink reds anymore.
Alsatian residents tend to be reserved, but friendly, to Americans. It typically takes several visits before they fully open up. When they do, however, you learn a lot of interesting things you can’t get from guide books. There are two ways to visit Colmar. The first way is to spend a month or two there and live like a local. The second is to spend, perhaps, a week or so and see it like a tourist.
If you plan to spend a month or more, then we suggest that you consider a house swap, like we did with our family in 1988. That can probably be arranged by contacting the Colmar Visitors Bureau. Alternatively, there are several good online house swapping sites such as Vacation Rentals by Owner (www.VRBO.com) or www.homeaway.com. We took our entire family and lived in the center of town. Even though our French language skills are weak, we had no problems making our way around. A long-term stay permits you to do more fun activities such as hiking in the Vosges Mountains and visiting some of the more remote, but beautiful, villages along the Route des Vins. It also reduces costs because you don’t pay the relatively high European hotel rack rates – keeping in mind that the Euro has risen substantially over the past decade against the U.S. Dollar. It is our family dream to go back to Colmar with the kids and grandkids, live in a local home, and see how life has changed after a quarter of a century. Most people do not have the luxury of spending a month or more in Colmar, so it is likely they will go as tourists. If so, we recommend staying at the Grand Hotel Bristol which is run by our very good friend Richard Riehm, a former deputy mayor. If you stay at the Hotel Bristol, be sure to visit the Princeton Room complete with its very own Princeton Tiger. The Hotel Bristol is conveniently located near the downtown train station at 7 Place de la Gare, F 68000 Colmar. The hotel telephone # from the U.S. is (011 33) 3 89 23 59 59. If you plan to visit Colmar these are the places that you’ll want to visit: * The Unterlinden Museum and Petite Venise right in the heart of town.
* The villages of Kaysersberg, Riquewirh (especially the fabric factory), Equisheim, Ribeauville, and the city of Strasbourg.
* The castle of Haut Koenigsbourg. * At least one of the World War I battlefields such as the Vieil Armand or the village of Lapoutriore.
If possible, carve out at least half a day to hike in the Vogues and eat at one of the fermes auberge – local farms that also serve hearty lunches typically matched with local wines, cheeses and specialties. A great place to do this is on the way to the Grand Ballon just one hour by car southwest of Colmar. The Grand Ballon is the highest point in Alsace. The beautiful drive there takes you past the battlefield and cemetery of Vieil Armand and provides a wonderful hiking opportunity with breathtaking views once you get there.
If you have extra time, consider a trip one hour due south by train to Mulhouse and a visit to the famous Bugatti Automobile Museum, the Train Museum or the Museum of Printed Textiles.
On October 11-18, 2009, we took a group of 34 visitors including members of the Great Classes of 1965 and 1966, spouses and friends to visit Colmar. The itinerary is attached to this introduction and represents what we believe to be the very best sightseeing and dining opportunities in Colmar based upon the experience of our good friends Anne O’Neill, a local resident who represented the Haut Rhine in the US, and Vivianne Beller, an American tour guide, who lives in France. Colmar is a very popular tourist destination for Europeans, but is relatively unknown to Americans, probably because there is no reason for Americans to pass through Colmar. Colmar was also the scene of heavy American fighting during World War II in the "Colmar Pocket”. Because Americans are relatively rare, and because Colmar residents appreciate the sacrifice Americans made there during World War II, we found that Colmarians treated us nicely when they discovered that we were from the States. Knowledge of French is useful, though not mandatory. Some locals speak German (which I speak considerably better than French) but I do not recommend it because there are still some lingering ill feelings left over from the last two world wars. Lastly, as is true in most of Europe, American Express cards are rarely accepted but MasterCard and Visa are. You may find that encrypted credit cards are required so you should probably check with your bank before you go. Colmar is interesting in that, as a culture, it does not feel like France or Germany. It has its own distinct personality. During our house swap in 1988 we found that we quickly became comfortable living in the heart of town. We got up in the morning, walked to the store to get our baguettes and coffee, picked up a newspaper, planned our day, did something interesting in the afternoon, had a wonderful dinner with one of the many fantastic white Alsatian wines, went to bed, and repeated the next day. We would highly recommend Colmar to any classmate who is looking for an authentic European experience in a very comfortable environment with a surplus of wonderful cultural and dining opportunities. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me directly at rcwoodbridge@yahoo.com or via my phone at (609) 924-7649. Richard C. Woodbridge ‘65 CLASS OF 1965 ITINERARY: OCTOBER 11 – 18, 2009 Sunday 11th -- ARRIVAL DAY8:50 am Arrival by air in Zurich from the USA Chartered bus pickup at Zurich airport for transport to Colmar 11:30 am Arrival in Colmar and check in for 7 nights at:
Grand Hotel Bristol (7 Place de la Gare, F 68000 Colmar)
Welcome drink and light buffet lunch in the hotel Afternoon - Walking Tour of Colmar 7:00 pm Dinner in Brasserie "L’Auberge" (in the hotel) Monday 12th -- ROUTES DES VINS DAY
10:00 am Guided tour of the Old town of Colmar via Petite Venise,
Quai de la Poissonnerie, Rue des Tanneurs, Maison Pfiste,
and ending with a visit to the Unterlinden Museum,
with its famous Grunewald’s Isenheim Altarpiece.
Departure by bus to Kaysersberg via the scenic Route des Vins. 1:00 pm Traditional lunch: Restaurant Winstub Le Chambard Departure to Ribeauvillé and shopping at the Beauvillé
fabric outlet
3:00 pm Visit the Schweitzer Museum and the old town, birthplace of
Albert Schweitzer.
Visit the town of Riquewihr «la perle du vignoble».
5:30 pm Visit maison de Foie Gras: a presentation on the history
and making of the renowned Alsatian Foie Gras.
Tasting with fine wine.
Dinner in Colmar (on your own) Tuesday 13th -- BAS-RHIN DAY 9:00 am Departure by bus to the Wine Route. 10:00 am Guided tour of the Middle Age Castle,"Haut Koenigsbourg”
With its majestic architecture and its incredible views across the
Alsatian plain, it's hardly a surprise that this is one of France's most
popular monuments in terms of visitor numbers. More than 600,000
people visit this site each year.
You will see Saint-Hippolyte and Kintzheim ... Arrival in Obernai 12:30 pm Alsatian lunch in old town Obernai: Restaurant La Cloche Departure by bus to Mont St. Odile which offers extraordinary
views and an exceptional natural and archaeological environment,
with marked paths for hikers, places that invite meditation.
Return by bus to Kientzheim 4:00 pm Welcome to the CEEJA
(Centre Européen d’Etudes Japonaises d’Alsace)
Presentation on the history and economy of Alsace by Andre Klein,
President of CEEJA and former Director of the Alsace Development
Agency, and long-time friend of Princeton.
6:30 pm Welcome to the Confrérie Saint Etienne (a brotherhood of wine-
makers who promote the great wines of Alsace) and an educational
wine-tasting where you will be introduced to wine tasting techniques
by an expert who will also help you to recognize the four finest grape
varieties: Riesling, Muscat, Tokay Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer.
Return by bus to Colmar, followed by dInner (on your own).
Wednesday 14th -- FREE DAY IN COLMAR OR BEYOND
7:00 pm Gastronomic dinner at JY’S (Schillinger) (Michelin starred)
at 17 rue Poissonnerie, Colmar
Thursday 15th -- STRASBOURG DAY 9:00 am Departure by bus to Schirmeck. 10:00 am Visit the Memorial Alsace-Moselle in Schirmek Departure to Strasbourg 1:00 pm Alsatian lunch at the Restaurant Gurtlerhoft
for Tarte Flambée, the delectable Alsace "pizza”
3:00 pm Visit the "Cave Historique des Hospices de Strasbourg”
and wine tasting.
Visit old town Strasbourg: the Cathedrale de Notre Dame
"le grande ange rose de Strasbourg”, la Petite France…
Return by bus to Colmar; dinner (on your own). Friday 16th -- VOSGES MOUNTAINS DAY 9:00 am Departure by bus to Lapoutroie, a famous World War I
battlefield, now a peaceful village where "Eau de vie"
is produced.
10:00 am Visit the cheese dairy Haxaire: and a discovery of the AOC
Munster cheese production stages, including a cheese tasting.
12.30 pm Typical lunch from the Valley "marcaire” in the farmhouse-inn
Glasborn (meat pie from the Valley is an absolute must).
. Discover the "Route des Crêtes" and the Valley, a former
military road built during the World War I, an easy way to get
across the rounded mountain tops of Vosges, the lakes,
"La Schlucht”...
4:30 pm Visit the distillery Miclo with fruit brandies tasting in Lapoutroie.
Return by bus, followed by Dinner in Colmar (on your own) Saturday 17th -- GERMANY: THE BLACK FOREST
9:00 am Departure by bus to Neuf Brisach. Visit this fortress town built in the 17th century, one of the
finest examples of military architecture produced by Vauban.
It is listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
Bus to Freiburg, the "capital of the Black Forest", to discover
a friendly town blessed with abundant sunshine. The attractive
old quarter has twisting lanes, pretty courtyards, little streams
known as "Bachle", traditional restaurants and quaint bars.
Towering over everything is the Minster with its unique spire.
Bus departure to Titisee
12:30 pm Lunch in the Restaurant Bergsee
After lunch, a tour around the beautiful lake of Titisee. Back to Colmar by bus. 7:00 pm Farewell to Alsace dinner: "Rendez-vous de Chasse"
in the Grand Hotel Bristol (Michelin starred)
Sunday 18th -- Au Revoir Alsace!6:30 am Check out and departure by bus to Zurich Airport
Rating:
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