How to Visit Rue des Marchands in Colmar
Last Updated on 18th December 2024 by Sophie Nadeau
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If you’ve seen any snaps of Colmar during the festive season, then no doubt you’ll have spied its many beautiful timber-framed façades. Well, one set of houses that’s particularly beautiful can be found along rue des Marchands, which literally translates into English as ‘Merchants Street’.
A history of rue des Marchands
The street runs for around 270 metres and culminates in a small square, which is where the iconic façades of Colmar are located. There are a number of pastel-hued timber-framed buildings, some of which date all the way back to the 14th-century.
Today the street is completely pedestrianised, though you should note that at particularly busy periods (for example a Saturday evening in December), it can be pretty much impossible to navigate the crowd because of how busy it is!
Even if you only spend one day in Colmar you’ll likely come across the road because it’s so central. Afterwards you can head to my personal favourite spot in the city, Petite Venise (Little Venice) where canals meander alongside the centuries old timber-framed buildings.
How to visit rue des Marchands
The best time to visit Colmar is undoubtedly in the winter when all of the beautiful Christmas Markets are taking place. There are at least six distinctive markets, though they all run into one another, meaning that it can be hard to tell where one market stops and the next begins.
The best view of rue des Marchands can be found on the steps leading up to the Ancienne Douane (Old Customs House), a staggeringly large building which was formerly a customs office and has since been transformed into a community centre.
Now the building is home to an indoor crafts market during the Christmas season. This market doubles up as a great place to warm up from the cold while shopping for local and unusual gifts. Just know that because of the artisanal nature of this event you’re not allowed to take photos or videos inside the building.
If you do decide to take a photo or video from the steps leading to the first floor, be mindful that you don’t take too long to procure your photo since this is a thoroughfare and if too many people block the route too frequently, there’s a risk that local authorities will no longer allow photos at this spot.
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