In the footsteps of Vauban and Bartholdi: a day through Alsatian heritage
Colmar & Neuf-Brisach in one day
Between the charm of narrow streets and the rigor of ramparts
Just a few kilometers apart, Colmar and Neuf-Brisach offer two very different experiences of Alsace’s heritage. On the one hand, a town where you can wander through narrow streets, half-timbered houses and colorful facades. On the other, a military city of astonishing geometry, surrounded by monumental ramparts.
Here’s a simple itinerary to discover two sides of Alsatian architecture in a single day.
Colmar
Romantic & artistic
Start the day in Colmar, when the streets in the center are still relatively quiet. Here, the best way to visit is simple: walk without looking too closely at the itinerary and let yourself be guided by the narrow streets.
Soon, half-timbered houses and colorful facades set the tone. The streets are narrow, sometimes cobbled, and every turn reveals a new detail: an old sign, an inner courtyard, a flower-filled balcony.
Following the Lauch, you arrive in the Petite Venise district. Houses line the quays and are reflected in the water; terraces are beginning to set up, boats pass gently under the bridges. This is often one of the places where people linger longest.
As you continue to stroll through the center, certain buildings naturally catch your eye. The Maison Pfister, for example, cannot go unnoticed, with its murals and wooden gallery. At the corner of two shopping streets, it illustrates the city’s blend of medieval and Renaissance influences.
Colmar can also be discovered through its museums. At the Unterlinden Museum, housed in a former Dominican convent, you can see the famous Issenheim Altarpiece. And a few streets away, the Bartholdi Museum allows you to enter the birthplace of the sculptor who created the Statue of Liberty.
Before you leave town, give your visit a New York feel by taking a look at the replica of the Statue of Liberty, installed at Colmar’s northern entrance as a tribute to Auguste Bartholdi.
Not to be missed in Colmar
- the Unterlinden Museum and its Issenheim Altarpiece
- the Maison Pfister, one of the most striking facades in the historic center
- the Koïfhus, a former customs house with glazed tiles
- the Maison des Têtes, recognizable by its façade adorned with a hundred faces
- the Bartholdi Museum, in the sculptor’s childhood home
Pfister House
What to see in Neuf-Brisach
- the Porte de Colmar, the town’s former monumental entrance
- the Porte de Belfort and the Vauban Museum, dedicated to the history of fortifications
- MAUSA (Street Art Museum), housed in the city walls
- Place d’Armes, the geometric heart of the city
- the 1700 Garden, inspired by the plants and crops of Vauban’s time
Neuf-Brisach
The star city
Leaving Colmar for Neuf-Brisach, the landscape opens out onto the Alsace plain. Then, in the middle of the fields, an astonishing shape appears: a perfect star drawn into the landscape.
Built in the 17ᵉ century by the military engineer Vauban, the town was conceived as an impregnable fortress. Even today, its monumental ramparts, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, impress with their sheer scale.
As you enter the city, you immediately notice its very precise organization. The streets follow a checkerboard pattern and all converge on the Place d’Armes, located exactly in the center.
The tour takes on its full meaning as you walk along the ramparts. You’ll understand how the town was designed: bastions, ditches, glacis… each element was part of an elaborate defensive system.
For a more unusual visit, follow a character straight out of history: along the ramparts and streets of the town, they take you into 18th century Neuf-Brisach and tell you, as if you were there, about life in the fortress and the strategies devised by Vauban to make it impregnable.
Our advice
Join the two cities by bike!
A cycle route links the two towns, allowing you to enjoy the peaceful, bucolic scenery of the Canal de Colmar, the Canal du Rhône au Rhin, EuroVélo 15 and the villages of the Alsace plain. This easy itinerary promises an active day of discovery and wonder.
