Paris, Strasbourg, Colmar ideas on itinerary December

Since you’re going to Colmar, it has a free shuttle (navette) that goes around the historic center. Think of it as a free hop on, hop off bus. The route starts and ends at the train station with the entire loop taking about 20 minutes. It’s a small bus that holds about 12 people and runs 6 days a week. We stayed at Colmar Hotel at 14 Rte de Rouffach. It’s a couple minutes walk to the train station, but a mile from the historic center. That’s where the Navette is handy. We enjoyed the hotel and it had a very good breakfast buffet.

Thank you! I see you also responded to my London thread.

Any other ideas anyone has would be greatly appreciated.

The Cirque d'Hiver (winter circus) over by the Bastille is fun if you enjoy circuses. If you're a wine drinker, try some vin chaud, a mulled wine served only in the colder months.

I know you said you don't care about the villages outside Colmar and Strasbourg, but those small villages also have their own Christmas markets and they're quite charming. The navettes poster #1 talked about make circular routes to and from some of those small villages on weekend days, Ribeauville being one.

I had us taking the train early on the 11th to Strasbourg assuming that day and 2 more full days. Then the train to Colmar on the 14th with that day and 1 full day then back to Paris on the 16th. I’ve just conceptually booked this and assumed that there would be plenty to discover in each town without venturing out.

We loved the villages in between Strasbourg and Colmar. Should we take out one day in Strasbourg and take the bus through these villages?

I apologize for hijacking Andrea’s thread (nice name ;-)) but others may benefit from any answers. I will be in Strasbourg for 4 weeknights in December to use as a base and plan to spend a day in Colmar. I was hoping to figure out a way to get to the smaller wine villages another day and knowing the navette only operates on the weekends I’m wondering what other options I may have. We spent 4 nights in Colmar in March of last year, but had a car to travel around. This year I’ll be with a friend who has never been to the area. Weather permitting I’ll rent a car for a day if necessary, but would rather avoid it.

Andrea, they are all so close, I’ll bet a taxi or driver wouldn’t be that expensive.

Certainly! In addition to the well-known attractions in Paris, here are some off-the-beaten-path sites and events that you can explore:

• Musée de la Chassé et de la Nature, am unique museum, is dedicated to hunting and nature.
• Le Marais: While Le Marais is quite popular, it's worth exploring the lesser-known corners of this historic neighborhood.
• Parc des Buttes-Chaumont: Escape the bustling city and visit this beautiful park in the northeastern part of Paris.
• Parc de la Villette: Located in the northeast part of Paris, Parc de la Villette is a vast park with modern architecture, gardens, playgrounds, and cultural venues. It hosts concerts, exhibitions, and events throughout the year.

Please keep an eye out for local events, festivals, and temporary exhibitions happening during your visit, as they can offer unique experiences and insights into the local culture.

The Unterlinden Museum in Colmar is excellent.

Colmar is really great! There is a bus to Riquewihr and Ribeauvillé in front of the train station. My hotel in Colmar was Pierre et vacances Petite venice.

There was a question about how to get around (not using navette) to the other small villages near Colmar. I was in the area October last year. There is a bus (I think it is Bus # 106) in front of the Colmar train station. As soon as you exit the train station doors, take a right. In a few steps, you will see a bus stop. There is a bus schedule posted as well. I think the bus runs every 2 or 3 hours. I remember there was a 7:30ish AM bus. But I took the 11:00ish bus. It cost about 3 euros. You can get a ticket at a machine (takes credit cards) inside the station or from the bus driver (cash only). The bus drives through the wine route (Bennwihr, Mittelwihr, Hunnawihr, Riquewihr, Ribeauville, and a couple more). It is a beautiful ride and you can see all the vineyards and little villages. I took it all the way to Ribeauville. Then on the way back, I stopped in Riquewihr, stayed a while before heading back to Colmar. If I remember correctly, the bus ticket has a 4-hour validity. Make sure you check the bus times for the way back to Colmar. You don't want to be waiting around for 2 to 3 hours. So time you village stops accordingly.

Thank you for the information!