Before University classes started this week, we really wanted to visit some places in France, so Sunday saw Ania and I heading to the prettiest place I’ve ever seen. Ania had previously come across an article that described Colmar, in the Alsace region, as one of the 19 most charming places in the world, so sure enough we had to go!
French train prices are pretty weird, so the best option was me to get a first-class ticket there quite early in the morning. *VERY early in the morning. It was dark when I waited for the bus.
First class seemed to consist of giant seats and handy signs which tell you the temperature and sometimes the speed. The TGV train was rolling at a casual 320kmph (or just under 200mph) at one point! For some reason, the train didn’t go anywhere for half an hour because the police had to come aboard to check ID cards. Weirdly, they didn’t need to check us first class passengers, but from what I gathered from other people’s conversations, they were looking for someone specific. All very mysterious…
Getting off the train and seeing a fairly bleak normal-looking place was somewhat worrying. Had we come to a different Colmar? Were all the amazing photos online photo-shopped? We headed towards the city centre and discovered exactly what we’d seen online- amazing wiggly colourful houses.
To work out where to go and what to see, we started the day with a trip on the “Petit Train Touristique”. They kindly let us have a children’s ticket and we were soon crammed into our little white train winding the streets of Colmar with headsets on, listening to facts about the city read in an “interesting” English accent.
We then had a bit of a wander round, coming across soooo many amazing buildings, but the best was yet to come. Luckily, we’d come the weekend of the 4th Anniversary of the Covered Market, so special boat trips were being run for 5 Euros. On a little boat, fairly similar to a gondola but with a motor, 8 of us set off along the river through a gorgeous area known as Little Venice (below)
and along past Bartholdi’s former house. Throughout the day, we came across statues of Frédéric Bartholdi left, right and centre. The sculptor who designed the statue of Liberty seems to be the city’s pride and joy.
(Bartholdi himself, taken from a rather speedily moving Petit Train.)
We also went on a ride in a carriage pulled by two lovely horses and witnessed some traditional dancing Alsace-style. Ania even got the opportunity to dance to a samba with a short fat French man who was incredibly reluctant to let go of her afterwards.
After such a long busy day, we went back to the train station where we waited for our car-share to arrive. “Co-voiturage” seems to be a big thing in France, recommended by quite a few French people that I’ve met, as a good cheaper alternative to the train. The drive back with some French girls was pleasant and it was weird hearing English songs on the radio that had had a French rap added to them.
On eventually getting home, I was delighted to discover that Maddi had made a super tasty Spaghetti Bolognese for me and some of the other girls. (Thanks MADDI!).
All in all, GREAT DAY!