Travel / GETAWAY

Colmar : The Hostellerie Le Maréchal

By Monique Delanoue-Paynot

Charming getaway in Alsace

Three hours from Paris, discover an authentic 16th century Alsatian house and the magic of an enchanting city. A historical setting on the wine road.

Head for the Great East! At Christmas market time, if you are looking to immerse yourself in the luminous dream and the enchantment of the December illuminations, Alsace offers a complete range of festivities rich in multiple creativities: joyful strolls, renowned museums, fortified castles, typical villages on hillsides dripping with golden vineyards, culinary specialties of all kinds… and memorable wine tasting. It’s the place to be! A visit to Strasbourg is a must. The emblematic city offers the oldest Christmas market (the first one was created in 1570), and a reputation worthy of its XXL tree, adorning the Place Kléber with majesty every year. But Colmar offers much more! And “Little Venice” never ceases to seduce tourists from all over the world.

An unusual situation

At the edge of Lauch, the Hotel Le Maréchal is nestled in a postcard setting. By its architecture, its colored facades, its anchorage in the river which crosses the city, fascination and bewitchment are mixed. The boat on small gondolas takes us to discover its wooded banks. Flowery in summer, sumptuously snowed in winter! Les Collectionneurs* were not mistaken. Approved by Alain DucasseThis unusual 4-star hotel offers top-of-the-line services, outside the familiar hotel codes. Furniture collected by the owners in the past (the antique wardrobes are beautiful!), king size beds with upholstery and/or canopies, heavy taffeta velvet fabrics, stylized rooms/lounges with round tables covered in lace that match the plasma screens and a host of whirlpool baths.

The strong point? A high level restaurant! The address is sought after by the hotel’s clientele as well as the surrounding area. Reservations are essential at L’Échevin (2 toques in Gault Millau). You can dine here by candlelight: in the summer on the terrace decorated with garlands of lights along the Lauch River, and in the winter in the various salons with their baroque decor, with paintings, niches with balustrades and golden sconces. The gastronomic table, masterfully orchestrated by the young executive chef, Paul Fabuel, will delight the most gourmet palates. Foie gras with apple and pear, snacked scallops, filleted sea bass with Sturia caviar and Crémant sabayon, supreme of Alsace chicken (Label Rouge) stuffed with Barkass and Cumin, Riesling sauce… As for the pastry shop, the head of sweets, Laurent Liermann, surprises us with his subtly staged gustatory creations His best-sellers? Hot Ando Organic chocolate soufflé with black garlic and lemon caviar, Paris-Brest, roasted figs Linzer style. And homemade Kouglof for breakfast, Alsace obliges!

The gastronomic restaurant "A l'Echevin" is ranked among the best restaurants in Colmar with 2 toques in Gault Millau 14/20.

The chef, Paul Fabuel, at the stove sublimates products of the region while respecting the calendar of the seasons.

A family affair and tradition

DNA. The gastronomy, the atmosphere, the rituals all reflect the tradition of a region that is adept at using local, seasonal and quality products. But the challenge is to revisit with talent traditional dishes in real masterpieces. And the culinary experience will last in this Alsace of solidarity. As Alain Ducasse (President of the Collectionneurs) likes to say : « we bring together restaurateurs and hoteliers who share a passion for hospitality. Beyond a refined decoration, asserted culinary techniques or privileged locations, it is the personality of each address, the sincerity of the family, the couple, the woman or the man who animates each of the houses, which has always made the link between the selected establishments. »

Go to meetAlexandre Bomo and Nathalie, his wife, allows to understand the soul of the place and the enthusiasm of the teams that surround them. «”Le Maréchal is above all a family affair, a transmission! » declares the owner, in front of this house whose authenticity he claims with pride. Built in 1565 on the fortifications that surrounded the city, The Hostellerie « Le Maréchal » with its typically Alsatian facades welcomed in its time, Henri de la Tour d’Auvergne, Viscount of Turenne and Marshal of France. We are at the end of the 17th century. At the time, the house was known as the « Gasthof zum Schwartzenberg » : Black Mountains Inn.

It was not until the early 1970s that Mister Gilbert Bomo takes up residence in this house which he transforms into a hotel. Helped by an exceptional woman : Ingeborg ! The couple quickly reached 4 stars with 30 rooms and a gastronomic restaurant, acclaimed by all the gourmet guides thanks, among other things, to Gilbert’s specialties in the kitchen: his famous Jambon à la Broche and his Choucroute Bartholdi, cooked in a flaky pastry with foie gras… A true bridge between past and present, the succession is ensured today by his nephew Alexandre. The objective? To preserve the philosophy of the founding couple: gastronomy by evidence, welcome, hospitality and know-how. This is exactly what you will find at the Hostellerie Le Maréchal! Enjoy your stay.■

*Les Collectionneurs by Alain Ducasse ? Presided over by the nineteen-starred chef, this reference guide brings together the finest hotels in France under the same banner of excellence: « At the heart of our travels, there is an encounter with a restaurant owner, a hotelier, with others and with oneself. This journey, infinitely richer and more complex, we like to collect it. »

La Dolce Vita in Alsace

To be seen

– In Colmar : boat trip on « La Petite Venise » ; guided tour of the historic center with entrance to the Unterlinden Museum(a journey through 7000 years of history -from prehistory to 20th century art-) to admire the Issenheim Altarpiece as the centerpiece.

– On Voegtlinshoffen site offering a spectacular view of the Vosges, the Alsace plain, the Black Forest and the Swiss Alps: aperitif at the Belvedere at an altitude of 350m at Jacques Cattin(visit of the cellars, sale of the property’s wines at the ultra-design boutique).

-Diner at l’Altevic : delicious table at the foot of the vineyard. Meeting with Jean-Christophe Perrin, starred chef of the old cellar of Eguisheim who makes us taste a gastronomic and tasty cuisine. A seasonal menu at attractive prices (less than 35€) with multiple flavors drawn from his tasting experiences around the world. The decor? A simple, raw, contemporary loft, bathed in light. 4 Wiggenbach Street 68420 Hattstatt, phone : 03 89 78 83 56

– On the road to the Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg : stop at the emperor of La Tarte Flambée (the famous Flammenkuche to be tasted plain, with salmon, with munster…) before the visit of the representative symbol of the architecture of the castles of the XVth and XVIth centuries of the southern Rhine basin

– In Eguisheim : typical Alsatian village, lunch at L’Auberge des Trois Châteaux to enjoy the famous Baeckeoffe with 3 meats or marinated vegetables. AtGinglinger‘s, you can drink Crémant d’Alsace while tasting Kouglof.

The good addresses of Colmar

Chapellerie Meyers : for its trendy berets and scarves

Maison Guilg ; sweet/salty and small soft pretzel sandwiches

Agostino Di Foggia restaurant at the Winstub Brenner: homemade sauerkraut and typical Alsatian dishes.

From 255€ per room.
Book 3 nights and stay 4: special 50 years offer until December 24th

Hostellerie **** Le Maréchal – Gastronomic Restaurant A l’Echevin
Member of Les Collectionneurs (Châteaux et Hôtels Collection)
4-6 Place des Six Montagnes Noires – Quartier Petite Venise F-68000 COLMAR
Tel : 03.89.41.60.32
[email protected] / www.le-marechal.com