I'm taking a trip to Bavaria and the Black Forest this fall. Aside from some French ambiance, do either of these towns offer anything worth making a day trip across the border?

We spent two nights in Strasborg last September and thoroughly enjoyed it. The cathedral is so interesting and we found the food very good and the people were very friendly. We took a boat tour and thoroughly enjoyed it (my husband doesn't usually like tours) - very walkable, enjoyable town.

IMO yes, they are both worth a day trip. Have been to Strasbourg for a day last year, to Colmar this year in May. I suggest you read my trip reports:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34503583
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34448796

Ingo

I really enjoyed Strasbourg. the small towns and village south of Strasbourg are also worth visiting.

I took an easy day trip to Strasbourg on a whim from Freiburg, Germany one year. Each way by train was 1hr20min, including a change of train in Offenburg, Germany.
Strasbourg has a beautiful compact old city center and well worth a day trip.

I visited and stayed in Colmar on a different trip and also well worth it.
I recall the language was French, the food and architecture was German.
That was during my college years (as in backpacking and hostels). The cheapest place I ever stayed was a hostel in Colmar...7 bucks for the night (sorry, no breakfast).

We stayed in Colmar, the street called, "Little Venice"Our hotel The Marechel faced the canal and several other restaurants do as well. It's a good walking town. There's the Musée d'Unterlinden, very crowded., the Bartholdi, (he designed the Statue of Liberty)not much to see, a few of his scetches, and a bit of history.

Colmar is a beautiful town to stroll through as others have said and well worth a day trip. I too took a trip to the Black Forest (Kandern). On our first full day, after the jetlag ended, we went to Colmar & Eggesheim (sp?) for the day.... a great way to settle in, enjoy a different culture, walk through amazing neighborhoods and use my 3 years of high school French that my father thought there was no use for. After 15 years I was able to prove him wrong!

Enjoy your trip!

The small vills along the Routes de Vins are great. Obernai and Riquewihr are personal favs.
M

From my 2003 trip report:

"First of all, Colmar is not small, not quaint and really not pretty. We got to the city center and meandered to little Venice (or Petit Venise). My thought: real Venice should sue for defamation of character. Petit Venise was pretty drab."

I think I said something about the faux boats cruising the ugly canal looking like they would sink at any minute." We got out of Colmar as quickly as possible.

Outside of Aix, this is Europe's most overrated town. There are so many quaint, charming towns dotting the Routes Des Vins, personally I would skip Colmar.

I, too, really liked Riquewihr.

true there are prettier towns. It's lovely staying along the canal in Colnmar where we stayed so that we'd be near our restaurant, the wonderful, Auberge de L'Ill but the overall is not as picturesque as Riquewihr, Kayserberg, La petite-Pirre, Berheim, Eguisheim and yet more we never havd time to visit.

I agree with the others concerning Colmar -- It wasn't high on our list. If you are going to make a day trip, consider Obernai and Riquewihr and some of the other villages on the wine route. Haut Koenigsbourg is also a nice fortress to visit.