Why this French city is the driest place to grow world-class wine

Countries & Cities · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Nestled in the shadow of the Vosges mountains, Colmar enjoys a unique microclimate that makes it one of the driest cities in France. This unusual weather pattern, combined with a rich history of shifting borders, has created a town where French and German architecture blend seamlessly into a singular, preserved landscape.

Colmar’s climate is defined by its geography. Situated east of the Vosges mountains, the city benefits from a rain shadow effect: clouds arriving from the west are forced to rise over the peaks, shedding their moisture before reaching the valley. This leaves the air over Colmar warm and dry, with an annual precipitation of just 595 mm. This dryness, while creating a continental climate that can produce extreme seasonal temperatures, provides the ideal conditions for the region's viticulture, earning the city its reputation as the capital of Alsatian wine.

The city’s history is as layered as its architecture. First mentioned in the 9th century, Colmar evolved from a medieval trading hub within the Holy Roman Empire into a site of constant geopolitical friction. It was annexed by France in 1673, ceded to the German Empire in 1871, and returned to France after World War I. It was annexed again by Nazi Germany in 1940 before finally reverting to French control in 1945. Despite these turbulent shifts, the city largely escaped the destruction of major conflicts, leaving its old town remarkably homogeneous.

This preservation allows for a rare architectural timeline. Visitors can walk from 14th-century German Gothic structures like the Maison Adolph to 18th-century French Classicist buildings such as the Hôtel de Ville. The city’s landmarks, including the Unterlinden Museum and the Église Saint-Martin, showcase a fusion of styles, from timber-framed houses to pink and yellow Vosges sandstone. Today, Colmar remains a stable administrative center, having been governed by conservative parties continuously since 1947, with only three mayors serving throughout that entire period.

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