10+ Best Festive Events & Christmas Markets in Alsace

Last Updated on 28th November 2024 by Sophie Nadeau

This post may contain affiliate links. Please check out my privacy policy and disclosure for more information.

The Alsace is an ancient and historic region to the East of France with proximity to Germany’s border. Come Christmastime, the region transforms into a twinkling winter wonderland which warms its visitors with festive joy and spirit. Some of the very best Christmas Markets & festive events in all of France can be found there. Here’s your ultimate guide to the best Christmas Markets in Alsace!

Introducing Christmas in Alsace

The Alsace is impossibly beautiful and appears as if plucked straight out of a fairytale, so when it comes to Christmas, the magical towns exude a charm that is both enchanting and timeless.

By December each year, the region transforms (quite literally) into a winter wonderland, where the first snowfall blankets the quaint cobblestone lanes, and the spirit of Christmas comes to life through the glittering markets of each timber-framed village and town.

Thanks to its proximity to the German border, the unique blend of French and German cultures intertwine. This warm and welcoming pocket of the world is brimming with delicious Alsatian cuisine and plenty of artisanal treasures that reflect the region’s rich cultural tapestry.

Come nighttime time, the glistening glow that bathes the markets and the sweet cinnamon scent filling the air captures that essence of the holiday season. It’s for this reason that millions of people travel to the Alsace from the end of November right up until the New Year on an annual basis.

Best Christmas Markets in the Alsace

Strasbourg Christmas Market

Strasbourg is the capital city of the region and is also home to the oldest Christmas market of the Alsace, Strasbourg Christkindelsmärik dates back to 1570.

Self-proclaimed to be the ‘Capital of Christmas,’ Strasbourg is a true delight come wintertime. Indeed, the entirety of the city transforms into a winter wonderland, with illuminations, giant trees, and market stalls installed throughout.

As well as the markets, there’s a whole host of festive activities which you won’t want to miss out on during your trip, including concerts, exhibitions, and shows; from admiring the festive displays to indulging in local cuisine, and marvelling at Le Grand sapin (The Great Christmas Tree) a 30-metre tall tree that sits at the heart of the city.

After having visited Strasbourg during Christmas a handful of times now, each time feels just as magical as the last. From the chestnut-scented air to strolling alongside the banks of the river underneath twinkling fairy lights with a piping hot wine cradled in hand. Strasbourg is certainly one of the top places to visit in Europe at the end of the year. Read our ultimate Strasbourg at Christmas guide.

Obernai Christmas Market

Located just a half-hour drive away from Strasbourg is the sleepy Alsatian town Obernai, which (typical of the region) is filled with timber-framed candy houses and centred around its central market square.

Set beneath the emblematic belfry, a beautiful Christmas market envelopes the town. Obernai’s festive market is particularly renowned for its foodie delights! From warming vin chaud, to delicious baked Tarte Flambée, Christmas in Obernai offers its visitors the perfect opportunity to taste local produce and specialties of the region.

The Christmas market also features a Jules Verne Carousel, as well as a central decorative piece featuring a miniature Christmas village. Some of the must-visit stalls in this part of the market include a vin chaud (mulled wine) stall, a ceramic store, many artisanal Christmas decorations, a sweet stall selling traditional hard boiled sweets, and a hot chestnut stall. Read our guide on how to visit Obernai Christmas Market.

Thann Christmas Market

Often referred to as the cradle of the Alsace textile industry, even today, it’s hard not to miss the gleaming modern factories when heading into Thann by car. Situated in the Grand-Est, the tiny town of Thann can be found close to the borders with both Switzerland and Germany and has a population of just under eight thousand residents.

Come the festive season, the number of people in Thann swells, and when you head to the heart of town, you’ll soon discover a myriad of twinkling Christmas lights and decorations, including a decorated ‘tree tunnel’ which leads to an abundance of market stalls.

The market stalls sell artisan goods and wares, knitted hats, gloves and scarves. In terms of food, vendors serve dishes like the traditional Spätzle (pasta served with a creamy lardon sauce), as well as crêpes and plenty of vin chaud! Read our guide on Christmas in Thann here.

Colmar Christmas Market

If Christmas were a place, it would be Colmar. Indeed, this French fairytale town best known for its abundance of timber-framed houses and rich medieval history is decked out with decorations come Christmastime. As well as its markets, there’s a wealth of festive events to be enjoyed.

Consistently ranked as one of the best Christmas Markets in Europe, the city is transformed into a delightful extravaganza of twinkling lights, oversized trees, teddy bear walls, and hundreds of traditional wooden-style chalet stalls.

Though wonderful to visit during the daytime, the city is best seen at night, when a dazzling display of lights illuminates the city and its many canals, transforming Colmar into a true Christmas paradise. 

Throughout the festive season, events take place across the city, but the most notable are those of the concerts. Highlights include performances throughout the Christmas period at Saint Matthieu’s church, including Advent events, violin concertos, and even a Youth Symphony Orchestra concert.

Visitors can also enjoy ice skating at Place Rapp, which is surrounded by a forest of fir trees. This forest is the Christmas Tree Market of the town and where visitors can
peruse all the trees that are yet to be collected by a local to take home for decorating! Read our guide on how to visit Colmar at Christmas.

Guebwiller Christmas Market

One of the more alternative Christmas Markets in the Alsace region is that of Guebwiller. On an annual basis for just over a decade, the town has hosted ‘Blue Christmas’ or ‘Noël Bleu’ as it is so-called in French.

The market takes its name to commemorate the bicentenary of the birth of its ceramist, Théodore Deck. Many of the town’s key landmarks and attractions are illuminated in blue, bathing the entirety of the settlement in an azure glow.

There are two distinctive locations for the Christmas Markets in Guebwiller, though they are generally listed as a single event and can be reached within a few minutes walk of one another. While one is smaller and lies in the shadow of the famed ‘blue church,’ the other is a much larger affair, centred around a central ice skating rink. Read our guide to Christmas in Guebwiller.

Kaysersberg Christmas Market

Delightful, surprisingly large and a little off the beaten path, each year, Kayersberg’s Christmas market illuminates alleyways and brings this Alsace destination to life.

Kaysersberg is a dreamy little town which is best known for its location along the Alsatian wine route. Its moniker means “Mountain of the Emperor” in German, and come Christmastime, the entirety of the pastel-hued timber-framed settlement becomes a haven for Christmas festivities.

While some Alsatian Christmas markets have pretty long and storied histories, that of Kaysersberg is nowhere near as long, and there has only been an annual Christmas Market in town since 1987.

Since its inception, the Christmas Market has been run by the association ‘Noël à Kaysersberg’, made up of a group of townspeople. The group’s main aim is to spread the Christmas spirit and create the kind of Christmas Market which rivals even the best of Europe. Today, throughout Advent, up to 300,000 visitors are welcomed into Kaysersberg to enjoy the lights, purchase souvenirs and indulge in local food and drink.

Each year, 30 craftspeople are carefully selected by the municipality to sell their wares. You’ll find plenty of unique souvenirs and trinkets, including wooden toys, handwoven fabric products, and artisanal food and drink. Read our Christmas in Kaysersberg guide.

Mulhouse Christmas Market

Found nearby to Guebwiller is the charming settlement of Mullhouse. Magical and festive, this Alsatian town is a true delight come Christmastime!

After all, the streets are decked out in decorations, and twinkling lights, and the main market in town (lying in the shadow of the grand Cathedral) is presided over by a magnificent Ferris wheel, which you can go on to admire the market from above.

But, what makes the market at Mulhouse truly unique is that a special ‘Christmas fabric’ is produced each year. Head into the historic town hall, and you can even purchase this fabric by the metre. The Christmas cups for Vin Chaud are decorated with the fabric pattern and it can be found across the city adorning chalets and other spaces.

Eguisheim Christmas Market

For those who are seeking to venture a little off the beaten tourist track when it comes to the classic ‘Marchés de Noël’ and festive events in the Alsace region, there is perhaps no better place to head to than the delightful town of Eguisheim.

So authentic is the market to be found at Eguisheim that it’s been awarded the label of ‘Christmas Cities and Village’ (Villes et Villages de Noël in French) thanks to the outstanding quality and ambience of the stalls, festive spirit, and decorations on offer in this tiny Alsace town. 

Best known for its locally produced wares, authentic craftsmanship, and traditional stalls, there are around thirty market stalls spread across several venues in the town centre.

All are within a few minutes walk of one another, and the rest of the town is decorated with thousands of twinkling lights and festive decorations, meaning that there are plenty of photo opportunities! Read our guide on Christmas in Eguisheim.

Turckheim Christmas Market

One of the more unusual Christmas Markets in the Alsace is to be found just a ten-minute drive or so away from Kaysersberg-Vignoble. Turckheim is a speck of a town where, come Christmas, a handful of market stalls adorn the town’s centre.

Taking place throughout the Advent season each year (there’s even a life-sized picture advent calendar directly in front of the town hall), the market stalls themselves vend local products and are housed against the backdrop of tiny cartoon-like timber-framed stalls.

Sélestat Christmas Market

Sélestat boasts a historical heritage as being the “cradle of the Christmas Tree” thanks to the fact it’s home to the first written mention of one in 1521. This tiny Alsace town is a little off the beaten path, but well worth visiting for its rich cultural heritage and cute timber-framed homes.

Though I would not particularly go out of your way to visit the Christmas Market here, there are a few festive activities to enjoy, and the town itself (like all of the Alsace) exudes festive warmth and seasonal joy in its own right.

Anywhere from learning how to make Christmas regional treats to marvelling at the decorations and the multitude of fir trees that deck out the town. Indeed, there’s usually an exhibition which outlines the evolution of the Christmas tree.

Kingersheim Christmas Market

For those who are in search of an eco-friendly Christmas market (hosted indoors) and only using recycled materials (meaning no waste!), then Kingersheim is the place to go!

Kingersheim’s Christmas Market offers a fresh approach to the festive season, considering the impact this annual tradition has on the environment and turning it onto its head, allowing visitors to explore a winter wonderland through a different lens.

Although relatively small, Christmas here is truly magical as every decoration seen is created from carefully picked recycled materials that are then handmade by local craftsmen.

Pfastatt Christmas Market

With a very local feel, Pfastatt is the kind of Christmas Market that’s a true hidden gem and only really ‘discoverable’ thanks to word of mouth!

This small market typically takes place over just one weekend in December and only tends to house a handful of market stalls. Intimate and cosy, the air is scented with vin chaud and artisans sell treasures from handmade decorations, knitted gloves and plenty of beautiful ornaments that make perfect gifts for loved ones.

Riquewihr Christmas Market

Perched on a hillside, Riquewihr is a fairytale town that feels like it’s been plucked straight out of a storybook. The medieval town remains partially fortified to this day, and pastel-hued homes are dotted around the small settlement in abundance. Come Christmastime, Riquewihr is home to one of the most frequented markets in the Alsace.

As the town is quite small, the area within the walls is transformed into a Christmas town, with over 100 stalls lining the rue des Remparts.

The town is home to one particular speciality Christmas Market, Le Sentier des Saveurs (the flavour trail) which is held in the Cour des Nobles and sees around a dozen chalets selling local produce. This includes Alsace whisky, local charcuterie, and fresh cheeses. Read our Christmas in Riquewihr guide.

Bouxwiller Christmas Market

Of all the Christmas Markets in the Alsace, one of the most charming to visit is certainly that of Bouxwiller. A small town with a population of around 4,000 residents, this quaint destination twinkles with festive joy come Christmastime.

The Christmas market usually takes place over a weekend in December and is considered to be one of the most traditional in the Alsace region, boasting stalls which sell specialty delights, ornaments and decorations.

Enjoyed reading about the best Christmas Markets in Alsace? Pin this article now, read it again later: