The Land of Christmas, territory of soft mobility
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Alsace encourages soft mobility dear to Santa Claus, a pioneer of the genre with his famous sleigh pulled by reindeer.
It is easy to reach the region by TGV from Paris, Lyon or Bordeaux and then wander as you please in the Rhine plain thanks to its efficient network of regional express TER trains.
From Colmar station, the Pays des étoiles shuttles invite you to explore eight of the most beautiful Christmas markets in Alsace (Ribeauvillé, Kaysersberg, Neuf-Brisach, etc.).
Further south, in
Mulhouse
, the free electric shuttle will be maintained during Christmas.
Inside the bus, an urn offers the opportunity to support local associations.
You have no choice but to take the car?
No problem.
The main Alsatian towns have provided relay car parks from which you can reach the heart of their markets on foot, by tram or by bus.
Alsace and its Christmas markets will immerse you in the magic of the end-of-year celebrations.
Mulhouse got the ball rolling on November 24.
Enough to compensate for the winter frosts with the magic of the illuminations and the local gastronomy.
And then there is the pleasure of warming up with family or friends over a tasty glass of mulled wine.
Many cities in France, but also in Europe and around the world, followed suit in Strasbourg, self-proclaimed "Christmas Capital" in 1992. Kaysersberg and Colmar drew the first, but the Alsace Destination Tourisme agency counts more than
200 Christmas markets
.
All the more reason to follow our guide to bet on authenticity.
The towns and villages of the region are working hard to surprise four million visitors each year.
The festivities canceled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic have generated immense momentum in this region known for its festive conviviality.
This year, the issues of energy sobriety are prompting adaptations.
Alsace invites people to favor soft mobility thanks in particular to its dense network of public transport (train, tram, bus, bicycle).
Mulhouse has banned auxiliary heaters in chalets offering catering with ovens or hotplates.
In Strasbourg, the illuminations put in place by the municipality have been reduced by 20%.
The gourmet market in Colmar, particularly gluttonous in gas and electricity, will close an hour earlier in the evening.
But,
the party always has the last word.
Here is our selection of ten Christmas markets to choose from.
Colmar Christmas market, the favorite of gourmets
From November 24 to December 29, 2022.
In 2021, Colmar is republishing its gourmet market for the third consecutive edition.
Colmar Tourism / Press photo
In
Colmar
, nine chefs put their great cuisine into small dishes until 10 p.m., place de la Cathédrale.
Foie gras, sauerkraut and gingerbread, this gourmet market is not to be missed under any circumstances!
As a bonus, renowned restaurateurs put on a culinary show in this extremely popular market (Thursday and Friday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.; except for 24 and 25/11 and 29/12).
Energy sobriety obliges, it will close at 9 p.m., one hour earlier than in 2021 and will be lit by LED illuminations, like the whole of the city.
The magic will be no less exceptional and the dishes to eat in or take away no less tasty.
This extremely popular Gourmet market came to extend the list of five existing markets five years ago.
A total of 172 exhibitors animate the streets of the wine-growing city and 26 exhibitors the building of the Koïfhus (Grand'rue), temple of artistic craftsmanship.
"More than three-quarters are regional exhibitors",
assures the
Where ?
Place des Dominicains, place Jeanne d'Arc, place de l'Ancienne Douane, Koïfhus, place of the 6 black mountains, place de la Cathédrale.
Dates and times:
The Colmar Christmas market is open from November 24 to December 29, Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
December 24 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and December 25 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., December 26 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
How to come to Colmar?
By train.
Colmar TGV station is located a quarter of an hour's walk from the city centre.
It can be reached in 35 minutes from Strasbourg station.
By car.
The Parc des Expositions park and ride car park (Avenue de la Foire aux Vins) offers free parking on Christmas market weekends and free shuttles to the city centre.
Free shuttles from the Gare-Bleylé paid car park (route de Rouffach) have also been set up during this period.
Kaysersberg Christmas market, the most authentic
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from November 25 to December 18, Monday December 19 and Tuesday December 20, 2022.
The setting of the wine-growing city, installed at the foot of the Vosges, constitutes a magical setting.
OTVKB / Photo press
Fancy an authentic Christmas in a magical landscape of Alsatian half-timbering?
In Kaysersberg, it's very simple, the market has hardly changed in more than thirty years.
The decoration of this wine-growing city near Colmar is regulated to the millimeter: green fir, red knots and white lights, not twinkling, please!
The medieval center of the city is a remarkable setting to immerse visitors in the atmosphere of the market.
Foie gras, aromatic herbs, gingerbread, organic wine, etc.
Lovers of local specialties will also find what they are looking for.
To discover this year among the many animations, the exhibition
The toys of yesterday and today
(until January 8, 2023 from 10 am to 8 pm).
Where ?
Cour de l'Arsenal and behind the Sainte-Croix church.
Dates and times:
The Kaysersberg Christmas market is open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from November 25 to December 18 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Monday 19 and Tuesday 20 December from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
How to get to Kaysersberg by public transport?
The Pays des étoiles Christmas shuttles depart from Colmar station to the markets of Kaysersberg, Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé, Eguisheim Turckheim, Munster and Neuf-Brisach every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from November 25 to December 18 (line 5 to Neuf-Brisach will only operate on Saturday 10/12 and Sunday 11/12).
€10 per person, free for children under 12.
Strasbourg Christmas market, always more united
From November 25 to December 24, 2022.
In the shade of Strasbourg's "Grand Sapin", the Sharing Village invites you to make responsible purchases and participate in solidarity collections.
Alexi Tauzin / stock.adobe.com
The Alsatian capital places its 2022 edition under the seal of the message of solidarity and fraternity delivered by the Christmas holidays.
In the shade of the “Grand sapin” (place Kléber), the 60 associations of
the Sharing Village
invite people to make responsible purchases and participate in solidarity collections.
Come and taste the soup concocted by starred chefs for the benefit of professional integration activities or unearth original gifts on
Oz, the Christmas of crafts
(large room of the Aubette): About fifty ceramic artisans, glassmakers and cabinetmakers exhibit their creations there.
If you are looking to give more meaning to your Christmas shopping, also stop by the
OFF market
(place Grimmeissen).
This alternative market launched in 2016 invites you to enjoy the festivities differently, around thirty actors from the social and solidarity economy.
Its exhibitors have taken up residence in an atypical setting made of shipping containers and spherical structures!
A nod to the wooden houses of the “historic” market.
The spirit of this committed market infuses all of Strasbourg, Capital of Christmas.
Guillaume Libsig, deputy mayor of this ecological municipality, even goes so far as to say that "
The values of the OFF embody in what the city wants to deploy in the IN
"...
Where ?
The fourteen markets are spread over the squares and squares of the Grande île, the historic center of Strasbourg.
Dates and times:
The Strasbourg Christmas market is open from November 25 to December 24.
November 25 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
From November 26 to December 24 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day
December 24 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
On December 26, the Village de l'Avent (square Louise Weiss and square Suzanne Lacore) will be transformed into
the Village de l'Après
to extend the magic until January 1, 2023.
How to come to Strasbourg?
By train.
Arrival at Strasbourg TGV station, located 15 mins walk from Place Kléber.
Read alsoCarton in sight for the Strasbourg Christmas market: the SNCF is beefing up its train offer
By plane.
Arrival at Strasbourg-Entzheim International Airport, located about 10 km from the city center by motorway.
Opt for the train shuttle: 4 times per hour, it reaches Strasbourg station in 9 minutes.
Parking, tram… How to get around?
The Strasbourg Christmas market takes place on the Big Island, entirely reserved for pedestrians during the festivities.
The relay-tram car parks (P+R) allow you to park your vehicle near a tram station, to reach the city center in a few minutes.
The parking price includes a round trip by tram for all passengers in the vehicle.
This year, all tram stations are served for the duration of the Christmas market with the exception of the Broglie stop (lines B, C and F).
Langstross Grand'Rue (lines A and D) and Alt Winmärik (B and F) stations are closed during Christmas market opening hours (11am-8pm).
Read alsoStrasbourg Christmas Market 2022, what you need to know and what will change
Haguenau Christmas market, cradle of nativity scenes
From November 25 to December 30, 2022.
The capital of Northern Alsace highlights an exceptional nativity scene every year.
ADT / Photo press
Contemplating a representation of the Nativity will immerse you in the origins of Christmas.
And it is in Haguenau, 30 km north of Strasbourg, that this magic is most appreciated.
The fourth urban area in Alsace has been claiming its status as the “cradle of crèches” for six years.
Away from its more touristy neighbours, the town plays the card of a family market of around fifty small wooden chalets and invites visitors each year to discover an exceptional crèche.
After Madrid last year, it is South America's turn to be honored through the Andes nativity scene, the work of Fernando Cruz-Avalos, a great specialist in the art of nativity scenes.
A real treasure of its kind!
You can admire this luxuriant, exuberant and sunny ensemble in the windows placed at the corner of Place de la République and Place Joseph Thierry.
See also the
“600-year-old Nativity scene”
made by the potter Vincent Remmy from local clay.
It pays homage to the oldest trace of the existence of a nativity scene in Haguenau and probably in Alsace, a mention dated 1420 annotated in a register kept in the Municipal Archives.
Open from November 25 to December 30, Tuesday to Sunday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. (closed on Sunday December 25).
Where ?
Place de la République, place Joseph Thierry, place d'Armes, Cours de la Décapole, Grand'Rue.
Dates and times:
The Haguenau Christmas market is open from November 25 to December 30.
Monday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday December 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Monday December 26 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. (Closed on December 25).
How to come to Haguenau?
By train.
The SNCF station is located 10 minutes walk from the city center.
It is accessible in 20 to 30 minutes from Strasbourg station.
By plane.
Strasbourg-Entzheim International Airport is located 50 km from the city center by motorway.
The airport is served up to 4 times per hour by a train shuttle and is linked to Strasbourg station in 9 minutes.
Parkings.
The town center is bordered by five paying car parks: Hall aux Houblons, Vieille île, Quai des Pêcheurs, Thurot and Gare.
Sélestat Christmas market, magnified fir trees
From November 26 to December 30, 2022.
Sélestat puts the Christmas tree in all its forms on the occasion of the Advent celebrations.
Here, the nave of the Saint-Georges church.
French Moments / Photo press
Come to Sélestat to admire the oldest written mention of a Christmas tree.
The city celebrated last year the 500th anniversary of this inscription.
It appears on page 239 of a register of accounts;
in the absence of storybooks at the time!
The work is highlighted in the dazzling Humanist Library of the city.
The latter also houses part of the Christmas market on its forecourt.
The fir tree is the common denominator of the festivities in the dynamic city of central Alsace.
Ten conifers suspended in the nave of the Saint-Georges church (Saint-Georges square) trace the evolution of its decorations since the 16th century.
Push the door of the Sainte-Foy church and you will discover an original suspension in the shape of a fir tree (rue Sainte-Foy).
173 Christmas baubles from Meisenthal, the regional cradle of glass art, compose it.
Finally, don't miss the third edition of the exhibition-competition of Christmas tables at the Sainte-Barbe complex (rue Sainte-Barbe) on the theme… of the Christmas tree.
Where ?
Place de la Victoire, place d'Armes and place du Dr Kubler, square Ehm.
Dates and times:
The Sélestat Christmas market is held from November 25 to December 30.
From November 25 to December 23: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
December 24 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed on December 25.
From December 27 to 30: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
How to come to Sélestat?
By train.
The SNCF train station is located 10 minutes on foot from the city center of Sélestat.
It can be reached in 20 minutes from Strasbourg station.
By plane.
Strasbourg-Entzheim International Airport is located 45 km from the city center by motorway.
The airport is served up to 4 times per hour by a train shuttle which reaches Strasbourg station in 9 minutes.
By car.
Five paying car parks border the town centre: place Vanolles, boulevard Vauban, place du Vieux Port, place de Lattre de Tassigny and boulevard Charlemagne.
Obernai Christmas market, the warmest
From November 25 to January 2, 2023.
The exceptional architectural heritage of Obernai enhances the Christmas festivities.
ADT /Press Photo
Mulled wine can be enjoyed twice at the foot of the belfry, 25 km from Strasbourg.
This winter drink, prepared the Obern way (with white wine from Alsace and spices), is served around a large cauldron.
You will enjoy the exceptional architecture of this square as much as its warm atmosphere.
The 16th century monument covers with its sixty meters high a market of around forty chalets animated by local craftsmen scrupulously selected by the Tourist Office.
The youngest will be able to stroll through the alleys and squares so typical of the region during a storytelling round.
Meet in front of Father Christmas's office, place de l'Étoile (it can't be invented) on Wednesdays 7, 14 and 21 December from 3.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. (3 €/child from 4 years old, 5 €/accompanying person ).
Registration at the tourist office on 03 88 95 64 13.
Where ?
Place du Belfry.
Dates and times:
The Obernai Christmas market is open from November 25, 2022 to January 2, 2023, every day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays and Sundays until 8 p.m.
November 25 opening at 4 p.m.
December 24 and 31 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Closed December 25.
How to come to Obernai?
By train.
Obernai SNCF station is located 5 mins walk from Place du Beffroi.
It can be reached in 30 minutes from Strasbourg station.
By plane.
Strasbourg-Entzheim International Airport is located 25 km from the city center by motorway.
The airport is served up to 4 times per hour by a train shuttle and is linked to Strasbourg station in 9 minutes.
By car.
The Remparts free car park is located on the edge of the market.
Christmas shuttles (free) take you to the market on Saturdays and Sundays from the outlying car parks (Altau, Stade, Extracurricular Europe car parks) and the campsite.
Mulhouse Christmas market, adorned with a thousand and one fabrics
From November 24 to December 27, 2022.
The old textile city wraps itself every year in a new fabric to celebrate Christmas.
Mulhouse OTC Mulhouse and its region / Press photo
During Advent, Mulhouse revives the memory of its glorious industrial past by draping itself in spectacular fabrics.
Their pattern is signed this year by the Alsatian designer and textile engineer Caroline Lux.
They adorn the Place de la Réunion, the epicenter of the Christmas market with its Christmas tree, the Ferris wheel and a hundred small chalets.
The fabrics were imagined from the archives of the museum of printing on fabrics in Mulhouse.
You can buy this fabric labeled Alsace terre textile by the meter and in the form of tablecloths, cushions or pockets in the shop installed in the walls of the old Town Hall.
Where ?
Place de la Réunion and surroundings.
Dates and times:
The Mulhouse Christmas market is open from November 24 to December 27.
Sunday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
December 24 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., December 26 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., December 27 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closed December 25.
How to come to Mulhouse?
By train.
The TGV station is located 10 minutes walk from Place de la Réunion, the epicenter of the Christmas market.
By plane.
EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg is located 30 km by motorway from the city centre.
The airport is served up to 4 times per hour by a shuttle to Saint-Louis train station.
Saint-Louis station allows you to reach Mulhouse by train in 15 minutes.
By car.
Park in the P+R Nouveau Bassin (7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.) and Université (7 a.m. to 7 p.m.) car parks from Monday to Saturday, and benefit from a round trip by tram for €2 for all vehicle occupants ( up to 7 people).
Ribeauvillé Christmas market, the most medieval
December 3, 4 and 10, 11, 2022.
The medieval market of Ribeauvillé invites you to dive back a thousand years.
Vincent SCHNEIDER / OTPRR
Didn't you notice the three fortresses overlooking Ribeauvillé?
They inspired the medieval Christmas market in this charming city.
20 km from Colmar, this invites you to dive back a thousand years.
You can come across a shepherd walking his flock of learned geese, taste wild boar cooked on a spit, or converse with craftsmen and designers in medieval costumes.
A change of scenery is guaranteed within the picturesque capital of the fiddlers of Alsace and its 70 small wooden chalets.
Here, the year 2020, without a Christmas market due to the pandemic, was used to renew the architecture of the stands and the entertainment.
This courteous Christmas market is combined with the timeless pleasure of tasting local wines accompanied by sweets in the cellars of the Ribeauvillé-Riquewihr region.
Où ça ? Au cœur de la vieille ville.
Dates et horaires :
Le marché de Noël de Ribeauvillé est ouvert les 3,4 et 10,11 décembre. Les samedis de 10h à 19h, les dimanches de 10h à 18h.
Comment venir à Ribeauvillé ?
En transport en commun.Les navettes de Noël du Pays des étoiles desservent au départ de la gare de Colmar les marchés de Kaysersberg, Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé, Eguisheim Turckheim, Munster et Neuf-Brisach tous les vendredis, samedis et dimanches du 25 novembre au 18 décembre (la ligne 5 vers Neuf-Brisach fonctionnera seulement le samedi 10/12 et le dimanche 11/12). 10 € par personne, gratuit pour les moins de 12 ans.
En voiture. Il est conseillé de stationner au parking relais de l'entreprise Cordon, sur la zone d'activité du Muehlbach, sortie n°20 depuis l'A35. Coût 8 € comprenant l'accès au parking-relais et à la navette pour tous les occupants du véhicule.
Marché de Noël d'Eguisheim, au cœur du plus charmant village
Du 25 novembre au 30 décembre 2022.
La visite du marché d'Eguisheim se combine parfaitement avec Colmar, Kaysersberg et Ribeauvillé. Eguisheim Tourisme / Rouffach
Noël en Alsace n'aurait pas la même saveur sans les inimitables toitures pentues de ses villages, ses colombages et autres maisons colorées. Il faut venir au marché d'Eguisheim, au cœur du vignoble haut-rhinois, pour profiter de cette magie dans un environnement unique à 8 km de Colmar.
Le petit marché d'une trentaine d'exposants est ouvert pendant toute la période de l'Avent. Et qui mieux que le veilleur de nuit pour vous guider dans les ruelles illuminées à la découverte des trésors de la cité mais aussi de l'histoire du village. Il propose une balade enchanteresse gratuite d'une heure trente. Rendez-vous à 17h place du Château le 25 novembre, puis du 29 novembre au 27 décembre et le 30 décembre. (Réservation au 03 89 23 40 33.)
Où ça ? Place du Château.
Dates et horaires :
Du 25 novembre au 30 décembre 2022. Du 25 novembre au 15 décembre du lundi au jeudi de 12h à 19h, du vendredi au dimanche de 10h à 19h À partir du 16 décembre : tous les jours de 10h à 19h. Fermeture les 24, 25 et 26 décembre.
Comment venir à Eguisheim ?
En transport en commun.Les navettes de Noël du Pays des étoiles desservent au départ de la gare de Colmar les marchés de Kaysersberg, Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé, Eguisheim Turckheim, Munster et Neuf-Brisach tous les vendredis, samedis et dimanches du 25 novembre au 18 décembre (la ligne 5 vers Neuf-Brisach fonctionnera seulement le samedi 10/12 et le dimanche 11/12). 10 € par personne, gratuit pour les moins de 12 ans.
Marché de Noël de Neuf-Brisach, l'esprit des Lumières
Les 9, 10 et 11 décembre 2022.
Cette ville fortifiée par Vauban à la frontière allemande accueille les visiteurs comme en 1700. Sylvie Petit Photography / ADT AE
Venez vivre un Noël comme en 1700, dans cette cité inscrite au patrimoine mondial de l'Unesco. Ce marché de Noël d'antan invite à se laisser surprendre par cette ville fortifiée par Vauban et découvrir ses métiers d'autrefois : brasseur, céramiste, cordier, fileuse etc. À Neuf-Brisach, le rayonnement de l'esprit des Lumières s'incarne dans les costumes d'époque revêtus par exposants et figurants. Pour l'occasion, c'est l'ingénieur et architecte Vauban en personne qui vous plongera dans la féerie de sa cité au travers de visites guidées. Rendez-vous les 9, 10, 11 décembre de 14h30 à 16h. Tarifs 6 € par adulte et 2 € par enfant de moins de 12 ans (réservation avant midi au 03 89 72 56 66.).
Où ça ? Place de la Mairie, rue de l'Hôtel de Ville, salle des Fêtes.
Dates et horaires :
The Neuf-Brisach Christmas market takes place on December 9 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., December 10 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., December 11 from 10 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.
How to get to Neuf-Brisach?
By public transport.
From Colmar TGV station, located 20 km from Neuf-Brisach.
By car.
Shuttles in the little tourist train are planned to reach the center of the city from the car park of Camping Vauban (1€ per trip).
