The French region of Alsace is one of those places that at Christmas look just like a postcard. Strasbourg, the regional capital, proudly calls itself the “Capital of Christmas”, and around it, on the German border, small villages full of character and colorful houses are scattered among the vineyards. Exactly a year ago I popped over with my family to visit Alsace at Christmas, and I’ve come back to share everything we learned along the way, including a few things that are well worth knowing before you even book flights. So here are all my insights on spending Christmas in Alsace, including the dates of the main markets, recommended hotels and important tips.
Most Important: Accommodation First, Then Flights
As I already hinted, this is the tip I most wish I’d known in advance. At Christmas, accommodation in Alsace is in very high demand. So much so that many people book a room a year ahead! So in this case the right order is the reverse of usual: first lock in your accommodation, and only then look for a flight.
It’s best to book with free cancellation, so you can reserve early and still keep your flexibility. My hotel recommendations are further down the article, and you can also search for a hotel through Check In Out’s search engine.
When Is the Best Time to Visit Alsace at Christmas?
The best time to come is the first or second week of December. All the markets are already open, and if you come on the weekend of December 5 and 6 or 12 and 13, you can also see the medieval market in Ribeauvillé. Midweek it’s less crowded. On December 24 and 25 it’s best not to plan market visits: the Strasbourg market usually closes on Christmas Eve, and on December 25 many places are closed.
The Strasbourg Christmas market opens this year on Friday, November 27, 2026. The markets in the other towns open at the end of November, and most run throughout December. Entry to all the markets is free.
- Strasbourg: from November 27 to Christmas Eve. The official closing date hasn’t been published yet (last year the market closed on December 24).
- Colmar: November 23 to December 29. The food market and the Ferris wheel are open until January 3, 2027.
- Obernai: November 27 to December 31, closed on December 25.
- Ribeauvillé (medieval market): only on December 5 and 6 and December 12 and 13, 2026: Saturday 10:00 to 19:00, Sunday 10:00 to 18:00.
I took the dates listed here from the region’s event calendars, but it’s always worth double-checking on the towns’ tourism websites before you book a flight.
How to Get to Alsace
Unless you find a convenient flight to Strasbourg or to EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse, there are three main ways to get there:
- Fly to Zurich and rent a car. That’s what we did. From Zurich to Alsace it’s about a two-hour drive, and in Switzerland rental cars come with winter tires in winter (more on that below).
- Fly to Frankfurt and rent a car. A good option when there’s a cheap flight to Frankfurt.
- Fly to Paris and take the train. Several direct TGV trains a day run from Charles de Gaulle Airport to Strasbourg, and the journey takes about two hours. From Gare de l’Est in central Paris there are direct trains to both Strasbourg and Colmar.
Train tickets in France are booked on the SNCF Connect website or app. It’s best to book early, because prices go up in December. To search for flights you can use our flight search engine. Or you can use the international flight search engine Skyscanner, which lets you compare airlines and see how changing your dates affects the price. For an explanation of the flexible search options and how to read the results, see our guide tosearching for flights on Skyscanner.
Do You Need a Car in Alsace?
It’s not a must, but a car is the most convenient way to reach the small towns on the Wine Route. Without a car you can stay in Strasbourg or Colmar, travel between them by regional train, and reach the towns on an organized tour (details below). If you rent a car, there are two things you mustn’t miss:
1. Winter Tires
This is the most important thing in the whole article! In winter, car rental companies in Switzerland provide winter tires by default. In Germany and France, however, they don’t guarantee it, even when the law in these areas requires winter equipment.
In Alsace the requirement applies from November 1 to March 31 in certain municipalities, mainly in the mountain areas of the Vosges in the west of the region. The law allows winter tires or chains in the car, but chains are an emergency solution and not a substitute for safe driving on icy roads. My recommendation: make sure in writing in advance that the car comes with winter tires.
It’s also important to check with the rental company and your insurer what happens if there’s an accident in a car without winter tires. In such cases the insurance may not cover the damage!
2. Clean Air Sticker (Crit’Air) for Strasbourg
To drive into Strasbourg you need a Crit’Air sticker, even with foreign plates. If you rented a car in Switzerland or Germany, it probably won’t have one.
The sticker is ordered online, only on the official government website certificat-air.gouv.fr. Note: there are lots of websites that look official and charge much more than the official price. Don’t fall for them! The sticker is sent by post, so it’s best to order it a few weeks ahead.
And one more tip: before you book a car, read our guide to renting a car abroad, with everything you need to know.
Strasbourg Without Traffic Jams: The Obernai Trick
During the Christmas season Strasbourg has heavy traffic, and it’s very hard to find parking. We gave up on driving into the city, and didn’t regret it. What did we do? We left the car in Obernai, the town where we stayed, and went to Strasbourg by regional train. It’s a ride of 5 or 6 stops that takes only about half an hour. The station in Strasbourg is in the city, and from there it’s a short walk to the markets. Bonus: Obernai itself is charming, with a small, pleasant Christmas market.
The Town Markets and the Medieval Market in Ribeauvillé
Beyond Strasbourg and Colmar, almost every town on the Wine Route has its own Christmas market, for example in Kaysersberg, Riquewihr and Eguisheim. The town markets are prettiest toward evening, when the lights come on, so plan your day so that you reach one of them at dusk.
The Medieval Market in Ribeauvillé: Highly Recommended
This market is different from all the rest. In December the town of Ribeauvillé turns into a medieval village, with vendors in period costume, music and street shows. In 2026 the market takes place on only two weekends, December 5 and 6 and December 12 and 13, so it’s very crowded. What to do?
- Come early: the market opens at 10:00 on Saturday and Sunday.
- Park at the park and ride: on market days the town is closed to cars, and there’s a shuttle from the parking lot in Bergheim every 20 minutes.
Recommended Christmas Tours
If just shopping at the market isn’t enough for you and you want to get to know the history behind it in depth, you can joina tour of the Strasbourg Christmas market. It’s a two-hour walking tour with a local guide who tells you about the market and gives tips on the best shopping and recommended restaurants. And if you want to see several towns in one day without driving, there’s also a full-day tour (7 hours) of the Alsace Christmas markets. It runs in small groups of up to 8 people, and takes you from Strasbourg to the markets of Colmar and two more villages. It’s for keen travelers who never tire of one more Christmas market.
How Many Nights Do You Need?
3 to 4 nights are enough to see Strasbourg, Colmar and two or three small towns. If you’d like to see more towns without rushing, it’s worth adding another night. Distances in Alsace are short, so you can stay in one base for the whole trip and take day trips from it, or split your nights between two bases, for example Strasbourg and Colmar.
Where to Stay: Recommended Hotels
In my opinion there are three recommended options that can serve as a base for a Christmas trip to Alsace: Obernai suits you if you’re coming by car and want to go to Strasbourg by train. Strasbourg suits you if you don’t have a car and want to walk to the market. And from Colmar it’s easy to reach the Wine Route towns and Ribeauvillé.
Recommended Hotels in Obernai
- Hotel & Spa A la Cour d’Alsace: A 4-star hotel right in the center of town, with a spa, a heated pool and private parking. In short: everything you need.
- Hotel La Diligence: A 4-star hotel on the town’s main square, right next to the Christmas market. Beautifully designed, with a good breakfast and efficient, friendly staff.
- Hotel Le Colombier: A boutique hotel in an excellent location 100 meters from the center, at a reasonable price and with a bonus: the hotel has a sauna and you can book massages. Some rooms are tiny, so pay attention to which room you book.
- Oneloft Hotel: Not the fanciest, but clean and friendly, and at an excellent price. About a kilometer from the center (about a 15-minute walk).
Recommended Hotels in Strasbourg
- Hôtel LÉONOR: An indulgent 4-star hotel on the edge of the old town, about 300 meters from the center and close to the city’s big Christmas market. The rooms are large, stylish and sparkling clean. Breakfast is excellent and the service is great. There’s also discounted parking. In short: perfect, though not cheap.
- Hotel Les Haras: An indulgent 4-star hotel in a building that was once horse stables, but don’t worry, it’s been cleaned since! It’s about 700 meters from the center, with a spa with an indoor pool and a chef’s restaurant. The rooms are large, stylish and clean. Note: some rooms are in an older wing or in a separate building across the road, so it’s worth requesting a room in the main building in advance.
- Hôtel Gutenberg: A 4-star boutique hotel in the heart of the old town, right by the cathedral and the markets. The staff are friendly and helpful, breakfast is tasty, and the lobby has fruit and drinks for guests all day. The rooms aren’t fancy but they’re pleasant. Note: the attic rooms are small, and in some you have to climb more stairs to reach the toilet and shower, so check which room you’re booking.
- Hôtel Saint Augustin: A simple, pleasant 3-star hotel, 150 meters from the train station and about a 10-minute walk from the old town. The rooms are simply decorated but clean and comfortable, and the staff are praised for being friendly and efficient. Especially suitable if you’re arriving by train and looking for a reasonably priced place.
Recommended Hotels in Colmar
- James Boutique Hôtel: A 4-star boutique hotel at the entrance to the old town, about a 5-minute walk from the Christmas markets. The rooms are new, clean and spacious, with large bathrooms, and there’s private parking, which is handy if you have a car. Plus, the staff get compliments across the board. Note: the basic rooms are small, so consider a bigger room.
- James Vignoble Hôtel: A 4-star hotel among the vineyards of Eguisheim, about a 10-minute drive from Colmar. It has a spa with a heated indoor pool, a hot tub and a sauna, and an excellent breakfast. And the price is easy on the wallet too. It’s an excellent option if you have a car and want to stay in one of the beautiful Wine Route towns, which also has its own Christmas market. Note: use of the spa costs extra.
- Hôtel Maison Turenne: A 4-star hotel at the entrance to the old town. The rooms are clean and spacious, and there are family rooms too. Plus, breakfast is very good and the staff are warm. And over the holidays they decorate the hotel for some extra atmosphere.
For all the hotels, it’s best to book with free cancellation if possible, and as early as possible before Christmas, because they fill up fast. You can compare prices on our hotel search engine.
Tips That Will Make Your Trip
- Expect it to be very crowded. Millions of visitors come to Alsace at this time of year, mostly on weekends. If you can, travel midweek.
- Arrive early at the popular markets, especially Ribeauvillé and Strasbourg on Saturdays.
- Save the evenings for the towns. The markets are prettiest when the lights come on, so plan your day to end in a lit-up town.
- Dress in layers. In December it’s cold in Alsace, around zero. Gloves, a hat and warm shoes are essential.
- Planning more markets? Alsace borders Germany and Switzerland, and you can combine it with more markets. All the destinations are in our guide toChristmas markets in Europe, and in the article where to fly in December.
We wish you a wonderful Christmas holiday in Alsace! And we invite you to tell us how it went in the comments.
