Planning a family visit to the Christmas markets in eastern France
When to book? Plan ahead!
After considering this trip at the last minute the previous year, then abandoning it due to exorbitant prices, we booked this one several months in advance. It feels strange to plan Christmas during the summer, but it was the perfect time to get affordable accommodation.
How to get to the Christmas markets in Alsace ?
Our initial idea was to take the train from Paris. Travelling by train avoids parking issues and traffic jams, and it is also the best option for the environnement.
Perfect for solo travellers or couples. Unfortunately, it tripled the budget for us (a family of 4), so we ultimately opted for the car journey.
Where to stay? How to find accommodation for the Christmas markets in eastern France?
As for accommodation, I think doing a road trip and changing accommodation daily is great (especially if you arrive by train). However, with our two young children, we preferred to stay in one place for our four nights and picked the city of Colmar.
Our apartment, found on Airbnb, was very comfortable and well located.
Best time of day to visit the markets with children?
Generally speaking, Christmas markets are very crowded in the late afternoon and early evening. For our part, with small children, these were the times when we returned to our accommodation.
If you want to enjoy them peacefully, we recommend starting as soon as they open in the morning. It is much easier to get around!
Our only regret was not always being able to enjoy the Christmas lights. We sometimes left before nightfall (notably for our day in Kaysersberg and Riquewihr).
Colmar Christmas markets
Our tips for the Colmar Christmas markets
Activities outside the Christmas markets in Colmar
- Visit the Saint Martin Collegiate Church of Colmar, to discover Alsatian Gothic architecture
- Don’t miss the wonderful shop: La Magie de Noël, located right opposite the religious building (which reminded us of this Christmas shop in Quebec during our world trip)
- Take a warm break indoors at the Toy Museum, a delight for both children and adults
- Ride the Carrousel at Place de la Mairie (a much cheaper ride than the Christmas market ones, and just as magical with the decorations around)
- Go to the restaurant Muang Thaï, delicious and within walking distance from the centre, to take a break from market food
It was a real treat to discover Colmar’s architecture, the Alsatian houses with colourful roofs and Little Venice, with the magic of the all Christmas-themed music, decorations, souvenirs and food.
How to get to the Colmar Christmas markets?
The Christmas markets of Kaysersberg and Riquewihr
Be careful to check the opening times: unlike Colmar and Strasbourg, these markets are only open on certain weekends!
The Kaysersberg Christmas market
We loved the atmosphere of the Kaysersberg market. The stalls felt more authentic and more affordable than in Colmar or Strasbourg. On top of that, the vendors were very friendly and, since we arrived early, we were able to chat with them. Drinks (wine, hot chocolate and apple juice) started at €2.50 and were served in a nice glass rather than a plastic cup. The glass wasn’t returnable, but it makes for a nice souvenir! We recommend bringing your own reusable cup on the markets to taste several mulled wines.
Unfortunately, it was cloudy on the day we visited Kaysersberg. But from what we could glimpse, the view must be stunning!
The whole family enjoyed watching (for free) the glassblowing work at the Kaysersberg glass workshop and we were also amazed in the shop. Not far, we loved the window display filled with gingerbread men at the Loewert J.Marc Bakery and Pastry.
At the Kaysersberg market, we ate very good pretzels, sausages and rösti (lactose-free for Clémentine and with Munster cheese for the others). Also, at the end of the morning, we had a bite and a beer at the Bisaiguë Brewery. Perfect to sit down, warm up and use the (outdoor) toilets.
The Riquewihr Christmas market
We arrived in Riquewihr in the early afternoon, direct from Kaysersberg. It was already packed with people, and we spent a good part of our time queuing endlessly for filthy public toilets. The market was smaller and felt less traditional than the Kaysersberg market.
The shop La Féérie de Noël was incredible, a real attraction and our favourite moment in Riquewihr! We would have liked to stay until sunset, as the market is apparently truly beautiful when lit up. But the crowds, lack of facilities and our transport constraints forced us to leave earlier.
How to get to the Kaysersberg and Riquewihr Christmas markets?
We decided to visit both Kaysersberg and Riquewihr in one day. To get there, we chose bus line 1. All information and tickets are available on noel-colmar.com. We recommend booking at least the day before. The shuttle first dropped us in Kaysersberg and then in Riquewihr.
Honestly, on paper it seemed like the easiest option, but we regretted it. In Kaysersberg, we were dropped off extremely far from the market, more than a kilometre away (a 20-minute walk), which was not easy with two small children. In the end, if we had arrived early, we could have parked much closer.
We had to walk all the way back to catch the shuttle to Riquewihr. We arrived in the afternoon and experienced traffic jams on the road. There was less walking from the bus stop in Riquewihr, about 400m uphill (10 minutes). But for the return, the queue for the shuttle buses was endless, in the cold, with no toilets. Waiting in the freezing weather with the children was tough, and the sun had set by the time we finally got on the bus.
On reflection, we should have done these two markets over two separate days, driving there early (to park easily) and leaving in the early afternoon to avoid traffic.
The Strasbourg Christmas markets
Our tips for the Strasbourg Christmas markets
For our day in Strasbourg, we met up with friends who know the city well and let ourselves be guided. We chose to go on Monday to avoid weekend crowds. Even though it was December 22, Monday was a good decision.
Once again, we loved the architecture and the impressive cathedral. We started our visit in front of the cathedral, with its beautiful Christmas market stalls. As in Colmar, there are several Christmas markets in Strasbourg.
We also went to Place Broglie to see the Christkindelsmärik, the oldest Christmas market. We visited Place Benjamin Zix in the Petite France district and the OFF market at Place Grimmeissen, with a parent-baby area (microwave, comfortable armchair, changing table), as well as a Safe Zone designed for people with disabilities.
At the Village de l’Avent in Square Louise Weiss, the children were delighted to play in small chalets built to their size!
Finally, both children and adults were impressed by the giant Christmas tree at Place Kléber.
Activities outside the Strasbourg Christmas markets
To avoid freezing, we ate indoors for lunch: a delicious brunch at Bistrot & Chocolat. It’s a vegetarian restaurant with great vegan and lactose-free options for Clémentine.
If you prefer a snack or tea break, just nearby you can enjoy incredible madeleines at the tea room Au Fond du Jardin.
Here are three other activities recommended by Célia and Alexis:
- visit the European Parliament
- walk in the Parc de l’Orangerie
- relax at the Caracalla Thermes, just across the border in Germany
How to get to the Strasbourg Christmas markets?
Our initial plan was to take the train from Colmar, but prices were once again very high for the whole family. We drove to the Baggersee P+R car park. For only €4.20 (for the entire family), we were able to take the tram all day and park our car. It takes about 15 minutes to reach the centre by tram from Baggersee.
Very smooth in the morning, we decided to head back around 5pm as it was getting crowded. We had to wait a bit for a tram back, but it wasn’t bad. We are very happy we chose the car + park-and-ride + tram option.
